Foreign Refugees in Israel

24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. i 25 When they first lived there, they did not * fear * Yahweh. So the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. j 26 The settlers spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Therefore He has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don’t know the requirements of the God of the land.”

27 Then the king of Assyria issued a command: “Send back one of the priests you deported. k Have him go and live there so he can teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” 28 So one of the priests they had deported came and lived in Bethel, l and he began to teach them how they should fear Yahweh.

29 But the people of each nation were still making their own gods in the cities where they lived and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made. m 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire n to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim. 32 They feared the Lord, but they also appointed from their number priests to serve them in the shrines of the high places. o 33 They feared the Lord, but they also worshiped their own gods p according to the custom of the nations where they had been deported from.

34 They are still practicing the former customs to this day. None of them fear the Lord or observe their statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments the Lord commanded the descendants of Jacob. He had renamed him Israel. q 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow down to them; r do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them. s 36 Instead fear the Lord, who brought you from the land of Egypt with great power t and an outstretched arm. u You are to bow down to Him, and you are to sacrifice to Him. 37 You are to be careful always v to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments He wrote for you; do not fear other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you. w Do not fear other gods, 39 but fear the Lord your God, and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” x

40 However, they would not listen but continued practicing their former customs.