2 Kings 17:32–41

^32aThey were also fearing Yahweh and ^1bappointed from among all of themselves priests of the high places, and they were acting for them in the houses of the high places.

³³They were fearing Yahweh and serving their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken away into exile.

³⁴To this day they are acting according to the earlier customs: they are not fearing Yahweh; they are not acting according to their statutes or their judgments or the law, or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the sons of Jacob, ^awhom He named Israel;

³⁵with whom Yahweh cut a covenant and commanded them, saying, “^aYou shall not fear other gods, nor ^bworship them nor ^cserve them nor sacrifice to them.

³⁶“But Yahweh, ^awho brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ^ban outstretched arm, ^cHim you shall fear, and to Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall sacrifice.

³⁷“And the statutes and the judgments and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, ^ayou shall be careful to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods.

³⁸“And the covenant that I have cut with you, ^ayou shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.

³⁹“But Yahweh your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

⁴⁰However, they did not listen, but they were acting according to their earlier custom.

^41aSo while these nations were fearing Yahweh, they also were serving their graven images; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers acted, so they are acting this way to this day.