2 Kings 17:28–41

²⁸So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

²⁹Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns^b where they settled, and set them up in the shrines^c the people of Samaria had made at the high places.^{d 30}The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek^e and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.^{f 32}They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts^g of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. ³³They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

³⁴To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.^{h 35}When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worshipⁱ any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.^{j 36}But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,^k is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. ³⁷You must always be careful^l to keep the decrees^m and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. ³⁸Do not forgetⁿ the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. ³⁹Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

⁴⁰They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. ⁴¹Even while these people were worshiping the Lord,^o they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.