2 Kings 17:28–41

²⁸Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

²⁹However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them ^rin the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt. ³⁰The men of ^sBabylon made Succoth Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, ^31tand the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites ^uburned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³²So they feared the Lord, ^vand from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the ³high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. ^33wThey feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

³⁴To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, ^xwhom He named Israel, ³⁵with whom the Lord had made a covenant and charged them, saying: ^y“You shall not fear other gods, nor ^zbow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; ³⁶but the Lord, who ^abrought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and ^ban outstretched arm, ^cHim you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. ³⁷And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, ^dyou shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. ³⁸And the covenant that I have made with you, ^eyou shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. ³⁹But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” ⁴⁰However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals. ^41fSo these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.