2 Kings 17:28–41

²⁸And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria cometh in, and dwelleth in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they do fear Jehovah, ²⁹and they are making each nation its gods, and place them in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made, each nation in their cities where they are dwelling. ³⁰And the men of Babylon have made Succoth-Benoth, and the men of Cuth have made Nergal, and the men of Hamath have made Ashima, ³¹and the Avites have made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods of Sepharvim. ³²And they are fearing Jehovah, and make to themselves from their extremities priests of high places, and they are acting for them in the house of the high places. ³³Jehovah they are fearing, and their gods they are serving, according to the custom of the nations whence they removed them. ³⁴Unto this day they are doing according to the former customs—they are not fearing Jehovah, and are not doing according to their statutes, and according to their ordinances, and according to the law, and according to the command, that Jehovah commanded the sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel, ³⁵and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, ‘Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them, ³⁶but Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a stretched-out arm, Him ye do fear, and to Him ye bow yourselves, and to Him ye do sacrifice; ³⁷and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods; ³⁸and the covenant that I have made with you ye do not forget, and ye do not fear other gods; ³⁹but Jehovah your God ye do fear, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;’ ⁴⁰and they have not hearkened, but according to their former custom they are doing, ⁴¹and these nations are fearing Jehovah, and their graven images they have served, both their sons and their sons’ sons; as their fathers did, they are doing unto this day.

Chapter 18