2 Kings 17
1
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, a Hoshea the son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years.
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And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
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b Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea c became his vassal, and paid him tribute money.
4
And the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and brought no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
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Now d the king of Assyria went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years.
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e In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and f carried Israel away to Assyria, g and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
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For h so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had i feared other gods,
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and j had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
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Also the children of Israel secretly did against the LORD their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, k from watchtower to fortified city.
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l They set up for themselves sacred pillars and m wooden images n on every high hill and under every green tree.
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There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD had carried away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger,
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for they served idols, o of which the LORD had said to them, p "You shall not do this thing."
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Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His q prophets, r every seer, saying, s "Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets."
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Nevertheless they would not hear, but t stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who u did not believe in the LORD their God.
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And they v rejected His statutes w and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed x idols, y became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them that they should z not do like them.
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So they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, a made for themselves a molded image and two calves, b made a wooden image and worshiped all the c host of heaven, d and served Baal.
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e And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, f practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and g sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.
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Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left h but the tribe of Judah alone.
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Also i Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
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And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and j delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His k sight.
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For l He tore Israel from the house of David, and m they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them commit a great sin.
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For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them,
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until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, n as He had said by all His servants the prophets. o So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.
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p Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, q Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.
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And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26
So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land."
27
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land."
28
Then 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.
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However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them r in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt.
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The men of s Babylon made Succoth Be-noth', the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
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t and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites u burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
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So they feared the LORD, v and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
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w They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods - according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.
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To 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, x whom He named Israel,
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with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: y "You shall not fear other gods, nor z bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them;
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"but the LORD, who a brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and b an outstretched arm, c Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice.
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"And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, d you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods.
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"And the covenant that I have made with you, e you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.
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"But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."
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However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals.
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f So 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.
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Cross References
2 Kings 15:30
Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
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Cross References
2 Kings 18:9 - 12
Now it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.
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Cross References
2 Kings 24:1
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
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Cross References
2 Kings 18:9
Now it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it.
Hosea 13:16
Samaria is held guilty, For she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword, Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, And their women with child ripped open.
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Cross References
2 Kings 18:10
And at the end of three years they took it. In ...
2 Kings 18:11
Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away ca...
Isaiah 7:7 - 9
Thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall not stand, No...
Hosea 1:4
Then the LORD said to him: "Call his name Jezre...
Hosea 13:16
Samaria is held guilty, For she has rebelled ag...
Amos 4:2
The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: "Behold...
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:32
I will bring the land to desolation, and your e...
Leviticus 26:33
I will scatter you among the nations and draw o...
Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD will bring you and the king whom you s...
Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all people...
Deuteronomy 29:27
Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against ...
Deuteronomy 29:28
'And the LORD uprooted them from their land in ...
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 5:26
So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.
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Cross References
Joshua 23:16
"When you have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you."
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Cross References
Judges 6:10
'Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.'"
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Cross References
Leviticus 18:3
According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.
Deuteronomy 18:9
When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
2 Kings 16:3
But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel.
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Cross References
2 Kings 18:8
He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.
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Cross References
1 Kings 14:23
For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree.
Isaiah 57:5
Inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, Slaying the children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the rocks?
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Cross References
Exodus 34:12 - 14
Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.
Deuteronomy 16:21
You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the LORD your God.
Micah 5:14
I will pluck your wooden images from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:2
You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
2 Kings 16:4
And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
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Cross References
Exodus 20:3 - 5
You shall have no other gods before Me.
Leviticus 26:1
You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 5:7
You shall have no other gods before Me.
Deuteronomy 5:8
You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:19
And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
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Cross References
Nehemiah 9:29
And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, 'Which if a man does, he shall live by them.' And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear.
Nehemiah 9:30
Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 9:9
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: "Come, let us go to the seer"; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
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Cross References
Jeremiah 18:11
"Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." '"
Jeremiah 25:5
They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.
Jeremiah 35:15
I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.' But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.
Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
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Cross References
Exodus 32:9
And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!
Exodus 33:3
" Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."
Deuteronomy 31:27
For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD, then how much more after my death?
Proverbs 29:1
He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 9:23
Likewise, when the LORD sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, 'Go up and possess the land which I have given you,' then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and you did not believe Him nor obey His voice.
Psalms 78:22
Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 44:3
Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense and to serve other gods whom they did not know, they nor you nor your fathers.
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Cross References
Exodus 24:6 - 8
And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Deuteronomy 29:25
Then people would say: 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:21
They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
1 Kings 16:31
And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.
1 Corinthians 8:4
Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 13:7
Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them.
Jeremiah 2:5
Thus says the LORD: "What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?
Romans 1:21 - 23
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:30
"take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.'
Deuteronomy 12:31
You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
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Cross References
Exodus 32:8
"They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'"
1 Kings 12:28
Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!
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Cross References
1 Kings 14:15
For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their wooden images, provoking the LORD to anger.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:19
And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
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Cross References
1 Kings 16:31
And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.
1 Kings 22:53
For he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.
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Cross References
Leviticus 18:21
And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
2 Kings 16:3
But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel.
Ezekiel 23:37
For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.
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Cross References
Leviticus 19:26
You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.
Deuteronomy 18:10 - 12
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.
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Cross References
1 Kings 21:20
So Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD:
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Cross References
1 Kings 11:13
"However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."
1 Kings 11:32
(but he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel).
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Cross References
Jeremiah 3:8
Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.
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Cross References
Judges 2:14
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
2 Kings 13:3
Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of BenHadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
2 Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
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Cross References
2 Kings 24:20
For because of the anger of the LORD this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
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Cross References
1 Kings 11:11
Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
1 Kings 11:31
And he said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you
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Cross References
1 Kings 12:20
Now it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
1 Kings 12:28
Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!
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Cross References
1 Kings 14:16
"And He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin."
Isaiah 8:4
"for before the child shall have knowledge to cry 'My father' and 'My mother,' the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria."
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Cross References
2 Kings 17:6
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
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Cross References
Ezra 4:2
They came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers' houses, and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.
Ezra 4:10
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond the River - and so forth.
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Cross References
2 Kings 18:34
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
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Cross References
1 Kings 12:31
He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
1 Kings 13:32
"For the saying which he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass."
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Cross References
2 Kings 17:24
Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.
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Cross References
Ezra 4:9
From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions - representatives of the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites.
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Cross References
Leviticus 18:21
And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
Deuteronomy 12:31
You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
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Cross References
1 Kings 12:31
He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
1 Kings 13:33
After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
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Cross References
Zephaniah 1:5
Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, But who also swear by Milcom.
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Cross References
Genesis 32:28
And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.
Genesis 35:10
And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel.
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Cross References
Judges 6:10
'Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.'"
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Cross References
Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
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Cross References
Exodus 14:15 - 30
And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
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Cross References
Exodus 6:6
Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
Exodus 9:15
Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 10:20
You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 5:32
Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:23
Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.
Deuteronomy 6:12
Then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
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Cross References
2 Kings 17:32
So they feared the LORD, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
2 Kings 17:33
They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods - according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.