Assyria Resettles Samaria

2 Kings 17

24 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. 25 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.

29 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. 30 The men of s Babylon made Succoth Be-noth', the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 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. 32 So they feared the LORD, v and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the 1 high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 w They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods - according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

34 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, 35 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; 36 "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. 37 "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. 38 "And the covenant that I have made with you, e you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 "But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." 40 However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals.

41 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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?
  3. 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."
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.'"
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
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