2 Kings 17:24-41 - Israel Repopulated With Foreign Captives
24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avvah, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and caused them to dwell in the cities of Samaria, instead of the sons of Israel, - so they took possession of Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 And so it was, that, when they first dwelt there, they revered not Yahweh, - therefore Yahweh sent among them, lions, which were slaying them. 26 Therefore spake they unto the king of Assyria, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and settled in the cities of Samaria, know not the custom of the God of the land, - and he hath sent among them lions, and lo! they are slaying them, because they know not the custom of the God of the land.
27 So the king of Assyria commanded, saying - Carry thither, one of the priests, whom ye brought away captive from thence, that they may go, and dwell there, - and teach them the custom of the God of the land. 28 Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh.
29 Howbeit the nations severally were making their own gods, - and did put them in the houses of the high places, which, the Samaritans, had made, each several nation, in their cities wherein, they, were dwelling. 30 So then, the men of Babylon, made Succoth-benoth, and, the men of Cuth, made Nergal, and, the men of Hamath, made Ashima: 31 and, the Avvites, made Nibhaz and Tartak, and, the Sepharvites, did consume their sons in the fire, to Adrammelech and Anammelech gods of Sepharvaim. 32 Thus became they reverers of Yahweh, - and yet made for themselves, from the whole compass of them, priests of high places, who became offerers for them in the house of the high places. 33 Yahweh, were they revering, - and yet, their own gods, were they serving, according to the custom of the nations from whence they had brought them away captive.
34 Unto this day, are they offering according to the former customs, - they are not revering Yahweh, neither are they offering after their own statutes, or their own custom, nor yet after the law and the commandment which Yahweh commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made to be Israel: 35 With, whom, Yahweh solemnised a covenant, and commanded them saying - Ye shall not revere other gods, - nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them; 36 But, Yahweh - who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, with great might, and with arm outstretched, him, shall ye revere, - and to him, shall ye bow down, and to him, shall ye sacrifice; 37 And, the statutes and the regulations, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, shall ye surely observe to do, continually, - So shall ye not revere other gods; 38 But, the covenant which I have solemnised with you, shall ye not forget, - So shall ye not revere other gods; 39 But, Yahweh your God, shall ye revere, - then will, he, deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
40 Howbeit they hearkened not, - but, according to their own former custom, were they offering. 41 Thus were these nations doing reverence unto Yahweh, and yet, unto their own carved images, were they rendering service, - yea, their sons and their son's sons, as the fathers offered, so are, they, offering until this day.