2 Kings 17:24-41 - Israel Repopulated With Foreign Captives
24 And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon and from Cuthah, and from Avva and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 But at the beginning of their dwelling, they feared not the LORD. Wherefore the LORD sent lions upon them, which slew them. 26 Then men told the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which thou hast translated and put in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land, and therefore he hath sent lions upon them, which slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land."
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Carry thither one of the priests which ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the fashion how to serve the God of the country." 28 And then one of the priests which they had carried thence, went and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
29 Howbeit, every nation made their own gods and put them in the houses of the Hill altars which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities where they dwelt. 30 The men of Babylon made Succothbenoth; The men of Cuth made Nergal; They of Hamath made Ashima; 31 The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; And the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire unto Adrammelech and Annamelech, the gods of Sepharvites. 32 And they feared the LORD, yet they made them priests of the lowest of the people, for the Hill altars; which sacrificed for them in the houses of the Hill altars. 33 And so they feared the LORD, and yet served their own gods after the manner of the people from whence they were brought.
34 Unto this day they do after the old manner: they neither fear the LORD, neither do after their own ordinances and customs, and after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob whose name he called Israel, 35 and made a covenant with them and charged them, saying, "Fear not any other gods, nor bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36 But to the LORD which brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm: him fear and to him bow and to him do sacrifice. 37 And the ordinances, customs, law and commandment which I wrote for you, see that ye be diligent to do for evermore, and fear not any other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you, see ye forget not, and that you fear none other gods: 39 but the LORD your God ye shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies."
40 Howbeit, they heard not, but did after the old manner. 41 And even so did these nations fear the LORD and serve their images thereto: and so did their children, and their children's children too. Even as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.