18The LORD became so angry with Israel that he removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left.
19Even Judah didn't obey the commands of the LORD their God but lived according to Israel's customs. 20So the LORD rejected all of Israel's descendants, made them suffer, handed them over to those who looted their property, and finally turned away from Israel.
21When he tore Israel away from the family of David, the people of Israel made Jeroboam (Nebat's son) king. Jeroboam forced Israel away from the LORD and led them to commit a serious sin. 22The Israelites followed all the sins Jeroboam committed and never turned away from them. 23Finally, the LORD turned away from Israel as he had said he would through all his servants, the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their land to Assyria as captives, and they are still there today.
24The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities. 25When they first came to live there, they didn't worship the LORD. So the LORD sent lions to kill some of them. 26Then someone said to the king of Assyria, "The people you took as captives and settled in the cities of Samaria don't know the customs of the god of that country, so he sent lions. Now the lions are killing them because they don't know the customs of the god of this country."
27The king of Assyria gave this command: "Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the god of that country." 28So one of the priests who had been taken prisoner from Samaria went to live in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the LORD.
29But each group [that settled in Samaria] continued to make its own gods. They put them at the illegal places of worship, which the people of Samaria had made. Each group did this in the cities where they lived: 30The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth. The people from Cuth made Nergal. The people from Hamath made Ashima. 31The people from Avva made Nibhaz and Tartak. The people from Sepharvaim burned their children for Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32So while these people were worshiping the LORD, they also appointed all kinds of people to serve as priests for the shrines at their illegal places of worship. 33They worshiped the LORD but also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had come.
34Today they are still following their customs, as they've done from the beginning. They don't fear the LORD or live by the decrees, customs, teachings, or commands that the LORD gave to the descendants of Jacob (whom he named Israel). 35When the LORD made a promise to Israel, he commanded, "Never worship other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them. 36Instead, worship the LORD, who used his great power and a mighty arm to bring you out of Egypt. Bow down to the LORD, and sacrifice to him. 37Faithfully obey the laws, rules, teachings, and commands that he wrote for you: 'Never worship other gods. 38Never forget the promise I made to you. Never worship other gods. 39Instead, worship the LORD your God, and he will rescue you from your enemies.'" 40The people of Israel had refused to listen and made up their own rules, as they had done from the beginning. 41These [other] nations worshiped the LORD but also served their own idols. So did their children and their grandchildren. They still do whatever their ancestors did.
