4. Krallar 17

¹Yahuda Kralı Ahaz'ın on ikinci yılında, Ela oğlu Hoşea Samiriye'de İsrail üzerinde dokuz yıl boyunca krallık yaptı.

²Rab'bin gözünde kötü olanı yaptı; ancak kendisinden önceki İsrail kralları kadar değil.

³Asur Kralı Şalmaneser ona karşı sefere çıktı; Hoşea onun kulu oldu ve ona haraç ödedi.

⁴Ancak Asur Kralı, Hoşea'nın Mısır Kralı Segor'a haberciler gönderdiğini ve o yıl Asur Kralı'na haraç sunmadığını görünce onda bir ihanet buldu; bunun üzerine Asur Kralı onu kuşattı ve zindana kapatıp bağladı.

⁵Asur Kralı bütün ülkeye yürüdü, Samiriye'ye çıkıp orayı üç yıl boyunca kuşatma altında tuttu.

⁶Hoşea'nın krallığının dokuzuncu yılında Asur Kralı Samiriye'yi ele geçirdi; İsraillileri Asur'a sürdü ve onları Alae'de, Gozan'ın Habor nehirlerinde ve Medlerin dağlarında yerleştirdi.

⁷Bu durum, İsrail oğullarının kendilerini Mısır toprağından, Mısır Kralı Firavun'un elinin altından çıkaran Tanrıları Rab'be karşı günah işlemelerinden ve başka ilahlara tapınmalarından ötürü gerçekleşti.

⁸Rab'bin İsrail oğullarının önünden kovduğu ulusların törelerine ve İsrail krallarının yaptıkları işlere göre yürüdüler.

⁹İsrail oğulları, Tanrıları Rab'be karşı doğru olmayan sözler kuşandılar; gözcü kulelerinden surlu kentlere kadar bütün kentlerinde kendilerine yüksek yerler inşa ettiler.

¹⁰Her yüksek tepede ve her yapraklı ağacın altında kendilerine dikili taşlar ve kutsal koruluklar diktiler.

¹¹Rab'bin kendi önlerinden sürdüğü uluslar gibi, bütün yüksek yerlerde buhur yaktılar; Rab'bi öfkelendirmek için kötü ortaklıklar kurup putlar oydular.

¹²Rab'bin kendilerine, "Rab'be karşı bu işi yapmayacaksınız" dediği putlara kulluk ettiler.

¹³Rab, bütün peygamberleri ve her görücü aracılığıyla İsrail'i ve Yahuda'yı uyararak şöyle demişti: "Kötü yollarınızdan dönün; atalarınıza buyurduğum ve kullarım peygamberler aracılığıyla size gönderdiğim bütün yasaya göre buyruklarımı ve hükümlerimi yerine getirin."

¹⁴Ama dinlemediler ve enselerini, atalarının ensesinden daha çok sertleştirdiler.

¹⁵O'nun uyarılarını, atalarıyla yaptığı antlaşmayı hiçe saydılar; boş şeylerin ardınca gidip kendileri de boşluğa düştüler; Rab'bin kendilerine, "Onlar gibi yapmayın" diye buyurduğu çevrelerindeki ulusların ardınca gittiler.

¹⁶Tanrıları Rab'bin bütün buyruklarını bıraktılar; kendilerine dökme metalden iki düve yaptılar, kutsal koruluklar diktiler, göksel orduların tümüne tapındılar ve Baal'e kulluk ettiler.

¹⁷Oğullarını ve kızlarını ateşten geçirdiler; kehanetlerde bulunup alametler aradılar; Rab'bin gözünde kötü olanı yapmak ve O'nu öfkelendirmek için kendilerini sattılar.

¹⁸Bu yüzden Rab İsrail'e karşı çok öfkelendi ve onları huzurundan uzaklaştırdı; geriye yapayalnız kalan Yahuda oymağından başkası kalmadı.

¹⁹Yahuda bile Tanrıları Rab'bin buyruklarını tutmadı, İsrail'in yaptığı hükümlere göre yürüdü.

²⁰Onlar Rab'bi reddettiler; bu yüzden Rab bütün İsrail soyuna öfkelendi, onları sıkıntıya soktu ve huzurundan tamamen atıncaya kadar onları yağmacıların eline teslim etti.

²¹Çünkü İsrail Davut evinden koptu ve onlar Nebat oğlu Yarobam'ı kral yaptılar; Yarobam da İsrail'i Rab'bin ardınca gitmekten saptırdı ve onlara büyük bir günah işletti.

²²İsrail oğulları Yarobam'ın işlediği bütün günahların yolunda yürüdüler ve bundan dönmediler.

²³Sonunda Rab, kulları olan bütün peygamberleri aracılığıyla söylediği gibi, İsrail'i huzurundan uzaklaştırdı. Böylece İsrail kendi topraklarından Asur'a sürüldü ve bugüne dek orada kaldı.

²⁴Asur Kralı Babil'den, Hutha'dan, Aia'dan, Aimath'tan ve Sepfaruaim'den insanlar getirip İsrail oğullarının yerine Samiriye'nin kentlerine yerleştirdi. Onlar da Samiriye'yi mülk edindiler ve kentlerinde yaşadılar.

²⁵Oraya ilk yerleştiklerinde Rab'den korkmadılar; bu yüzden Rab onların üzerine aslanlar gönderdi ve aslanlar onların arasında ölüm saçıyordu.

²⁶Asur Kralı'na şöyle dediler: "Sürgün edip Samiriye kentlerine yerleştirdiğin uluslar, o ülkenin Tanrısının yasasını bilmiyorlar. Bu yüzden Tanrı üzerlerine aslanlar gönderdi; işte, ülkenin Tanrısının yasasını bilmedikleri için aslanlar onları öldürüyor."

²⁷Bunun üzerine Asur Kralı şu buyruğu verdi: "Oradan sürdüğünüz kâhinlerden birini geri götürün; gitsinler ve orada yaşasınlar, onlara ülkenin Tanrısının yasasını öğretsinler."

²⁸Böylece Samiriye'den sürgün ettikleri kâhinlerden biri gelip Beytel'e yerleşti ve onlara Rab'den nasıl korkmaları gerektiğini öğretmeye başladı.

²⁹Ancak her ulus kendi ilahlarını yapmaya devam etti ve Samiriyelilerin yapmış olduğu yüksek yerlerdeki tapınaklara, yaşadıkları kentlerde ulus ulus yerleştirdiler.

³⁰Babil halkı Sokhoth Bainith'i, Hut halkı Nerigel'i, Aimath halkı Asimath'ı yaptı.

³¹Avlılar Eblazer'i ve Tharthak'ı yaptılar; Sepfaruaimliler ise Sepfaruaim ilahları Adramelekh ve Anamelekh'e sunu olarak çocuklarını ateşte yaktılar.

³²Hem Rab'den korkuyorlar hem de Samiriye'de yaptıkları yüksek yerlerdeki tapınaklarda kendi iğrenç putlarını bulunduruyorlardı; her ulus yaşadığı kentte böyle yapıyordu. Hem Rab'den korkuyorlar hem de yüksek yerler için kendilerine kâhinler atıyorlar ve bunlar onlar için yüksek yerlerdeki tapınaklarda kurban sunuyorlardı.

³³Hem Rab'den korkuyorlar hem de sürgün edildikleri ulusların törelerine göre kendi ilahlarına kulluk ediyorlardı.

³⁴Bugüne dek eski törelerine göre davranıyorlar; ne Rab'den korkuyorlar ne de Rab'bin Yakup oğullarına —ki ona İsrail adını vermişti— buyurduğu kurallara, yargılara, yasaya ve emirlere göre davranıyorlar.

³⁵Oysa Rab onlarla bir antlaşma yapmış ve onlara şöyle buyurmuştu: "Başka ilahlardan korkmayacaksınız, onlara eğilmeyeceksiniz, onlara kulluk etmeyeceksiniz ve onlara kurban sunmayacaksınız.

³⁶Ancak sizi büyük bir güçle ve kaldırılmış bir pazuyla Mısır toprağından çıkaran Rab'den korkacaksınız, O'na eğileceksiniz ve O'na kurban sunacaksınız.

³⁷Sizin için yazdığı kuralları, yargıları, yasayı ve buyrukları her zaman yerine getirmeye dikkat edeceksiniz ve başka ilahlardan korkmayacaksınız.

³⁸Sizinle yaptığım antlaşmayı unutmayacaksınız ve başka ilahlardan korkmayacaksınız.

³⁹Yalnızca Tanrınız Rab'den korkacaksınız; O sizi bütün düşmanlarınızın elinden kurtaracaktır."

⁴⁰Ama siz onların kendilerinin yapmakta olduğu töreye kulak asmayacaksınız.

⁴¹Bu uluslar hem Rab'den korkuyorlar hem de kendi oyma putlarına kulluk ediyorlardı; çocukları ve torunları da atalarının yaptığı gibi bugüne dek yapmaya devam ediyorlar.

¹ΕΝ ἔτει δωδεκάτῳ τοῦ ῎Αχαζ βασιλέως ᾿Ιούδα ἐβασίλευσεν ῾Ωσηὲ υἱὸς ᾿Ηλὰ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐννέα ἔτη.

²καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου, πλὴν οὐχ ὡς οἱ βασιλεῖς ᾿Ισραήλ, οἳ ἦσαν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ.

³ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀνέβη Σαλαμανασὰρ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων, καὶ ἐγενήθη αὐτῷ ῾Ωσηὲ δοῦλος καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν αὐτῷ μαναά.

⁴καὶ εὗρε βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐν τῷ ῾Ωσηὲ ἀδικίαν, ὅτι ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς Σηγὼρ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ οὐκ ἤνεγκε μαναὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἐκείνῳ, καὶ ἐπολιόρκησεν αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς.

⁵καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Σαμάρειαν, καὶ ἐπολιόρκησεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν τρία ἔτη.

⁶ἐν ἔτει ἐνάτῳ ῾Ωσηὲ συνέλαβε βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων τὴν Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἀπῴκισεν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς ᾿Ασσυρίους καὶ κατῴκισεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ᾿Αλαὲ καὶ ἐν ᾿Αβὼρ ποταμοῖς Γωζάν, καὶ ὄρη Μήδων.

⁷καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτι ἥμαρτον οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ αὐτῶν τῷ ἀναγαγόντι αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὑποκάτωθεν χειρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέως Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν θεοὺς ἑτέρους

⁸καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν τοῖς δικαιώμασι τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὧν ἐξῇρε Κύριος ἐκ προσώπου υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅσοι ἐποίησαν,

⁹καὶ ὅσοι ἠμφιέσαντο οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ λόγους οὐχ οὕτως κατὰ Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτῶν. καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ἑαυτοῖς ὑψηλὰ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν ἀπὸ πύργου φυλασσόντων ἕως πόλεως ὀχυρᾶς

¹⁰καὶ ἐστήλωσαν ἑαυτοῖς στήλας καὶ ἄλση ἐπὶ παντὶ βουνῷ ὑψηλῷ καὶ ὑποκάτω παντὸς ξύλου ἀλσώδους

¹¹καὶ ἐθυμίασαν ἐκεῖ ἐν πᾶσιν ὑψηλοῖς καθὼς τὰ ἔθνη, ἃ ἀπῴκισε Κύριος ἐκ προσώπου αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐποίησαν κοινωνοὺς καὶ ἐχάραξαν τοῦ παροργίσαι τὸν Κύριον

¹²καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις, οἷς εἶπε Κύριος αὐτοῖς· οὐ ποιήσετε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τῷ Κυρίῳ.

¹³καὶ διεμαρτύρατο Κύριος ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιούδᾳ καὶ ἐν χειρὶ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ, παντὸς ὁρῶντος λέγων· ἀποστράφητε ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν ὑμῶν τῶν πονηρῶν καὶ φυλάξατε τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου καὶ πάντα τὸν νόμον, ὃν ἐνετειλάμην τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν, ὅσα ἀπέστειλα αὐτοῖς ἐν χειρὶ τῶν δούλων μου τῶν προφητῶν.

¹⁴καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν καὶ ἐσκλήρυναν τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τὸν νῶτον τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν

¹⁵καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ, ὅσα διεμαρτύρατο αὐτοῖς, οὐκ ἐφύλαξαν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπίσω τῶν ματαίων καὶ ἐματαιώθησαν, καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ αὐτῶν, ὧν ἐνετείλατο Κύριος αὐτοῖς μὴ ποιῆσαι κατὰ ταῦτα.

¹⁶ἐγκατέλιπον τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς χώνευμα δύο δαμάλεις καὶ ἐποίησαν ἄλση καὶ προσεκύνησαν πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τῷ Βάαλ

¹⁷καὶ διῆγον τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἐν πυρὶ καὶ ἐμαντεύοντο μαντείας καὶ οἰωνίζοντο καὶ ἐπράθησαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου παροργίσαι αὐτόν.

¹⁸καὶ ἐθυμώθη Κύριος σφόδρα ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἀπέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχ ὑπελείφθη πλὴν φυλὴ ᾿Ιούδα μονωτάτη.

¹⁹καί γε ᾿Ιούδας οὐκ ἐφύλαξε τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασιν ᾿Ισραήλ, οἷς ἐποίησαν,

²⁰καὶ ἀπεώσαντο τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐθυμώθη Κύριος παντὶ σπέρματι ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν χειρὶ διαρπαζόντων αὐτούς, ἕως οὗ ἀπέρριψεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ.

²¹ὅτι πλὴν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπάνωθεν οἴκου Δαυὶδ καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν τὸν ῾Ιεροβοὰμ υἱὸν Ναβάτ, καὶ ἐξέωσεν ῾Ιεροβοὰμ τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐξόπισθεν Κυρίου καὶ ἐξήμαρτεν αὐτοὺς ἁμαρτίαν μεγάλην.

²²καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν πάσῃ ἁμαρτίᾳ ῾Ιεροβοάμ, ᾗ ἐποίησεν, οὐκ ἀπέστησαν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς,

²³ἕως οὗ μετέστησε Κύριος τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καθὼς ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐν χειρὶ πάντων τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ ἀπῳκίσθη ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπάνωθεν τῆς γῆς αὐτοῦ εἰς ᾿Ασσυρίους ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.

²⁴Καὶ ἤγαγε βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος τὸν ἐκ Χουθὰ ἀπὸ ᾿Αϊὰ καὶ ἀπὸ Αἰμὰθ καὶ Σεπφαρουαΐμ, καὶ κατῳκίσθησαν ἐν πόλεσι Σαμαρείας ἀντὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν τὴν Σαμάρειαν καὶ κατῴκισαν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῆς.

²⁵καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς καθέδρας αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἀπέστειλε Κύριος ἐν αὐτοῖς τοὺς λέοντας, καὶ ἦσαν ἀποκτέννοντες ἐν αὐτοῖς.

²⁶καὶ εἶπαν τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων λέγοντες· τὰ ἔθνη, ἃ ἀπῴκισας καὶ ἀντεκάθισας ἐν πόλεσι Σαμαρείας, οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς αὐτοὺς τοὺς λέοντας, καὶ ἰδού εἰσι θανατοῦντες αὐτούς, καθότι οὐκ οἴδασι τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς γῆς,

²⁷καὶ ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων λέγων· ἀπάγετε ἐκεῖθεν καὶ πορευέσθωσαν καὶ κατοικήτωσαν ἐκεῖ καὶ φωτιοῦσιν αὐτοὺς τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς γῆς.

²⁸καὶ ἤγαγον ἕνα τῶν ἱερέων, ὧν ἀπῴκισαν ἀπὸ Σαμαρείας, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἦν φωτίζων αὐτοὺς πῶς φοβηθῶσι τὸν Κύριον.

²⁹καὶ ἦσαν ποιοῦντες ἔθνη ἔθνη θεοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐν οἴκῳ τῶν ὑψηλῶν, ὧν ἐποίησαν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἔθνη ἔθνη ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν, ἐν αἷς κατῴκουν.

³⁰καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Βαβυλῶνος ἐποίησαν τὴν Σωκχὼθ Βαινίθ, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Χοὺθ ἐποίησαν τὴν Νηριγέλ, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Αἰμὰθ ἐποίησαν τὴν ᾿Ασιμάθ,

³¹καὶ οἱ Εὐαῖοι ἐποίησαν τὴν ᾿Εβλαζὲρ καὶ τὴν Θαρθάκ, καὶ οἱ Σεπφαρουαΐμ κατέκαιον τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν πυρὶ τῷ ᾿Αδραμέλεχ καὶ ᾿Ανημελέχ, θεοῖς Σεπφαρουαΐμ.

³²καὶ ἦσαν φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον καὶ κατῴκισαν τὰ βδελύγματα αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν ὑψηλῶν, ἃ ἐποίησαν ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ, ἔθνος ἔθνος ἐν πόλει, ἐν ᾗ κατῴκουν ἐν αὐτῇ· καὶ ἦσαν φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς ἱερεῖς τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν ἐν οἴκῳ τῶν ὑψηλῶν.

³³καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἐφοβοῦντο καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν ἐλάτρευον κατὰ τὸ κρίμα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὅθεν ἀπῴκισαν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖθεν.

³⁴ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης αὐτοὶ ἐποίουν κατὰ τὸ κρίμα αὐτῶν· αὐτοὶ φοβοῦνται καὶ αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσι κατὰ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐντολήν, ἣν ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ιακώβ, οὗ ἔθηκε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ,

³⁵καὶ διέθετο Κύριος μετ᾿ αὐτῶν διαθήκην καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς λέγων· οὐ φοβηθήσεσθε θεοὺς ἑτέρους καὶ οὐ προσκυνήσετε αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ λατρεύσετε αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ θυσιάσετε αὐτοῖς,

³⁶ὅτι ἀλλ᾿ ἢ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὃς ἀνήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐν ἰσχύϊ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ, αὐτὸν φοβηθήσεσθε καὶ αὐτῷ προσκυνήσετε, αὐτῷ θύσετε·

³⁷καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα καὶ τὸν νόμον καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς, ἃς ἔγραψεν ὑμῖν ποιεῖν, φυλάσσεσθε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσεσθε θεοὺς ἑτέρους·

³⁸καὶ τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διέθετο μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν, οὐκ ἐπιλήσεσθε καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσεσθε θεοὺς ἑτέρους,

³⁹ἀλλ᾿ ἢ τὸν Κύριον Θεὸν ὑμῶν φοβηθήσεσθε, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν·

⁴⁰καὶ οὐκ ἀκούσεσθε ἐπὶ τῷ κρίματι αὐτῶν, ὃ αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσι.

⁴¹καὶ ἦσαν τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον καὶ τοῖς γλυπτοῖς αὐ-τῶν ἦσαν δουλεύοντες, καί γε οἱ υἱοὶ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῶν, καθὰ ἐποίησαν οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν, ποιοῦσιν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.

¹In the twelfth year of Achaz king of Juda began Osee the son of Ela to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

²And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, only not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

³Against him came up Salamanassar king of the Assyrians; and Osee became his servant, and rendered him tribute.

⁴And the king of the Assyrians found iniquity in Osee, in that he sent messengers to Segor king of Egypt, and brought not a tribute to the king of the Assyrians in that year: and the king of the Assyrians besieged him, and bound him in the prison-house.

⁵And the king of the Assyrians went up against all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it [for] three years.

⁶In the ninth year of Osee the king of the Assyrians took Samaria, and carried Israel away to the Assyrians, and settled them in Alae, and in Abor, [near] the rivers of Gozan, and [in] the mountains of the Medes.

⁷For it came to pass that the children of Israel [had] transgressed against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and they feared other gods,

⁸and walked in the statutes of the nations which the Lord cast out before the face of the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel as many as did [such things],

⁹and [in those] of the children of Israel as many as secretly practised customs, not as [they should have done], against the Lord their God:

¹⁰and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. And they made for themselves pillars and groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree.

¹¹And burned incense there on all high places, as the nations [did] whom the Lord removed from before them, and dealt with familiar spirits, and they carved [images] to provoke the Lord to anger.

¹²And they served the idols, of which the Lord said to them, Ye shall not do this thing [against] the Lord.

¹³And the Lord testified against Israel and against Juda, even by the hand of all his prophets, [and] of every seer, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my ordinances, and all the law which I commanded your fathers, [and] all that I sent to them by the hand of my servants the prophets.

¹⁴But they hearkened not, and made their neck harder than the neck of their fathers.

¹⁵And they kept not any of his testimonies which he charged them; and they walked after vanities, and became vain, and after the nations round about them, concerning which the Lord had charged them not to do accordingly.

¹⁶They forsook the commandments of the Lord their God, and made themselves graven images, [even] two heifers, and they made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

¹⁷And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divinations and auspices, and sold themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him.

¹⁸And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight; and there was only left the tribe of Juda quite alone.

¹⁹Nay even Juda kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but they walked according to the customs of Israel which they practised, and rejected the Lord.

²⁰And the Lord was angry with the whole seed of Israel, and troubled them, and gave them into the hand of them that spoiled them, until he cast them out of his presence.

²¹Forasmuch as Israel revolted from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nabat king: and Jeroboam drew off Israel from following the Lord, and led them to sin a great sin.

²²And the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Jeroboam which he committed; they departed not from it,

²³until the Lord removed Israel from his presence, as the Lord spoke by all his servants the prophets; and Israel was removed from off their land to the Assyrians until this day.

²⁴And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon the men of Chutha, [and men] from Aia, and from Aemath, and Seppharvaim, and they were settled in the cities of Samaria in the place of the children of Israel: and they inherited Samaria, and were settled in its cities.

²⁵And it was so at the beginning of their establishment there [that] they feared not the Lord, and the Lord sent lions among them, and they slew some of them.

²⁶And they spoke to the king of the Assyrians, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and substituted in the cities of Samaria [for the Israelites], know not the manner of the God of the land: and he has sent the lions against them, and, behold, they are slaying them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

²⁷And the king of the Assyrians commanded, saying, Bring some [Israelites] thence, and let them go and dwell there, and they shall teach them the manner of the God of the land.

²⁸And they brought one of the priests whom they had removed from Samaria, and he settled in Baethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

²⁹But the nations made each their own gods, and put them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans [had] made, each nation in the cities in which they dwelt.

³⁰And the men of Babylon made Socchoth Benith, and the men of Chuth made Ergel, and the men of Haemath made Asimath.

³¹And the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthac, and the [inhabitant] of Seppharvaim [did evil] when they burnt their sons in the fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, the gods of Seppharvaim.

³²And they feared the Lord, yet they established their abominations in the houses of the high places which they made in Samaria, each nation in the city in which they dwelt: and they feared the Lord, and they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed for themselves in the house of the high places.

³³And they feared the Lord, and served their gods according to the manner of the nations, whence [their lords] brought them.

³⁴Until this day they did according to their manner: they fear [the Lord], and they do according to their customs, and according to their manner, and according to the law, and according to the commandment which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made Israel.

³⁵And the Lord made a covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

³⁶but only to the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great strength and with a high arm: him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship; to him shall ye sacrifice.

³⁷Ye shall observe continually the ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods.

³⁸Neither shall ye forget the covenant which he made with you: and ye shall not fear other gods.

³⁹But ye shall fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from all your enemies.

⁴⁰Neither shall ye comply with their practice, which they follow.

⁴¹So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images: yea, their sons and their son’s sons do until this day even as their fathers did.