In the twelfthyearof Ahazkingof Judahbegan Hosheathe sonof Elahto reignin SamariaoverIsraelnineyears. And he did that which was evilin the sightof the LORD, butnotas the kingsof Israelthatwerebeforehim. Againsthim came upShalmaneserkingof Assyria; and Hosheabecamehis servant, and gavehim presents. And the kingof Assyriafoundconspiracyin Hoshea: for he had sentmessengerstoSokingof Egypt, and broughtnopresentto the kingof Assyria, as he had done yearby year: therefore the kingof Assyriashut him up, and boundhim in prison. Then the kingof Assyriacame upthroughout allthe land, and went upto Samaria, and besiegedit threeyears. In the ninthyearof Hosheathe kingof AssyriatookSamaria, and carried Israel awayinto Assyria, and placedthem in Halahand in Habor by the riverof Gozan, and in the citiesof the Medes. For so it was, thatthe childrenof Israelhad sinnedagainst the LORDtheir God, which had brought them upout of the landof Egypt, from underthe handof Pharaohkingof Egypt, and had fearedothergods, And walkedin the statutesof the heathen, whomthe LORDcast outfrom beforethe childrenof Israel, and of the kingsof Israel, whichthey had made. And the childrenof Israeldid secretly those thingsthat were notrightagainstthe LORDtheir God, and they builtthem high placesin alltheir cities, from the towerof the watchmentothe fencedcity. And they set them upimagesand grovesineveryhighhill, and undereverygreentree: And therethey burnt incensein allthe high places, as did the heathenwhomthe LORDcarried awaybeforethem; and wroughtwickedthingsto provokethe LORDto anger: For they servedidols, whereofthe LORDhad saidunto them, Ye shall notdothisthing. Yet the LORDtestifiedagainst Israel, and against Judah, byallthe prophets, and by allthe seers, saying, Turnye from your evil ways, and keepmy commandments and my statutes, according to allthe lawwhichI commandedyour fathers, and whichI senttoyou bymy servantsthe prophets. Notwithstanding they would nothear, but hardenedtheir necks, like to the neckof their fathers, thatdid notbelievein the LORDtheir God. And they rejectedhis statutes, and his covenantthathe madewiththeir fathers, and his testimonieswhichhe testifiedagainst them; and they followedvanity, and became vain, and went afterthe heathenthat were round aboutthem, concerning whomthe LORDhad chargedthem, that they should notdolike them. And they leftallthe commandmentsof the LORDtheir God, and madethem molten images, even twocalves, and madea grove, and worshipedallthe hostof heaven, and servedBaal. And they caused their sonsand their daughtersto pass throughthe fire, and useddivinationand enchantments, and sold themselvesto doevilin the sightof the LORD, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the LORDwas very angrywith Israel, and removedthem out ofhis sight: there was noneleftbutthe tribeof Judahonly. AlsoJudahkeptnotthe commandmentsof the LORDtheir God, but walkedin the statutesof Israelwhichthey made. And the LORDrejectedallthe seedof Israel, and afflictedthem, and deliveredthem into the handof spoilers, untilhe had cast them outof his sight. Forhe rentIsraelfromthe houseof David; and they made Jeroboamthe sonof Nebatking: and JeroboamdroveIsraelfrom followingthe LORD, and made them sina greatsin. For the childrenof Israelwalkedin allthe sinsof Jeroboamwhichhe did; they departednotfromthem; Untilthe LORDremovedIsraelout ofhis sight, ashe had saidbyallhis servantsthe prophets. So was Israelcarried awayout oftheir own landto Assyriauntothisday. And the kingof Assyriabrought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the citiesof Samariainsteadof the childrenof Israel: and they possessedSamaria, and dweltin the citiesthereof. And so it wasat the beginningof their dwellingthere, that they fearednotthe LORD: therefore the LORDsentlionsamong them, which slew some of them. Wherefore they spoketo the kingof Assyria, saying, The nationswhichthou hast removed, and placedin the citiesof Samaria, knownotthe mannerof the Godof the land: therefore he hath sentlionsamong them, and, behold, they slaythem, becausethey knownotthe mannerof the Godof the land. Then the kingof Assyriacommanded, saying, Carrythitheroneof the priestswhomye broughtfrom thence; and let them goand dwellthere, and let him teachthem the mannerof the Godof the land. Then oneof the priestswhomthey had carried awayfrom Samariacameand dweltin Bethel, and taughtthem howthey should fearthe LORD. Howbeit every nationmadegodsof their own, and put them in the housesof the high placeswhichthe Samaritanshad made, every nationin their citieswhereintheydwelt. And the menof BabylonmadeSuccothbenoth, and the menof CuthmadeNergal, and the menof HamathmadeAshima, And the AvitesmadeNibhazand Tartak, and the Sepharvitesburnttheir childrenin fireto Adrammelechand Anammelech, the godsof Sepharvaim. So they fearedthe LORD, and madeunto themselves of the lowestof them priestsof the high places, which sacrificedfor them in the housesof the high places. They fearedthe LORD, and servedtheir own gods, after the mannerof the nationswhomthey carried awayfrom thence. Untothisdaytheydoafter the formermanners: they fearnotthe LORD, neitherdothey after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the lawand commandmentwhichthe LORDcommandedthe childrenof Jacob, whomhe namedIsrael; Withwhom the LORDhad madea covenant, and chargedthem, saying, Ye shall notfearothergods, norbow yourselvesto them, norservethem, norsacrificeto them: Butthe LORD, whobrought you upout of the landof Egyptwith greatpowerand a stretched outarm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, whichhe wrotefor you, ye shall observeto doforevermore; and ye shall notfearothergods. And the covenantthatI have madewithyou ye shall notforget; neithershall ye fearothergods. Butthe LORDyour Godye shall fear; and heshall deliveryou out of the handof allyour enemies. Howbeit they did nothearken, buttheydidafter their formermanner. So thesenationsfearedthe LORD, and servedtheir graven images, boththeir children, and their children's children: asdidtheir fathers, so dotheyuntothisday.