2Kings:17:24-41

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* Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon , Cuthah , Ava , Hamath , and from Sepharvaim , and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel ; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities . * And it was so , at the beginning of their dwelling there , that they did not fear the LORD ; therefore the LORD sent lions among them , which killed some of them . * So they spoke to the king of Assyria , saying , "The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land ; therefore He has sent lions among them , and indeed , they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land ." * Then the king of Assyria commanded , saying , "Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there ; let him go and dwell there , and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land ." * Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel , and taught them how they should fear the LORD . * However every nation continued to make gods of its own , and put them in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made , every nation in the cities where they dwelt . * The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth , the men of Cuth made Nergal , the men of Hamath made Ashima , * and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak ; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech , the gods of Sepharvaim . * So they feared the LORD , and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places , who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places . * They feared the LORD , yet served their own gods--according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away . * To this day they continue practicing the former rituals ; they do not fear the LORD , nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances , or the law and commandment which the LORD had commanded the children of Jacob , whom He named Israel , * with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them , saying : "You shall not fear other gods , nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them ; * but the LORD , who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm , Him you shall fear , Him you shall worship , and to Him you shall offer sacrifice . * And the statutes , the ordinances , the law , and the commandment which He wrote for you , you shall be careful to observe forever ; you shall not fear other gods . * And the covenant that I have made with you , you shall not forget , nor shall you fear other gods . * But the LORD your God you shall fear ; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies ." * However they did not obey , but they followed their former rituals . * So these nations feared the LORD , yet served their carved images ; also their children and their children 's children have continued doing as their fathers did , even to this day .

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