2 Kings 17

In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

In the twelfth year of Ahaz's reign in Judah, Hoshea, son of Elah, began his rule over Israel in Samaria, a reign that lasted for nine years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

He acted wrongly, displeasing God, yet not as wicked as the previous kings of Israel.

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

Shalmaneser, the mighty king of Assyria, rose against him. In response, Hoshea humbly served him, offering him gifts.

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

The Assyrian king discovered Hoshea's betrayal, as he had secretly sent messages to the Egyptian king, So, and stopped his annual tribute to Assyria. Feeling betrayed and angry, the Assyrian king imprisoned Hoshea.

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

The mighty Assyrian king swept across the land, finally setting his sights on Samaria. For three long, grueling years, he held the city in a relentless siege.

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

In Hoshea's ninth year as king, the Assyrian ruler seized Samaria, uprooting the people of Israel. They were forced into exile in Assyria, scattered in places like Halah, Habor by the Gozan river, and the cities of the Medes.

For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

In a heartbreaking turn of events, the children of Israel, whom God had lovingly rescued from the harsh rule of Pharaoh in Egypt, betrayed Him. They sinned against their divine savior by fearing and worshipping other gods.

And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

They followed the ways of those whom God had expelled before them, including the rules set by their own Israeli kings.

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

In secret, the children of Israel acted against God's will, building sacred sites across their cities, from the watchtowers to the fortified towns.

And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

They placed idols and shrines on every towering hill and beneath each verdant tree, filled with reverence and awe.

And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:

In every sacred place, they lit incense, just like the pagans whom God had banished before them. They committed terrible acts, deliberately stirring God's wrath.

For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

They worshipped false gods, despite God's clear warning not to.

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

Despite their actions, God pleaded with Israel and Judah through His prophets and seers. He implored them to abandon their wrongdoings and follow His laws and commands, the same ones He had given to their ancestors through His faithful prophets.

Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

Despite this, they refused to listen, stubbornly turning away, just like their ancestors who didn't trust in the Lord their God.

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

They turned their backs on God's laws and promises made to their ancestors, ignoring His warnings. They chased empty dreams, becoming empty themselves, and imitated the ways of neighboring nations, despite God's clear command not to.

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

They abandoned God's rules, crafting golden calves and a sacred grove. They worshipped the stars and pledged allegiance to Baal, betraying their faith.

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

They sacrificed their own children in fire, practiced sorcery, and indulged in wickedness, deliberately angering the Lord with their actions.

Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

The LORD was very angry with Israel, so He removed them from His presence, leaving only the tribe of Judah.

Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

Sadly, even Judah didn't follow God's rules; instead, they followed the customs that Israel had introduced.

And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

God rejected all of Israel's descendants. He afflicted them and handed them over to plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.

For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.

He tore Israel away from David's lineage, crowning Jeroboam, Nebat's son, as king. Jeroboam led Israel astray, away from God, causing them to commit a grave sin.

For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;

The children of Israel followed in Jeroboam's sinful footsteps, unable to break free from his wrongdoings.

Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

The Lord, in His divine wisdom, chose to distance Israel from His presence, just as He had foretold through His faithful prophets. Thus, Israel was uprooted from their homeland and relocated to Assyria, where they remain to this day.

And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

The Assyrian king displaced the people of Israel, replacing them with men from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim. These men took over Samaria, making it their new home.

And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

When they first settled, they didn't respect God. So, God sent lions to teach them a harsh lesson, and some lost their lives.

Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

They told the Assyrian king, "The people you moved to Samaria don't understand the local God's ways. So, He sent lions to attack them, because they don't respect His ways."

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

The Assyrian king ordered, "Bring one of the captured priests back. Let him live there and teach them about the God of that 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.

A priest, once taken from Samaria, settled in Bethel. He passionately taught them to respect and revere the LORD.

Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

Each culture created their own gods, placing them in sacred houses built by the Samaritans, in every city they lived in.

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

The Babylonians passionately crafted Succothbenoth, the people of Cuth, with fervor, created Nergal, and the Hamathites, with devotion, brought Ashima to life.

And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

The Avites crafted idols named Nibhaz and Tartak, while the Sepharvites tragically sacrificed their own children in fire, all to worship Adrammelech and Anammelech, the false gods of Sepharvaim.

So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

They worshipped the LORD, but they also appointed priests for the high places from the lowest of their own people, who offered sacrifices for them in the shrines there.

They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

They worshipped the LORD, yet they also worshipped their own deities, following the customs of the nations they had been carried away from.

Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

Even today, they continue their old ways, showing no reverence for God. They don't follow His rules, laws, or commands that He gave to Jacob's descendants, whom He called Israel.

With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

God made a covenant with His people, firmly telling them, "Don't worship other gods. Don't bow down to them or serve them, and don't offer sacrifices to them."

But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

But the Lord, who powerfully and passionately freed you from Egypt's chains, deserves your awe, your devotion, and your sacrifices.

And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

Always follow the rules, laws, and commands God has written for you, forever. Don't worship any other gods.

And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

Always remember the sacred covenant I've made with you, and don't worship any other gods.

But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

Respect and trust in the Lord your God; He will protect you from all who wish you harm.

Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

Despite pleas, they stubbornly ignored the advice and continued with their old habits.

So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

These nations respected God, yet they also worshipped their idols, passing this practice down through generations, just as their ancestors did, and it continues even today.