17
They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
18
Therefore the LORD was very angry with Yisra'el, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Yehudah only.
19
Also Yehudah didn't keep the mitzvot of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Yisra'el which they made.
20
The LORD rejected all the seed of Yisra'el, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21
For he tore Yisra'el from the house of David; and they made Yarov`am the son of Nevat king: and Yarov`am drove Yisra'el from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22
The children of Yisra'el walked in all the sins of Yarov`am which he did; they didn't depart from them;
23
until the LORD removed Yisra'el out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Yisra'el was carried away out of their own land to Ashshur to this day.
24
The king of Ashshur brought men from Bavel, and from Kutah, and from Avva, and from Hamat and Sefarvayim, and placed them in the cities of Shomron instead of the children of Yisra'el; and they possessed Shomron, and lived in the cities of it.
25
So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn't fear the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26
Therefore they spoke to the king of Ashshur, saying, The nations which you have carried away, and placed in the cities of Shomron, don't know the law of the god of the land: therefore he has sent lions among them, and, behold, they kill them, because they don't know the law of the god of the land.
27
Then the king of Ashshur commanded, saying, Carry there one of the Kohanim whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.