| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. | 1In the twelfth year of King Ahaz's reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for nine years. |
| 2He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him. | 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him. |
| 3Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser's vassal and had paid him tribute. | 3King Shalmaneser of Assyria threatened him; Hoshea became his subject and paid him tribute. |
| 4But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison. | 4The king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was planning a revolt. Hoshea had sent messengers to King So of Egypt and had not sent his annual tribute to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and imprisoned him. |
| 5The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. | 5The king of Assyria marched through the whole land. He attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years. |
| 6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes. | 6In the ninth year of Hoshea's reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes. |
| 7All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods | 7This happened because the Israelites sinned against the LORD their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods; |
| 8and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. | 8they observed the practices of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before Israel, and followed the example of the kings of Israel. |
| 9The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. | 9The Israelites said things about the LORD their God that were not right. They built high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress. |
| 10They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. | 10They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. |
| 11At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the LORD's anger. | 11They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the LORD had driven away from before them. Their evil practices made the LORD angry. |
| 12They worshiped idols, though the LORD had said, "You shall not do this." | 12They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the LORD's command. |
| 13The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: "Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets." | 13The LORD solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, "Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands." |
| 14But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God. | 14But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the LORD their God. |
| 15They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, "Do not do as they do." | 15They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey. They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to the LORD. They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the LORD's command. |
| 16They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. | 16They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky, and worshiped Baal. |
| 17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger. | 17They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD and made him angry. |
| 18So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, | 18So the LORD was furious with Israel and rejected them; only the tribe of Judah was left. |
| 19and even Judah did not keep the commands of the LORD their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. | 19Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the LORD their God; they followed Israel's example. |
| 20Therefore the LORD rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. | 20So the LORD rejected all of Israel's descendants; he humiliated them and handed them over to robbers, until he had thrown them from his presence. |
| 21When he tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin. | 21He tore Israel away from David's dynasty, and Jeroboam son of Nebat became their king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from the LORD and encouraged them to commit a serious sin. |
| 22The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them | 22The Israelites followed in the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and did not repudiate them. |
| 23until the LORD removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there. | 23Finally the LORD rejected Israel just as he had warned he would do through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day. |
| 24The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. | 24The king of Assyria brought foreigners from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. |
| 25When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. | 25When they first moved in, they did not worship the LORD. So the LORD sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. |
| 26It was reported to the king of Assyria: "The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires." | 26The king of Assyria was told, "The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land." |
| 27Then the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires." | 27So the king of Assyria ordered, "Take back one of the priests whom you deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land." |
| 28So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD. | 28So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the LORD. |
| 29Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. | 29But each of these nations made its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived. |
| 30The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; | 30The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the people from Cuth made Nergal, the people from Hamath made Ashima, |
| 31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim. | 31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. |
| 32They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. | 32At the same time they worshiped the LORD. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places. |
| 33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. | 33They were worshiping the LORD and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported. |
| 34To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. | 34To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship the LORD; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel. |
| 35When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. | 35The LORD made an agreement with them and instructed them, "You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them. |
| 36But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. | 36Instead you must worship the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability; bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him. |
| 37You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. | 37You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods. |
| 38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. | 38You must never forget the agreement I made with you, and you must not worship other gods. |
| 39Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." | 39Instead you must worship the LORD your God; then he will rescue you from the power of all your enemies." |
| 40They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. | 40But they pay no attention; instead they observe their earlier practices. |
| 41Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did. | 41These nations are worshiping the LORD and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons do just as their fathers have done, to this very day. |
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