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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Kings 17 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_kings/17.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_kings/17-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > 2 Kings 17</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_kings/16.htm" title="2 Kings 16">◄</a> 2 Kings 17 <a href="../2_kings/18.htm" title="2 Kings 18">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/2_kings/17.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Israel Falls to Assyria during Hoshea’s Reign</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>During the twelfth year of the reign of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:1 The Heb. lacks the reign of">a</a></span> King Ahaz of Judah, Elah’s son Hoshea became king over Israel for nine years in Samaria. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>He practiced what the LORD considered to be evil,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:2 Lit. sight">b</a></span> though not like the kings of Israel who had preceded him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid tribute to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>But the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy involving Hoshea, who had sent envoys to King So of Egypt and stopped offering tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done annually. As a result, the king of Assyria placed him under arrest and sent him to prison. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>After this, the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, approached Samaria, and began a three year siege. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>As a result, during the ninth year of the reign of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:6 The Heb. lacks the reign of">c</a></span> Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took the Israelis off to Assyria, placing them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in cities ruled by the Medes.</p> <p class="heading">The Idolatry of the Northern Kingdom</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>This happened because the Israelis had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt and from the domination<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:7 Lit. hand">d</a></span> of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, because<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:7 The Heb. lacks because">e</a></span> they were fearing other gods, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>and because they were following<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:8 Lit. were walking in">f</a></span> the rules of the nations whom the LORD had expelled before the Israelis and that the kings of Israel had practiced.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>The Israelis practiced secret things that were not right, offending the LORD their God. In addition, they built high places for use by all their towns, watchtowers, and fortified cities. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>They set up pillars and Asherim on every high hill and in the shade of every green tree, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>where they made offerings on all the high places, as did the nations whom the LORD had expelled before them. They also practiced other<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:11 The Heb. lacks other">g</a></span> wickedness, provoking the LORD to become angry, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>and they served idols, a practice that the LORD had warned them, “You are not to do this.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Nevertheless, the LORD had warned both Israel and Judah by means<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:13 Lit. by the hand">h</a></span> of every prophet and seer: “Turn away from your evil practices<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:13 Lit. ways">i</a></span> and keep my commandments and statutes according to the entire Law that I gave your ancestors and that I sent to you through my servants, the prophets.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But they would not listen. Instead, they were stubborn,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:14 Lit. they hardened their necks">j</a></span> just like their ancestors had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>They rejected the LORD’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:15 Lit. rejected his">k</a></span> statutes, the covenant that he had made with their ancestors, and his warnings that he gave them. They pursued meaninglessness—and became meaningless themselves—as they followed the lifestyles of the nations that surrounded them, a practice that the LORD had warned them not to do.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>They abandoned all of the commands given by<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:16 The Heb. lacks given by">l</a></span> the LORD their God, crafted for themselves cast images of two calves, constructed an Asherah, worshipped all of the stars in heaven, and served Baal. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>They passed their sons and daughters through fire, practiced divination, cast spells, and sold themselves to practice what the LORD considered to be evil, thereby<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:17 The Heb. lacks thereby">m</a></span> provoking him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>As a result, the LORD was angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. No one was left except for the tribe of Judah.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>But Judah, too, did not keep the commands of the LORD their God. Instead, they lived the lifestyle<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:19 Lit. customs">n</a></span> that Israel had chosen, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>so the LORD rejected all of the descendants<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:20 Lit. seed">o</a></span> of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to the control of plunderers until he had thrown them away from his presence.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:20 Lit. face">p</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>He ripped them away from the heritage of David, even as the people<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:21 Lit. David, and they">q</a></span> appointed Nebat’s son Jeroboam to be king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD and made them commit great sin.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>The Israelis practiced<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:22 Lit. Israelis walked in">r</a></span> all the sins that Jeroboam had practiced, and never wavered from them <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>until the LORD removed Israel from his presence,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:23 Lit. sight">s</a></span> just as he had warned through<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:23 Lit. spoken by the hand of">t</a></span> all of his prophets who served him. So Israel was carried off into exile from their own land into Assyria, where they remain to this day.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:23 i.e. c. during the late Babylonian captivity or slightly after that time">u</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">Assyria Supplants the Northern Kingdom</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Because the king of Assyria brought captives<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:24 The Heb. lacks captives">v</a></span> from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sephar-vaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria to replace the Israelis, the settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:24 The Heb. lacks the settlers">w</a></span> possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>When they first began to live there, the settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:25 The Heb. lacks the settlers">x</a></span> did not fear the LORD, so he sent lions among them, and they killed a few of them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>As a result, they reported to the king of Assyria, “Because the nations whom you exiled to live in the cities of Samaria don’t know the law<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:26 Or justice">y</a></span> of the god of the land, he has sent lions among them. Look how the lions<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:26 Lit. how they">z</a></span> are killing them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>So the king of Assyria issued this order: “Take one of the priests whom you carried away and let him go back and live there. Let him teach them the law of the god of the land.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria went to live in Bethel to teach them how they ought to fear the LORD.</p> <p class="heading">Assyrian Settlers Create Lasting Corruption</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Nevertheless, each nation continued to craft their own gods and install them in the temples on the high places that the people of Samaria had constructed—every nation in their own cities where they continued to live. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:30 Lit. Men">aa</a></span> from Babylon built Succoth-benoth, settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:30 Lit. men">bb</a></span> from Cuth built Nergal, settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:30 Lit. men">cc</a></span> from Hamath built Ashima, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>and settlers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:31 Lit. men">dd</a></span> from Avva built Nibhaz and Tartak. The residents of Sephar-vaim burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sephar-vaim.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Because they feared the LORD, they also appointed from among themselves priests for the high places who acted on their behalf in the temples on the high places. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>While they continued to fear the LORD, they served their own gods, following the custom of the nations whom they had carried away from there. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>To this very day, they still follow the former customs: they don’t fear the LORD and they don’t live in accordance with the statutes, ordinances, laws, or commandments that the LORD had given to the descendants of Jacob—whom he renamed Israel— <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>and with whom the LORD had made a covenant when he gave these<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:35 The Heb. lacks these">ee</a></span> orders to them:</p> <p class="doubleindent margintop marginbot">“You are not to fear other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Instead, it is to be the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, showing great power and public demonstrations of might,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:36 Lit. and with an outstretched arm">ff</a></span> whom you are to fear, worship, and to whom you are to offer sacrifice. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Furthermore, you are to be careful to observe forever the statutes, ordinances, law, and the commandment that he wrote for you. And you are not to fear other gods. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>You are not to forget the covenant that I’ve made with you, and you are not to fear other gods. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>But you are to fear the LORD, and he will deliver you from the control<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="17:39 Lit. hand">gg</a></span> of all your enemies.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>But they wouldn’t listen. Instead, they did what they had been doing before. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/17-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>These nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. Their descendants did the same thing, as did their grandchildren. Just as their ancestors had done, they also do the same thing to this day.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 17:1 The Heb. lacks <i>the reign of</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 17:2 Lit. <i>sight</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 17:6 The Heb. lacks <i>the reign of</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 17:7 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 17:7 The Heb. lacks <i>because</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 17:8 Lit. <i>were walking in</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 17:11 The Heb. lacks <i>other</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 17:13 Lit. <i>by the hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 17:13 Lit. <i>ways</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 17:14 Lit. <i>they hardened their necks</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 17:15 Lit. <i>rejected his</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 17:16 The Heb. lacks <i>given by</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 17:17 The Heb. lacks <i>thereby</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 17:19 Lit. <i>customs</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 17:20 Lit. <i>seed</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 17:20 Lit. <i>face</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 17:21 Lit. <i>David, and they</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 17:22 Lit. <i>Israelis walked in</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 17:23 Lit. <i>sight</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 17:23 Lit. <i>spoken by the hand of</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 17:23 i.e. c. during the late Babylonian captivity or slightly after that time<br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 17:24 The Heb. lacks <i>captives</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 17:24 The Heb. lacks <i>the settlers</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 17:25 The Heb. lacks <i>the settlers</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 17:26 Or <i>justice</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 17:26 Lit. <i>how they</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 17:30 Lit. <i>Men</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 17:30 Lit. <i>men</i><br /><span class="fnb">cc</span> 17:30 Lit. <i>men</i><br /><span class="fnb">dd</span> 17:31 Lit. <i>men</i><br /><span class="fnb">ee</span> 17:35 The Heb. lacks <i>these</i><br /><span class="fnb">ff</span> 17:36 Lit. <i>and with an outstretched arm</i><br /><span class="fnb">gg</span> 17:39 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../2_kings/16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Kings 16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Kings 16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../2_kings/18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Kings 18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Kings 18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/2_kings/17-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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