何細亞做以色列王
1猶大王亞哈斯執政第十二年，以拉的兒子何細亞在撒瑪利亞登基做以色列王，執政九年。 2他做耶和華視為惡的事，不過沒有他之前的以色列諸王那麼敗壞。 3亞述王撒縵以色攻打以色列，何細亞納貢稱臣。 4然而，何細亞差遣使者向埃及王梭求援，不再像往年那樣向亞述王進貢。亞述王發現後，把他抓起來囚在獄中。 5亞述王攻打以色列全境，並圍困撒瑪利亞三年。 6何細亞執政第九年，撒瑪利亞淪陷。亞述王把以色列人擄到亞述，安置在哈臘、歌散的哈博河一帶以及瑪代人的各城。
以色列人的罪惡史
7以色列人之所以有如此下場，是因為他們的上帝耶和華領他們出埃及，從埃及王法老手中救出他們，他們卻犯罪得罪祂。他們祭拜別的神明， 8效法耶和華在他們面前趕走的外族人的風俗和以色列諸王奉行的習俗。 9以色列人暗中做不義之事，冒犯他們的上帝耶和華。從瞭望塔到堅城，他們在各地建邱壇， 10在各高崗上、綠樹下立神柱和亞舍拉神像， 11在各邱壇燒香，如同耶和華在他們面前趕走的外族人一樣。他們邪惡的行為激怒了耶和華。 12儘管耶和華警告他們不可祭拜偶像，他們仍然執迷不悟。
13耶和華藉著祂的眾先知和先見警告以色列人和猶大人說：「你們要離開惡道，遵守我的誡命和律例，即我吩咐你們祖先遵守並藉著我的僕人——眾先知傳給你們的律法。」 14但他們充耳不聞，像他們祖先一樣頑固不化，不信靠他們的上帝耶和華， 15拒絕遵守祂的律例和祂與他們祖先所立的約，無視祂的警告。他們隨從虛無的偶像，自己也變得虛無。他們違背耶和華的命令，去效法周圍的外族人。 16他們把他們的上帝耶和華的誡命拋諸腦後，鑄造了兩個金牛犢，還造了亞舍拉神像。他們祭拜巴力和天上的萬象， 17把自己的兒女燒死獻作祭物。他們占卜，行邪術，出賣自己去做耶和華視為惡的事，惹祂發怒。
18因此，耶和華非常憤怒，從祂面前趕走以色列人，只留下猶大一個支派。 19但猶大人也不遵守他們的上帝耶和華的誡命，反而效法以色列人的惡行。 20於是，耶和華棄絕了以色列全族，使他們飽嚐痛苦，任人宰割，直至把他們從自己眼前趕走。 21祂使以色列從大衛家分裂出來，以色列人便擁立尼八的兒子耶羅波安為王。耶羅波安誘使以色列人遠離耶和華，使他們犯了大罪。 22以色列人沉溺於耶羅波安所犯的一切罪中，始終不肯回頭， 23直到耶和華把他們從自己眼前趕走，正如祂藉自己的僕人——眾先知對他們的警告。這樣，以色列人被擄到亞述，至今仍住在那裡。
外族人移居撒瑪利亞
24亞述王把巴比倫、古他、亞瓦、哈馬、西法瓦音等地的一些居民遷移到撒瑪利亞各城，代替以色列人。 25剛遷居到那裡的時候，他們不敬拜耶和華，所以耶和華差遣獅子闖入他們當中，咬死了一些人。 26有人稟告亞述王說：「你遷移到撒瑪利亞各城的那些人不知道當地神明的規矩，所以神明就差遣獅子闖入他們當中，咬死了一些人。」 27亞述王便下令：「派一位被擄來的祭司回去，讓他住在那裡，把當地神明的規矩教導給他們。」 28於是，有一位從撒瑪利亞被擄走的祭司回去住在伯特利，教導他們怎樣敬拜耶和華。
29可是，這些從各地遷來的民族都在所住的各城為自己製造神像，供奉在撒瑪利亞人在高崗上建造的神廟中。 30巴比倫人造疏割·比訥神像，古他人造匿甲神像，哈馬人造亞示瑪神像， 31亞瓦人造匿哈和他珥他神像，西法瓦音人焚燒兒女向他們的神明亞得米勒和亞拿米勒獻祭。 32他們也敬拜耶和華，卻委任各種人做祭司，在高崗上的神廟為他們獻祭。 33他們就這樣既敬拜耶和華，又各按各的風俗供奉自己的神明。
34直到現在，他們仍然執迷不悟，不敬畏耶和華，也不遵行耶和華賜給雅各子孫的律例、典章、法度和誡命。耶和華曾給雅各取名叫以色列， 35與他的子孫立約，吩咐他們：「不可祭拜其他神明，不可跪拜和供奉他們，也不可向他們獻祭。 36耶和華伸出大能的臂膀把你們領出埃及，你們要敬拜祂，要向祂跪拜、獻祭。 37你們要永遠謹遵祂所定的律例、典章、法度和誡命，不可祭拜其他神明。 38不可忘記我與你們立的約，不可祭拜其他神明。 39我是你們的上帝耶和華，你們要敬拜我，我必從一切仇敵手中救你們。」 40但是他們沒有聽從，依然仿效先前的風俗。 41那些移民到撒瑪利亞各城的外族人既敬拜耶和華，又供奉自己的偶像。直到今日，他們的子孫仍是這樣。
1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
3¶ Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.17.3 gave: Heb. rendered17.3 presents: or, tribute 4And 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.17.4 present: or, tribute
5¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6¶ 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.
7For 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, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:17.10 images: Heb. statues 11And 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: 12For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. 13Yet 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.17.13 by: Heb. by the hand of 14Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. 15And 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. 16And 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. 17And 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. 18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20And 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. 21For 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. 22For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 23Until 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.
24¶ 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. 25And 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. 26Wherefore 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. 27Then 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. 28Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. 29Howbeit 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. 30And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32So 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. 33They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.17.33 whom…: or, who carried them away from thence 34Unto 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; 35With 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: 36But 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. 37And 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. 38And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. 39But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 40Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. 41So 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.
