2 Kings 17 – NIRV & TCB

New International Reader’s Version

2 Kings 17:1-41

Hoshea the Last King of Israel

1Hoshea became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 12th year that Ahaz was king of Judah. Hoshea ruled for nine years. He was the son of Elah. 2Hoshea did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. But he wasn’t as evil as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.

3Shalmaneser came up to attack Hoshea. Shalmaneser was king of Assyria. He had been Hoshea’s master. He had forced Hoshea to bring him gifts. 4But the king of Assyria found out that Hoshea had turned against him. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt. Hoshea didn’t send gifts to the king of Assyria anymore. He had been sending them every year. So Shalmaneser grabbed him and put him in prison. 5The king of Assyria marched into the whole land of Israel. He marched to Samaria and surrounded it for three years. From time to time he attacked it. 6Finally, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. It was in the ninth year of Hoshea. The king of Assyria took the Israelites away from their own land. He sent them off to Assyria. He made some of them live in Halah. He made others live in Gozan on the Habor River. And he made others live in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Is Forced to Leave the Land Because of Sin

7All of this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God. He had brought them up out of Egypt. He had brought them out from under the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. But they worshiped other gods. 8The Lord had driven out other nations to make room for Israel. But they followed the evil practices of those nations. They also followed the practices that the kings of Israel had started. 9The Israelites did things in secret against the Lord their God. What they did wasn’t right. They built high places for worship in all their towns. They built them at lookout towers. They also built them at cities that had high walls around them. 10They set up sacred stones. And they set up poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. They did that on every high hill and under every green tree. 11The Lord had driven out nations to make room for Israel. But the Israelites burned incense at every high place, just as those nations had done. The Israelites did evil things that made the Lord very angry. 12They worshiped statues of gods. They did it even though the Lord had said, “Do not do that.” 13The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers. He said, “Turn from your evil ways. Keep my commands and rules. Obey every part of my Law. I commanded your people who lived long ago to obey it. And I gave it to you through my servants the prophets.”

14But the people wouldn’t listen. They were as stubborn as their people of long ago had been. Those people didn’t trust in the Lord their God. 15They refused to obey his rules. They broke the covenant he had made with them. They didn’t pay any attention to the rules he had warned them to keep. They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless. They followed the example of the nations around them. They did it even though the Lord had ordered them not to. He had said, “Do not do as they do.”

16They turned away from all the commands of the Lord their God. They made two statues of gods for themselves. The statues were shaped like calves. They made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. They bowed down to all the stars. And they worshiped the god named Baal. 17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced all kinds of evil magic. They gave up following God’s rules. They did only what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. All these things made him very angry.

18So the Lord was very angry with Israel. He removed them from his land. Only the tribe of Judah was left. 19And even Judah didn’t obey the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had started. 20So the Lord turned his back on all the people of Israel. He made them suffer. He handed them over to people who stole everything they had. And finally he threw them out of his land.

21The Lord took control of Israel away from the royal house of David. The Israelites made Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, their king. Jeroboam tried to get Israel to stop following the Lord. He caused them to commit a terrible sin. 22The Israelites were stubborn. They continued to commit all the sins Jeroboam had committed. They didn’t turn away from them. 23So the Lord removed them from his land. That’s what he had warned them he would do. He had given that warning through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken away from their country. They were forced to go to Assyria. And that’s where they still are.

Assyria Makes Other People Live in Samaria

24The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim. He made all of them live in the towns of Samaria. They took the place of the people of Israel. They lived in all the towns of Samaria. 25When they first lived there, they didn’t worship the Lord. So he sent lions among them. And the lions killed some of the people. 26A report was given to the king of Assyria. He was told, “You forced people to leave their own homes and live in the towns of Samaria. But they don’t know what the god of that country requires. So he has sent lions among them. And the lions are killing the people off. That’s because the people don’t know what that god requires.”

27Then the king of Assyria gave an order. He said, “Get one of the priests you captured from Samaria. Send him back to live there. Have him teach the people what the god of that land requires.” 28So a priest went back to live in Bethel. He was one of the priests who had been forced to leave Samaria. He taught the people of Bethel how to worship the Lord.

29In spite of that, the people from each nation made statues of their own gods. They made them in all the towns where they had been forced to live. They set up those statues in small temples. The people of Samaria had built the temples at the high places. 30The people from Babylon made statues of the god named Sukkoth Benoth. Those from Kuthah made statues of the god named Nergal. Those from Hamath made statues of the god named Ashima. 31The Avvites made statues of the gods named Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites sacrificed their children in the fire to the gods named Adrammelek and Anammelek. They were the gods of Sepharvaim. 32So the people of Samaria worshiped the Lord. But they also appointed all kinds of their own people to be their priests. The priests served in the small temples at the high places. 33The people worshiped the Lord. But they also served their own gods. They followed the evil practices of the nations they had been taken from.

34The people of Samaria are still stubborn. They continue in their old practices to this day. And now they don’t even worship the Lord. They don’t follow his directions and rules. They don’t obey his laws and commands. The Lord had given all these laws to the family of Jacob. He gave the name Israel to Jacob. 35The Lord made a covenant with the Israelites. At that time he commanded them, “Do not worship any other gods. Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them or sacrifice to them. 36The Lord is the one you must worship. The Lord brought you up out of Egypt by his great power. He saved you by reaching out his mighty arm. You must bow down only to him. You must offer sacrifices only to him. 37You must always be careful to follow his directions and rules. You must obey the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38Do not forget the covenant I made with you. And remember, you must not worship other gods. 39Instead, worship the Lord your God. He will save you from the powerful hand of all your enemies.”

40But the people wouldn’t listen. Instead, they were stubborn. They continued in their old practices. 41They worshiped the Lord. But at the same time, they served the statues of their gods. And to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do what their people before them did.

Tagalog Contemporary Bible

2 Hari 17:1-41

Ang Paghahari ni Hoshea sa Israel

1Naging hari ng Israel ang anak ni Elah na si Hoshea nang ika-12 taon ng paghahari ni Ahaz sa Juda. Sa Samaria siya tumira, at naghari siya roon sa loob ng siyam na taon. 2Masama ang ginawa niya sa paningin ng Panginoon, pero hindi kasinsama ng ginawa ng mga hari ng Israel na nauna sa kanya.

3Nilusob ni Haring Shalmanaser ng Asiria si Hoshea at natalo niya ito, kaya napilitang magbayad ng buwis taun-taon ang Israel sa Asiria. 4Pero nagplano si Hoshea laban sa hari ng Asiria sa pamamagitan ng paghingi ng tulong kay Haring So ng Egipto para makalaya sa kapangyarihan ng Asiria. Hindi na rin siya nagbayad ng buwis katulad ng ginagawa niya taun-taon. Nang malaman ng hari ng Asiria na nagtraydor si Hoshea, ipinadakip niya ito at ipinakulong.

5Pagkatapos, nilusob ng hari ng Asiria ang buong Israel. Sa loob ng tatlong taon, pinaligiran niya ang Samaria. 6Nang ikasiyam na taon ng paghahari ni Hoshea, sinakop ng hari ng Asiria ang Samaria at dinala ang mga taga-Israel sa Asiria bilang mga bihag. Pinatira niya sila sa lungsod ng Hala, sa mga lugar na malapit sa Ilog ng Habor sa Gozan at sa mga bayan ng Media.

7Nangyari ito sa mga taga-Israel dahil nagkasala sila sa Panginoon na kanilang Dios na naglabas sa kanila sa Egipto at nagpalaya mula sa kapangyarihan ng Faraon na hari ng Egipto. Sumamba sila sa mga dios-diosan 8at ginaya nila ang mga kasuklam-suklam na ginagawa ng mga bansang pinalayas ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan nila. Sumunod din sila sa kasuklam-suklam na pamumuhay ng mga hari nila. 9Palihim din silang gumawa ng mga bagay na hindi nakalulugod sa Panginoon na kanilang Dios. Gumawa rin sila ng mga sambahan sa matataas na lugar17:9 sambahan sa matataas na lugar: Tingnan sa Talaan ng mga Salita sa likod. sa lahat ng bayan mula sa pinakamaliit na barangay hanggang sa malalaking napapaderang lungsod. 10Nagpatayo sila ng mga alaalang bato at mga posteng simbolo ng diosang si Ashera sa ibabaw ng bawat matataas na burol at sa ilalim ng bawat malalagong punongkahoy. 11Nagsunog sila ng mga insenso sa bawat sambahan sa matataas na lugar katulad ng ginagawa ng mga bansang pinalayas ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan nila. Gumawa sila ng mga kasuklam-suklam na bagay na nakapagpagalit sa Panginoon. 12Sumamba sila sa mga dios-diosan kahit na sinabi ng Panginoon, “Huwag kayong sasamba sa mga dios-diosan.” 13Paulit-ulit na nagpapadala ang Panginoon ng mga propeta para bigyang babala ang Israel at ang Juda: “Itigil ninyo ang mga kasuklam-suklam ninyong ginagawa. Sundin ninyo ang mga utos ko at tuntunin ayon sa kautusan na iniutos ko sa inyong mga ninuno at ibinigay ko sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng aking mga lingkod na propeta.” 14Pero hindi sila nakinig. Matitigas ang ulo nila katulad ng mga ninuno nilang walang tiwala sa Panginoon na kanilang Dios. 15Itinakwil nila ang tuntunin ng Panginoon, ang kasunduang ginawa niya sa mga ninuno nila, at hindi rin sila nakinig sa mga babala niya. Sinunod nila ang mga walang kwentang dios-diosan at silaʼy naging walang kwenta na rin. Ginawa nila ang mga bagay na ipinagbabawal ng Panginoon na ginagawa ng mga bansang nakapalibot sa kanila. 16Itinakwil nila ang lahat ng utos ng Panginoon na kanilang Dios. Gumawa sila ng larawan ng dalawang guya at posteng simbolo ng diosang si Ashera. Sumamba sila sa lahat ng bagay na nasa langit, at kay Baal. 17Inihandog nila ang mga anak nila sa apoy. Sumangguni sila sa mga manghuhula, gumamit ng pangkukulam at ipinagbili ang sarili nila sa paggawa ng masama sa paningin ng Panginoon, at ito ang nakapagpagalit sa kanya.

18Galit na galit ang Panginoon sa Israel kaya pinalayas niya ang mga ito sa harapan niya. Ang lahi lang ni Juda ang natira sa lupain. 19Pero kahit ang mga taga-Juda ay hindi rin sumunod sa mga utos ng Panginoon na kanilang Dios. Ginawa rin nila kung ano ang mga ginawa ng mga taga-Israel. 20Kaya itinakwil ng Panginoon ang lahat ng mamamayan ng Israel. Ibinigay niya sila sa mga kaaway nila bilang parusa hanggang sa mawala sila sa kanyang presensya.

21Nang ihiwalay ng Panginoon ang Israel sa kaharian ni David, ginawang hari ng mga taga-Israel si Jeroboam na anak ni Nebat. Hinikayat ni Jeroboam ang mga taga-Israel sa pagtalikod sa Panginoon at siya ang nagtulak sa kanila sa paggawa ng napakalaking kasalanan. 22Nagpatuloy sa pagsunod ang mga taga-Israel sa mga kasalanan ni Jeroboam at hindi sila tumalikod dito, 23hanggang sa pinalayas sila ng Panginoon sa kanyang harapan, ayon sa babala niya sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng mga lingkod niyang propeta. Kaya binihag ng Asiria ang lahat ng mamamayan ng Israel at doon sila nakatira hanggang ngayon.

Nanirahan ang mga Taga-Asiria sa Israel

24Nagpadala ang hari ng Asiria ng mga tao mula sa Babilonia, Cuta, Ava, Hamat at Sefarvaim, at pinatira niya sila sa mga bayan ng Samaria para palitan ang mga Israelita. Sinakop ng mga taga-Asiria ang Samaria at ang iba pang mga bayan ng Israel. 25Sa simula pa lang ng pagtira nila roon ay hindi na sila sumamba sa Panginoon, kaya pinadalhan sila ng Panginoon ng mga leon para patayin sila. 26Sinabi ng mga tao sa hari ng Asiria: “Ang mga pinatira mo sa mga bayan ng Samaria ay walang alam sa kautusan ng dios sa lugar na iyon. Kaya nagpadala siya ng mga leon para patayin sila dahil hindi nga nila nalalaman ang kanyang kautusan.”

27Kaya, nag-utos ang hari ng Asiria, “Pabalikin sa Samaria ang isa sa mga pari na binihag natin. Hayaan nʼyo siyang magturo sa mga bagong nakatira roon kung ano ang kautusan ng dios sa lugar na iyon.” 28Kaya ang isa sa mga pari na binihag mula sa Samaria ay bumalik at tumira sa Betel, at tinuruan niya ang mga bagong nakatira roon kung paano sambahin ang Panginoon. 29Pero ang ibaʼt ibang grupo ng mga taong ito ay patuloy pa rin sa paggawa ng sarili nilang mga dios-diosan. Sa bawat bayan na tinitirhan nila ay nilalagyan nila ng mga dios-diosan sa mgasambahan sa matataas na lugar na ginawa ng mga taga-Samaria. 30Ginawang dios ng mga taga-Babilonia si Sucot Benot. Sinamba ng mga taga-Cuta ang dios nilang si Nergal. Sinamba naman ng mga taga-Hamat si Ashima. 31Sinamba ng mga taga-Ava ang dios nilang sina Nibhaz at Tartac. Sinunog naman sa apoy ng mga taga-Sefarvaim ang mga anak nila bilang handog sa dios nilang sina Adramelec at Anamelec. 32Sinamba nila ang Panginoon, pero pumili sila ng mga pari na mula sa kanila para mag-alay ng mga handog sa mga sambahan sa matataas na lugar. 33Kahit sinasamba nila ang Panginoon, patuloy pa rin sila sa pagsamba sa kanilang mga dios-diosan ayon sa kaugalian ng mga bansang pinanggalingan nila. 34Hanggang ngayon, ginagawa pa rin nila ito. Wala silang takot sa Panginoon, at hindi sila sumusunod sa mga tuntunin, mga turo at mga kautusan na ibinigay ng Panginoon sa lahi ni Jacob, na pinangalanan niyang Israel. 35Gumawa ang Panginoon ng kasunduan sa mga Israelita, at iniutos sa kanila: “Huwag kayong sumamba sa mga dios-diosan o lumuhod sa kanila o maglingkod, o kayaʼy maghandog sa kanila. 36Sambahin ninyo ako, ang Panginoon na naglabas sa inyo mula sa Egipto sa pamamagitan ng dakila kong kapangyarihan at lakas. Ako lamang ang inyong sasambahin at hahandugan. 37Palagi ninyong sundin ang mga tuntunin, turo at mga kautusan na isinulat ko para sa inyo. Hindi kayo dapat sumamba sa ibang dios. 38Huwag ninyong kalimutan ang kasunduang ginawa ko sa inyo at huwag kayong sasamba sa ibang dios. 39Sa halip, ako lamang ang sambahin ninyo, ang Panginoon na inyong Dios. Ako lang ang magliligtas sa inyo sa lahat ng kaaway ninyo.”

40Pero hindi nakinig ang mga taong iyon at nagpatuloy sila sa dati nilang ginagawa. 41Habang sinasamba ng mga bagong naninirahan ang Panginoon, sumasamba rin sila sa mga dios-diosan nila. Hanggang ngayon ito pa rin ang ginagawa ng mga angkan nila.