2Ki 17:28-41 | NASB1995 | STEP | So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel , and taught them how they should fear the Lord .

2 Kings 17:28-41

28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them ^ain the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30 ^bThe men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and ^cthe Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to ^dAdrammelech and Anammelech the gods of ^eSepharvaim. 32 ^fThey also feared the Lord and ^{▼▼ Lit made for themselves from among
,} ^happointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

34 To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the Lord, nor do they ^{▼▼ Lit do according to}follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, ^jwhom He named Israel; 35 with whom the Lord made a covenant and commanded them, saying, ^k“You shall not fear other gods, nor ^lbow down yourselves to them nor ^mserve them nor sacrifice to them. 36 “But the Lord, ⁿwho brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ^oan outstretched arm, ^pHim you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37 “The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, ^qyou shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38 “The covenant that I have made with you, ^ryou shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 “But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41 ^sSo while these nations feared the Lord, they also served their ^{▼▼ Or graven images}idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.