2 Kings 17:28-41

28So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in aBethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29But every nation still made gods of its own and put them bin the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived. 30The men of cBabylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites dburned their children in the fire to eAdrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of fSepharvaim. 32 gThey also feared the Lord hand appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of ithe high places. 33So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.

34To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, jwhom he named Israel. 35The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, k“You shall not fear other gods lor bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36but myou shall fear the Lord, nwho brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and owith an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, pyou shall always be careful to do. qYou shall not fear other gods, 38and ryou shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. sYou shall not fear other gods, 39but tyou shall fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner.

41 uSo these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s childrenas their fathers did, so they do to this day.

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