24
Then the king of Assyria brought [people] from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.
25
When they first lived there, they did not fear the LORD. So the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26
The settlers spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the God of the land. Therefore, He has sent lions among them, which are killing them because the people don't know the custom of the God of the land."
27
Then the king of Assyria issued a command: "Send back one of the priests you deported. Have him go and live there so he can teach them the custom of the God of the land."
28
So one of the priests they had deported came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should fear the LORD.
29
But [the people of] each nation, in the cities where they lived, were still making their own gods and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made.
30
The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31
the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim.
32
So they feared the LORD, but they also appointed from their number, priests to serve them in the shrines of the high places.
33
They feared the LORD, but they also worshiped their own gods according to the custom of the nations where they had been deported from.
