NSB(i)
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He led the Israelites away to Assyria. He stationed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes.
7 The wrath (intense anger) of Jehovah came on Israel because they had done evil against Jehovah their God, who took them out of the land of Egypt from under the yoke of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They worshipped other gods.
8 They lived by the rules of the nations whom Jehovah sent out from before the children of Israel.
9 The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right according to Jehovah their God. They built high places for themselves in all their towns, from the watchtower to the walled towns.
10 They erected pillars of stone and wood on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 They burned their offerings in all the high places, as those nations did whom Jehovah sent away from them. They did evil things, moving Jehovah to anger.
12 They made themselves servants of disgusting things. Even though Jehovah said: »You should not do this.«
13 Jehovah sent his messengers and prophets to warn Israel and Judah: »Abandon your evil ways and obey my commands. The commandments contained in the Law I gave to your ancestors. I handed them on to you through my servants the prophets.«
14 They would not obey. They were stubborn like their ancestors. They did not trust in Jehovah their God.
15 They refused to obey his instructions. They did not keep the covenant he made with their ancestors. They disregarded his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They followed the customs of the surrounding nations, disobeying Jehovah’s command not to imitate them.
16 They broke all the laws of Jehovah their God. They made two metal bull-calves to worship. They also made an image of the goddess Asherah. Also they worshiped the stars and served the god Baal.
17 They caused their sons and their daughters to go through the fire to be sacrificed. They made use of secret arts and unnatural powers, and gave themselves up to doing evil in the eyes of Jehovah, till they provoked him to anger.
18 Jehovah was very angry with Israel. He removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah kept its place.
19 But even Judah did not obey the commands of Jehovah their God. They were guided by the rules Israel made.
20 So Jehovah would have nothing to do with all the offspring of Israel. He caused trouble for them. He gave them up into the hands of their attackers, till he had sent them away from before his face.