2 Kings 17:24-41 the king of the Assyrians brought people from Babylon and from Chutha and from Aia and from Aimath and Seppharuim, and planted them in the cities of Samaria, in stead of the children of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof.

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ²⁴ the king of the Assyrians brought people from Babylon and from Chutha and from Aia and from Aimath and Seppharuim, and planted them in the cities of Samaria, in stead of the children of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof. ²⁵ But as they did not, at the beginning of their settlement, fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them. And when they were making havock among them, ²⁶ some spoke to the king of Assyria saying, The nations which thou hast removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the ritual of the God of that land; therefore he hath sent lions among them, and behold they are killing them, because they do not know the ritual of the God of that land. ²⁷ Thereupon the king of Assyria gave orders, saying, Take some who came from that country, and let them go and dwell there, that they may teach them the rites of the God of that land. ²⁸ So they brought one of the priests whom they had transported from Samaria, and he settled at Baithel. And while he was instructing them how they should fear the Lord, ²⁹ they were making, every nation, their own gods, which they set up in the house of the high places which the Samaritans had erected; every nation in the cities where they dwelt. ³⁰ Thus the men of Babylon made Sokchoth-benith; and the men of Chuth made Ergal; and the men of Aimath made Asimath; ³¹ and the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthak; and the Seppharuims made Adramelech and Anemelech, because they of Seppharuim burned their children to these gods. ³² Though they feared the Lord, yet they set up their own abominations, in the houses of the high places which they had made in Samaria, every nation in the city where they dwelt. Though they feared the Lord, yet they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed for themselves in the house of the high places. ³³ They both feared the Lord and served their own gods, according to the ritual of the nations from which they had been transplanted. ³⁴ Even to this day they have acted according to this ritual of theirs. They fear; and they do according to their own rites and their own institutions, and according to the law and the command which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob to whom he gave the name Israel, ³⁵ Though the Lord had made a covenant with them and commanded them, saying, You shall not fear other gods nor worship them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them, ³⁶ for these acts you must do to the Lord only, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm; Him you shall fear, and Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice; ³⁷ These statutes and these judgments and this law and the commandments which he hath written for you to do, you shall keep continually; and you shall not fear other gods; ³⁸ and this covenant which he hath made with you, you must not forget. You shall not fear other gods; ³⁹ but fear the Lord your God only, and he will deliver you from all your enemies; ⁴⁰ and you shall pay no regard to the rites which they practise. ⁴¹ Yet these nations feared the Lord and at the same time served their graven images. And even to this day their children and their children's children do as their fathers did.