2 Kings 17:24-26

Expanded Bible

The Beginning of the Samaritan People

²⁴ The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and ·put [settled] them in the cities of Samaria to replace the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel]. These people took ·over [possession of] Samaria and lived in the cities. ²⁵ At first they did not ·worship [revere; fear] the Lord, so he sent lions among them which killed some of them. ²⁶ The king of Assyria was told, “You ·sent foreigners [deported/exiled/carried nations] into the cities of Samaria who do not know the ·law [custom] of the god of the land. This is why he has sent lions among them. The lions are killing them because they don’t know ·what the god wants [^Lthe law/custom of the god of the land].”