²³ until Yahweh removed Israel from his presence as he had foretold by the hand of all his servants, the prophets. And so he deported Israel from upon his land to Assyria until this day.

Israel Repopulated with Foreign Captives

²⁴ The king of Assyria brought from Babylonia, from Cush, from Arva, from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and he settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites,^[a] so they took possession of Samaria and lived in her cities. ²⁵ It happened that when they began living there, they did not fear Yahweh, so Yahweh sent lions among them, and they were killing them.^[b]