²⁸ So one of the priests whom they had led into exile from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they were to fear the Lord.

²⁹ But every nation was still making gods of its own, and they put them ^(A)in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. ^30 (B)The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, ³¹ and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and ^(C)the Sepharvites were burning their children in the fire to ^(D)Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of ^(E)Sepharvaim. ^32 (F)They also feared the Lord and ^[a](G)appointed from their entire population priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. ³³ They feared the Lord, yet they were serving their own gods in accordance with the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken into exile.

³⁴ To this day they act in accordance with the earlier customs: they do not fear the Lord, nor do they ^[b]follow their statutes, their ordinances, the Law, or the commandments which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, ^(H)whom He named Israel. ³⁵ The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, saying, “^(I)You shall not fear other gods, nor ^(J)bow down to them, nor ^(K)serve them, nor sacrifice to them. ³⁶ But the Lord, ^(L)who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ^(M)an outstretched arm, ^(N)Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. ³⁷ And the statutes, the ordinances, the Law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, ^(O)you shall take care to do always; and you shall not fear other gods. ³⁸ The covenant that I have made with you, ^(P)you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. ³⁹ But you shall fear the Lord your God; and He will save you from the hand of all your enemies.” ⁴⁰ However, they did not listen, but they kept acting in accordance with their earlier custom. ^41 (Q)So while these nations feared the Lord, they also served their ^[c]idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, just as their fathers did, they do to this day.