⁶ In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria^(A) captured Samaria^(B) and deported^(C) the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan^(D) on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Exiled Because of Sin

⁷ All this took place because the Israelites had sinned^(E) against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt^(F) from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods ⁸ and followed the practices of the nations^(G) the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. ⁹ The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city^(H) they built themselves high places in all their towns. ¹⁰ They set up sacred stones^(I) and Asherah poles^(J) on every high hill and under every spreading tree.^{(K) 11} At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. ¹² They worshiped idols,^(L) though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”^{[a] 13} The Lord warned^(M) Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers:^(N) “Turn from your evil ways.^(O) Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”^(P)

¹⁴ But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked^(Q) as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. ¹⁵ They rejected his decrees and the covenant^(R) he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols^(S) and themselves became worthless.^(T) They imitated the nations^(U) around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

¹⁶ They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves,^(V) and an Asherah^(W) pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts,^(X) and they worshiped Baal.^{(Y) 17} They sacrificed^(Z) their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens^(AA) and sold^(AB) themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

¹⁸ So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence.^(AC) Only the tribe of Judah was left,