2 Kings

Hosea of Israel (731-722)

Hoshea, son of Elah, began to reign in Israel in the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah. He reigned for nine years in the city of Samaria

and misbehaved towards the Lord, though not as badly as the previous kings of Israel.

Shalmaneser, king of Asshur, came with his army to attack Hoshea, who surrendered to him and began paying taxes to him.

But the king of Asshur discovered that Hoshea was plotting against him, for Hoshea had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and did not pay him the taxes as he had done every year. Shalmaneser arrested him and then put him in prison.

The army of the king of Asshur subjected the whole of Israel, coming to Samaria and laying siege to it for three years.

In the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, exiled the Israelites to Asshur and made them settle in Halah, at the banks of Habor, the river of Gozan, as well as in the cities of the Medes.

This happened because the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord, their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, where they were subject to Pharaoh. But they had turned back to other gods.

They followed the customs of the nations which the Lord had driven out before them.

The children of Israel introduced many innovations that offended the Lord, their God. They built Sanctuaries in all the cities, from the watchtowers to the fortified cities.

They placed images and sacred pillars on all the hills and under every green tree.

They burned incense in their Sanctuaries on the hills, like the nations the Lord had dispossessed for them. They did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger.

They served their filthy idols despite what the Lord had told them: “You must not do such a thing.”

The Lord warned Israel and Judah through the mouth of every prophet and seer, saying:“Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and precepts according to the laws which I commanded your fathers and which I have sent to you by my servants, the prophets.”

But they did not listen and refused, as did their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord, their God.

They despised his statutes, the covenant he had made with their fathers, and the warnings he had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless, imitating the nations that surrounded them, despite what the Lord had said: “Do not do as they do.”

They abandoned all the Lord’s commandments and fashioned two bronze calves. They made sacred pillars, knelt before all the stars of heaven, and worshiped Baal.

They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire, practiced divination and magic, and sold themselves to evildoing in the sight of the Lord, enkindling his anger.

So the Lord became indignant with Israel and cast them far away from his presence, leaving only the tribe of Judah.

But neither did Judah keep the commandments of the Lord, their God; on the contrary, they followed the customs practiced in Israel.

Because of this, the Lord rejected the whole race of Israel. He humbled them and delivered them to plunderers’ hands until the day came when he drove them far away from his presence.

When he divided the kingdom of David, Israel chose Jeroboam, son of Nebat, as king; he made them commit a great sin by separating themselves from the Lord.

The Israelites followed Jeroboam in his sins and did not turn away from them

until the Lord had removed Israel from his presence, according to the warning given them through his servants, the prophets. So Israel was exiled from its land to the country of Asshur until this day.

The king of Asshur brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and he settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. These people occupied the country of Samaria and resided in its cities.

When they first settled there, they did not worship the Lord, so the Lord sent lions, which killed many of them.

Then it was reported to the king of Asshur: “The people you deported and sent to Samaria to settle in its cities do not know how the Lord, the God of the land, should be honored, so he has sent lions which are killing them.”

So the king of Asshur commanded: “Let one of the priests we have banished from Samaria return there. Let him go and live with those people and teach them how to honor the God of that land.”

So, one of the priests, who had been banished from Samaria, came back and, staying in Bethel, taught these people how they should honor the Lord.

Yet each nation made its own gods and placed them in the Sanctuaries on the hills, which the Samaritans had built. Each of these nations put their god in the city where they settled:

the Babylonians set up the idol Succoth, the inhabitants of Cuth made Nergal, the inhabitants of Hamath made Ashima,

those of Avva made Nibjaz and Tartak. Those of Sepharvaim burned their children in the fire in honor of King Hadad and King Anu, their gods.

They worshiped the Lord, but they appointed for themselves priests from among their people, who served the Lord in the Houses on the hills.

They honored the Lord but, at the same time, served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from where they had been banished.

Until this very day, they still observe the old customs. They do not honor the Lord since they do not follow the precepts and customs, the law, or the commandments which the Lord had given to the children of Jacob, to whom he had given the name Israel.

The Lord had made a Covenant with them, commanding them: “Do not honor other gods or bow down before them, or serve them or offer them sacrifices.

You shall honor the Lord alone, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with the strength of his arm; before him, you shall bow, and to him alone shall you offer sacrifices.

Keep the precepts, the ordinances, the Law, and the commandments he wrote for you. Fulfill them all your days, and do not adore strange gods.

Do not forsake the Covenant he made with you and do not adore strange gods,

but adore only the Lord, your God, and he shall free you from the hand of all your enemies.”

But they did not pay attention; instead, they followed their ancient customs.

So these people honored the Lord, but, at the same time, also served their idols; after them, their children and their children’s children continued doing what their fathers had done.