2 Kings 17:24-41
A Mixed Worship
24Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
25Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”
27Then the king of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live there and teach the requirements of the God of the land.”
28Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.
29Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places.
30The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim.
32So the new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed for themselves priests of all sorts to serve in the shrines of the high places.
33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
34To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
35For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
36Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.
37And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,
39but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”
40But they would not listen, and they persisted in their former customs.
41So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.
Berean Standard Bible
The king of Assyria brings people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settles them in the cities of Samaria. At first they do not fear the LORD, so the LORD sends lions among them, and some people are killed.
The settlers report the problem to the king. He sends one of the priests who had been carried away from Samaria to live at Bethel and teach the people how to fear the LORD. The priest comes and lives in Bethel, but the new population does not receive a simple or wholehearted instruction.
Each nation makes its own gods. The people of Babylon make Succoth-benoth, the people of Cuth make Nergal, and other groups make their own images. They also place these idols in the shrines on the high places the Samaritans had made.
They fear the LORD while serving their own gods. Their children and grandchildren continue the same practice. The narrator's conclusion is clear: they do not truly fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes, ordinances, law, or commandment the LORD gave Jacob.
How We Know
This passage belongs to the historical and prophetic record of Israel's divided kingdom. Its named rulers, places, and prophetic actions are presented as part of that covenant history; Chronicles does not repeat every episode from Kings.
Questions
1 Who settles in Samaria?
AnswerThe king of Assyria settles people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim in Samaria's cities.
2 Why are lions sent among them?
AnswerThe people do not fear the LORD, and lions are sent among them after they settle in the land.
3 What does the king of Assyria send?
AnswerHe sends a priest who had been carried away from Samaria to teach the new residents how to fear the LORD.
4 How does the narrator evaluate their worship?
AnswerThey fear the LORD while serving their own gods, so the narrator says they do not truly fear him.
What This Means for Us
The chapter describes a religious mixture that sounds tolerant but remains divided at its center. Adding the LORD to a household's existing loyalties is not the same as giving him faithful worship.
Examine what competes for trust and obedience in your home. Do not use religious language to bless every desire; let worship reshape what you actually serve, value, and teach the next generation.
Prayer
Lord, make our worship sincere rather than divided. Show us the loyalties we keep beside you, give us courage to remove what competes for our trust, and help us teach the next generation faithfully. Amen.