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2 Kings 17 New Living Translation (NLT)
Hoshea Rules in Israel
17 Hoshea son of Elah began to rule over Israel in the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria nine years. 2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.
3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked King Hoshea, so Hoshea was forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria. 4 But Hoshea stopped paying the annual tribute and conspired against the king of Assyria by asking King So of Egypt[a] to help him shake free of Assyria’s power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison.
Samaria Falls to Assyria
5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria. 6 Finally, in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign, Samaria fell, and the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria. They were settled in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. 8 They had followed the practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced. 9 The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the Lord their God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city. 10 They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles at the top of every hill and under every green tree. 11 They offered sacrifices on all the hilltops, just like the nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them. So the people of Israel had done many evil things, arousing the Lord’s anger. 12 Yes, they worshiped idols,[b] despite the Lord’s specific and repeated warnings.
13 Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”
Shalom, brother Paul. You are right that in that worship of our Creator is key in the Bible! We need to LOVE our Creator Yhwh with all our heart, soul, and might — otherwise, we will worship something else. He knew this, too — just look at Israel! Are we not just like them? Hopefully we are mature enough to not worship other things and humble enough to know that we could do it like Israel did at any moment of time. This didn’t begin like this; Israel went down a slippery slope of a little here, a little there–and it culminated in her dispersion. What a time as this when our loving Father has called us back to Himself — a people not His people are now His people. Be blessed Paul — keep teaching Truth. And my prayer is that Israel will “come out of her” and “awaken” to the Truth! Amein.
Shalom brother Paul 😊
Shalom brother Paul…good days ahead!!!
Shalom Shalom Brother Paul. Thank you for the teachings in Kings. Truly amazing is His Holy Word. Much Love from California.