Keraia
2 Kings 17

2 Kings 17:26

Samaria Resettled · 2 Kings 17:24–41
Read 2 Kings 17

Translations

Modern
So 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.”
Traditional
Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
Literal
And they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the God of the land, and he has sent among them the lions. And behold, they are killing them because they do not know the custom of the God of the land.”
Latin
Nuntiatumque est regi Assyriorum, et dictum: Gentes quas transtulisti, et habitare fecisti in civitatibus Samariæ, ignorant legitima Dei terræ: et immisit in eos Dominus leones, et ecce interficiunt eos, eo quod ignorent ritum Dei terræ.

Original

Hebrew
English
So 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.”

Notes

2 Kings 17:26–31

  • The king of Assyria was Sargon II. He ruled from 721 to 705 BC.

  • the God of the land … has sent lions: People in the ancient Near East believed a land's peace and success were tied to its god and religious practices.

  • One of the priests returned to Bethel, but his teachings on worshiping the Lord were likely influenced by Jeroboam I's religion and mixed with pagan practices.

  • The foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. They added the worship of Israel’s God to their own practices. Most of the false gods mentioned here are unknown. Jewish scribes may have changed their names.

  • Nergal was the Mesopotamian god of the underworld. Nibhaz and Tartak were probably Elamite gods.

2 Kings 17:24–41

The writer adds information about later events in Israel, like foreigners moving into the land and the mixed population's blended religious practices.

Theme notes and profiles

Arameans Assyria Samaritans

Places

Assyria: A powerful ancient empire, often in conflict with Israel Samaria: Capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel; Samaritan inhabitants

Glossary

Book of Micah Jeroboam Kings, Books of First and Second Lion Manasseh, Tribe of Orontes Samaritans Syria, Syrians

Topics

Assyria: Shalmaneser Cuth: A District of Asia, from Which Colonists Were Transported to Samaria Idolatry: Led the Heathen to Consider Their Gods to Have but a Local Judgments: Delivered: Into the Hands of the Assyrians Lion: Sent As Judgment Upon the Samaritans Samaria: Country of: Foreign Colonies Distributed Among the Cities of, by the King of Assyria The Lion: Canaan Infested By