18. So the Lord was filled with anger against Israel. He removed them from his land. Only the tribe of Judah was left.
19. And even Judah didn't obey the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had started.
20. So the Lord turned his back on all of the people of Israel. He made them suffer. He handed them over to people who stole everything they had. And finally he threw them out of his land.
21. He tore Israel away from the royal house of David. The people of Israel made Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, their king. Jeroboam tried to get Israel to stop following the Lord. He caused them to commit a terrible sin.
22. The people of Israel were stubborn. They continued to commit all of the sins Jeroboam had committed. They didn't turn away from them.
23. So the Lord removed them from his land. That's what he had warned them he would do. He had given that warning through all of his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken away from their country. They were forced to go to Assyria. And that's where they still are.
24. The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon. He also brought them from Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim. He settled all of them in the towns of Samaria. They took the place of the people of Israel. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.
25. When they first lived there, they didn't worship the Lord. So he sent lions among them. And the lions killed some of the people.
26. A report was given to the king of Assyria. He was told, "You forced people to leave their own homes. You settled them in the towns of Samaria. But they don't know what the god of that country requires. So he has sent lions among them. And the lions are killing the people off. That's because the people don't know what that god requires."