21. For when the lord tore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the lord and made them commit a great sin.
22. And the people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam. They did not turn from these sins
23. until the lord finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day.
24. The king of Assyria transported groups of people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the people of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
25. But since these foreign settlers did not worship the lord when they first arrived, the lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.