23. until יהוה removed Yisra’ĕl from His presence, as He spoke by all His servants the prophets. So Yisra’ĕl was exiled from their land to Ashshur, as it is to this day.
24. And the sovereign of Ashshur brought people from Baḇel, and from Kuthah, and from Awwa, and from Ḥamath, and Sepharwayim, and placed them in the cities of Shomeron instead of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And they took possession of Shomeron and dwelt in its cities.
25. And it came to be, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear יהוה, and יהוה sent lions among them, which kept on slaying among them.
26. And they spoke to the sovereign of Ashshur, saying, “The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Shomeron do not know the right-ruling of the Elohim of the land. And He has sent lions among them, and see, they are slaying among them because they do not know the right-ruling of the Elohim of the land.”
27. And the sovereign of Ashshur commanded, saying, “Send one of the priests whom you exiled from there, to go there. Let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the right-ruling of the Elohim of the land.”
28. And one of the priests whom they had exiled from Shomeron came and dwelt in Bĕyth Ěl, and taught them how to fear יהוה.
29. But every nation was making mighty ones of its own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Shomeronites had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt.
30. And the men of Baḇel made Sukkoth Benoth, and the men of Kuth made Nĕrg̅al, and the men of Ḥamath made Ashima,