22. The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn’t depart from them
23. until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
24. The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, from Cuthah, from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and lived in its cities.
25. So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions amongst them, which killed some of them.
26. Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations which you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria don’t know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions amongst them, and behold, they kill them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land.”
27. Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.”