1. In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah reigned hath Hoshea son of Elah in Samaria, over Israel--nine years,
2. and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only, not as the kings of Israel who were before him;
3. against him came up Shalmaneser king of Asshur, and Hoshea is to him a servant, and doth render to him a present.
4. And the king of Asshur findeth in Hoshea a conspiracy, in that he hath sent messengers unto So king of Egypt, and hath not caused a present to go up to the king of Asshur, as year by year, and the king of Asshur restraineth him, and bindeth him in a house of restraint.
5. And the king of Asshur goeth up into all the land, and he goeth up to Samaria, and layeth siege against it three years;
6. in the ninth year of Hoshea hath the king of Asshur captured Samaria, and removeth Israel to Asshur, and causeth them to dwell in Halah, and in Habor, [by] the river Gozan, and [in] the cities of the Medes.
7. And it cometh to pass, because the sons of Israel have sinned against Jehovah their God--who bringeth them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt--and fear other gods,
8. and walk in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel that they made;
9. and the sons of Israel do covertly things that [are] not right against Jehovah their God, and build for them high places in all their cities, from a tower of the watchers unto the fenced city,
10. and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,
11. and make perfume there in all high places, like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence, and do evil things to provoke Jehovah,
12. and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, `Ye do not do this thing;'
13. And Jehovah testifieth against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, `Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;'