Samaria Resettled

²⁴ The king of Assyria^(A) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim^(B) and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.

²⁷ Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” ²⁸ So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns^(A) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines^(B) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.^{(C) 30} The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek^(D) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.^{(E) 32} They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts^(F) of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places.

³⁷ One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek^(A) and Sharezer killed him with the sword,^(B) and they escaped to the land of Ararat.^(C) And Esarhaddon^(D) his son succeeded him as king.

³⁸ One day, while he was worshiping in the temple^(A) of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat.^(B) And Esarhaddon^(C) his son succeeded him as king.^(D)