何细亚做以色列王

17 犹大王亚哈斯执政第十二年,以拉的儿子何细亚在撒玛利亚登基做以色列王,执政九年。 他做耶和华视为恶的事,不过没有他之前的以色列诸王那么败坏。 亚述王撒缦以色攻打以色列,何细亚纳贡称臣。 然而,何细亚差遣使者向埃及王梭求援,不再像往年那样向亚述王进贡。亚述王发现后,把他抓起来囚在狱中。 亚述王攻打以色列全境,并围困撒玛利亚三年。 何细亚执政第九年,撒玛利亚沦陷。亚述王把以色列人掳到亚述,安置在哈腊、歌散的哈博河一带以及玛代人的各城。

以色列人的罪恶史

以色列人之所以有如此下场,是因为他们的上帝耶和华领他们出埃及,从埃及王法老手中救出他们,他们却犯罪得罪祂。他们祭拜别的神明, 效法耶和华在他们面前赶走的外族人的风俗和以色列诸王奉行的习俗。 以色列人暗中做不义之事,冒犯他们的上帝耶和华。从瞭望塔到坚城,他们在各地建丘坛, 10 在各高岗上、绿树下立神柱和亚舍拉神像, 11 在各丘坛烧香,如同耶和华在他们面前赶走的外族人一样。他们邪恶的行为激怒了耶和华。 12 尽管耶和华警告他们不可祭拜偶像,他们仍然执迷不悟。

13 耶和华借着祂的众先知和先见警告以色列人和犹大人说:“你们要离开恶道,遵守我的诫命和律例,即我吩咐你们祖先遵守并借着我的仆人——众先知传给你们的律法。” 14 但他们充耳不闻,像他们祖先一样顽固不化,不信靠他们的上帝耶和华, 15 拒绝遵守祂的律例和祂与他们祖先所立的约,无视祂的警告。他们随从虚无的偶像,自己也变得虚无。他们违背耶和华的命令,去效法周围的外族人。 16 他们把他们的上帝耶和华的诫命抛诸脑后,铸造了两个金牛犊,还造了亚舍拉神像。他们祭拜巴力和天上的万象, 17 把自己的儿女烧死献作祭物。他们占卜,行邪术,出卖自己去做耶和华视为恶的事,惹祂发怒。

18 因此,耶和华非常愤怒,从祂面前赶走以色列人,只留下犹大一个支派。 19 但犹大人也不遵守他们的上帝耶和华的诫命,反而效法以色列人的恶行。 20 于是,耶和华弃绝了以色列全族,使他们饱尝痛苦,任人宰割,直至把他们从自己眼前赶走。 21 祂使以色列从大卫家分裂出来,以色列人便拥立尼八的儿子耶罗波安为王。耶罗波安诱使以色列人远离耶和华,使他们犯了大罪。 22 以色列人沉溺于耶罗波安所犯的一切罪中,始终不肯回头, 23 直到耶和华把他们从自己眼前赶走,正如祂借自己的仆人——众先知对他们的警告。这样,以色列人被掳到亚述,至今仍住在那里。

外族人移居撒玛利亚

24 亚述王把巴比伦、古他、亚瓦、哈马、西法瓦音等地的一些居民迁移到撒玛利亚各城,代替以色列人。 25 刚迁居到那里的时候,他们不敬拜耶和华,所以耶和华差遣狮子闯入他们当中,咬死了一些人。 26 有人禀告亚述王说:“你迁移到撒玛利亚各城的那些人不知道当地神明的规矩,所以神明就差遣狮子闯入他们当中,咬死了一些人。” 27 亚述王便下令:“派一位被掳来的祭司回去,让他住在那里,把当地神明的规矩教导给他们。” 28 于是,有一位从撒玛利亚被掳走的祭司回去住在伯特利,教导他们怎样敬拜耶和华。

29 可是,这些从各地迁来的民族都在所住的各城为自己制造神像,供奉在撒玛利亚人在高岗上建造的神庙中。 30 巴比伦人造疏割·比讷神像,古他人造匿甲神像,哈马人造亚示玛神像, 31 亚瓦人造匿哈和他珥他神像,西法瓦音人焚烧儿女向他们的神明亚得米勒和亚拿米勒献祭。 32 他们也敬拜耶和华,却委任各种人做祭司,在高岗上的神庙为他们献祭。 33 他们就这样既敬拜耶和华,又各按各的风俗供奉自己的神明。

34 直到现在,他们仍然执迷不悟,不敬畏耶和华,也不遵行耶和华赐给雅各子孙的律例、典章、法度和诫命。耶和华曾给雅各取名叫以色列, 35 与他的子孙立约,吩咐他们:“不可祭拜其他神明,不可跪拜和供奉他们,也不可向他们献祭。 36 耶和华伸出大能的臂膀把你们领出埃及,你们要敬拜祂,要向祂跪拜、献祭。 37 你们要永远谨遵祂所定的律例、典章、法度和诫命,不可祭拜其他神明。 38 不可忘记我与你们立的约,不可祭拜其他神明。 39 我是你们的上帝耶和华,你们要敬拜我,我必从一切仇敌手中救你们。” 40 但是他们没有听从,依然仿效先前的风俗。 41 那些移民到撒玛利亚各城的外族人既敬拜耶和华,又供奉自己的偶像。直到今日,他们的子孙仍是这样。

何细亚作以色列王

17 犹大王亚哈斯在位第十二年,以拉的儿子何细亚在撒玛利亚登基,统治以色列九年。 他行耶和华看为恶的事,只是不像他以前的以色列诸王。 亚述王撒缦以色上来攻击他,他就臣服于他,并且向他进贡。 后来,亚述王发觉何细亚阴谋反叛:他曾派使者去见埃及王梭,并且不再向亚述王献上贡物,像过去每年一样。亚述王就拿住他,把他囚在牢里。

亚述王攻陷撒玛利亚的原因

亚述王上来攻击以色列全国各地,并且到撒玛利亚来,围城三年。 何细亚在位第九年,亚述王占领了撒玛利亚,把以色列人掳到亚述去,安置他们在哈腊,在哈博河和歌散河一带,以及在玛代人的各城。

这是因为以色列人得罪了那曾带领他们从埃及王法老的手下离开埃及的耶和华他们的 神,去敬畏别的神。 他们随从耶和华从以色列人面前驱逐的外族人的风俗,以及以色列诸王奉行的风俗。 以色列人暗中做了不对的事,违背耶和华他们的 神,并且在他们所有的城市,从哨站到设防城,为他们自己建筑邱坛。 10 又在各高山顶上和每一棵青翠的树下竖立神柱和亚舍拉。 11 他们在各邱坛上献祭和焚香,好象耶和华从他们的面前掳去的外族人一样,又行恶事,使耶和华发怒。 12 他们又服事雕刻的偶像,耶和华曾警告他们不可以行这事。 13 耶和华曾借着他的众先知和先见警告以色列人和犹大人说:“从你们的恶道上转回吧!谨守我的吩咐和我的律例,就是我曾吩咐你们的祖先,和借着我的仆人众先知传递给你们的一切律法。” 14 可是他们不听从,反而硬着自己的颈项,好象他们的祖先,不信服耶和华他们的 神; 15 厌弃他的律例和他与他们的祖先订立的约,以及他对他们的警戒;却信从虚无的神,自己成为虚妄,跟从他们周围的外族人,耶和华曾吩咐他们不可跟从他们的行为。 16 他们丢弃耶和华他们 神的一切吩咐,为自己做了两个牛犊的铸像,又做亚舍拉,并且敬拜天上的万象和服事巴力; 17 他们又把儿女用火烧为祭,并且占卜,行法术,出卖自己去行耶和华看为恶的事,使他发怒。 18 于是耶和华向以色列人大大发怒,把他们从自己面前赶走,只剩下犹大一个支派。

19 连犹大人也不持守耶和华他们的 神的吩咐,随从以色列人所行的习俗。 20 耶和华就厌弃以色列人的后裔,使他们受苦,把他们交在抢掠他们的人的手中,直到把他们从自己的面前完全丢弃。 21 因为他自从使以色列从大卫家分裂出来后,他们就立了尼八的儿子耶罗波安作王,耶罗波安却引诱以色列人不去跟从耶和华,又使他们犯了大罪。 22 以色列人就随从耶罗波安所犯的一切罪恶,总不转离; 23 以致最后耶和华把以色列人从自己的面前赶走,就像他借着自己的仆人众先知所说的。于是以色列人被掳离开自己的国土,往亚述去,直到今日。

亚述安置外族于撒玛利亚

24 亚述王从巴比伦、古他、亚瓦、哈马和西法瓦音带人来,安置在撒玛利亚的城市,代替以色列人。他们就得了撒玛利亚作产业,住在它的城市中。 25 他们开始在那里居住的时候,并不敬畏耶和华,所以耶和华派狮子到他们中间,咬死他们好些人。 26 有人告诉亚述王说:“你所掳去,安置在撒玛利亚各城市的众民族不知道当地的神的规矩,所以他派狮子到他们中间。看哪,狮子咬死他们,因为他们不知道当地的神的规矩。”

27 于是亚述王下令:“我从那里掳来的祭司中,要叫一个回到那里去。他要去住在那里,教导他们当地的神的规矩。” 28 于是从撒玛利亚被掳来的祭司中,有一个回去,住在伯特利,教导他们怎样敬畏耶和华。 29 但各族的人仍然制造自己的神像,安放在撒玛利亚人所造各邱坛的庙中;各族人在他们所居住的城市都这样作。 30 巴比伦人做了疏割.比讷像,古他人做了匿甲像,哈马人做了亚示玛像, 31 亚瓦人做了匿哈和他珥他像,西法瓦音人用火焚烧自己的儿女,献给西法瓦音的神亚得米勒和亚拿米勒。 32 他们也惧怕耶和华,所以从他们中间选立邱坛的祭司,替他们在邱坛的庙里献祭。 33 他们既惧怕耶和华,又服事他们的神;从哪个民族掳来的,就按照哪个民族的习俗服事他们的神。

34 直到今日,他们仍是按照他们初时的习俗去行;他们不敬畏耶和华,行事不按他们的规例和典章,也不按耶和华曾吩咐雅各的子孙的律法和诫命。耶和华曾给雅各起名为以色列。 35 耶和华曾经和他们立约,又吩咐他们说:“你们不可崇敬别的神,不可跪拜他们,不可服事他们,也不可向他们献祭。 36 但那曾用大能和伸出的膀臂把你们从埃及地领出来的耶和华,你们应当敬畏他,跪拜他和向他献祭。 37 他写给你们的律例、典章、律法和诫命,你们要永远谨守遵行,不要崇敬别的神。 38 我和你们所立的约你们不可忘记,不要崇敬别的神。 39 但要敬畏耶和华你们的 神,他必救你们脱离所有仇敌的手。” 40 可是他们没有听从,仍然照着他们起初的习俗去行。 41 这样,这些民族一方面敬畏耶和华;另一方面又继续服事他们的偶像。他们的子子孙孙继续照着他们的祖先所行的去行,直到今日。

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger:

12 For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

13 Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.

15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them.

16 And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

20 And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin.

22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;

23 Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 So they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

33 They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

35 With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

39 But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

41 So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.