هوشع ملك إسرائيل
1 في السَّنةِ الثَّانيةَ عَشْرةَ لآحازَ مَلِكِ يَهوذا، ملَكَ هُوشَعُ بنُ أيلَةَ بِالسَّامِرةِ على إِسرائيلَ تِسْعَ سِنينَ. 2 وفعَلَ الشَّرَّ في نظَرِ الرّبِّ، لكِنْ لا كمُلوكِ إِسرائيلَ الّذينَ سَبَقوهُ. 3 وحاربَهُ شَلمَنأسَرُ مَلِكُ أشُّورَ، فخَضَعَ لَه ودفَعَ إليهِ الجِزيَةَ. 4 لكِنَّهُ بَعدَ سنواتٍ حاولَ أنْ يتَحَرَّرَ مِنْ سُلطَتِهِ فأرسلَ رُسُلا إلى سَوا مَلِكِ مِصْرَ يَطلُبُ وُدَّهُ كذلِكَ توَقفَ عَنْ دَفْعِ الجِزيَةِ السَّنويَّةِ كما في السَّابِقِ فقبَضَ علَيهِ شَلمَنَأْسَرُ وأرسلَهُ مُقَيَّدا إلى السِّجنِ. 5 ثُمَّ غَزا أرضَ إِسرائيلَ وحاصَرَ السَّامِرةَ ثَلاثَ سِنينَ، 6 فاحتَلَّها في السَّنةِ التَّاسِعةِ لِهوشَعَ، وسَبى شعبَ إِسرائيلَ إلى أشُّورَ وأسكنَهُم في حَلَحَ وفي جوزانَ عَبرَ نهرِ الخابورِ وفي مُدُنِ ماداي.
أسباب سقوط السامرة
7 وسقَطَتِ السَّامِرةُ لأنَّ بَني إِسرائيلَ خَطِئوا إلى الرّبِّ إلهِهِم الّذي أخرَجَهُم مِنْ مِصْرَ، مِنْ تَحتِ سُلطَةِ فِرعَونَ مَلِكِها، وعبَدوا آلِهَةً أخرى. 8 وسَلكوا في طُرُقِ الأُمَمِ الّتي طرَدَها الرّبُّ مِنْ أمامِهِم، وفي الطُّرُقِ الرَّديئةِ لِمُلوكِ إِسرائيلَ. 9 وعَمِلَ بَنو إِسرائيلَ فقط ما كانَ يُسيءُ إلى الرّبِّ إلهِهِم، فبَنَوا أماكِنَ لِعِبادةِ البَعلِ في جميعِ مُدُنِهِمِ الصَّغيرةِ والكبـيرةِ. 10 وأقاموا تَماثيلَ وأنصِبَةً لأشيرةَ على كُلِّ تَلَّةٍ وتَحتَ كُلِّ شجرَةٍ خضراءَ. 11 وأحرقوا البَخورَ في جميعِ المَعابِدِ الّتي على المُرتَفَعاتِ كالأُمَمِ الّذينَ طرَدَهُمُ الرّبُّ مِنْ أمامِهِم، وفعَلوا أفعالا سيِّئَةً لإغاظةِ الرّبِّ. 12 وعبَدوا الأصنامَ الرَّجسَةَ الّتي نَهاهُم عَنها الرّبُّ. 13 وأنذَرَ الرّبُّ إِسرائيلَ ويَهوذا على ألسِنةِ جميعِ رُسُلِهِ وأنبـيائِهِ كي يَتوبوا عَنْ سوءِ سُلوكِهِم وليَعمَلوا بوصاياه وفرائضِهِ في الشَّريعة الّتي أوصى بِها آباءَهُم، والّتي أعطاهُم إيَّاها على ألسِنةِ عبـيدِهِ الأنبـياءِ. 14 فلم يسمَعوا، بل عانَدوهُ كآبائِهِمِ الّذينَ لم يُؤمِنوا بهِ، 15 ورفَضوا فرائِضَهُ وعَهدَهُ معَ آبائِهِم، وتجاهَلوا إرشاداتِهِ، وسعَوا وراءَ الآلِهةِ الباطِلَةِ وصاروا باطِلينَ وتَبِــعوا الأُمَمَ الّتي نَهاهُمُ الرّبُّ عَنِ اتِّباعِها، 16 وتَركوا وصايا الرّبِّ إلهِهِم، وصنَعوا عِجلَينِ مِنَ المَعدِنِ المَسبوكِ وتِمثالا لأشيرةَ، وسجَدوا لِنُجومِ السَّماءِ، وعبَدوا البَعلَ، 17 وأحرقوا لَه بَنيهِم وبَناتِهِم في النَّارِ، وتَعاطَوا العَرافةَ والسِّحرَ، وباعوا أنفُسَهُم لِفِعْلِ الشَّرِّ في نظَرِ الرّبِّ فأغاظوهُ. 18 فغَضِبَ الرّبُّ جِدًّا على بَني إِسرائيلَ ونَفاهُم مِنْ أمامِ وجهِهِ، ولم يَبقَ مِنهُم إلاَّ سِبْطُ يَهوذا. 19 وسِبْطُ يَهوذا أيضا لم يَعمَلوا بِوَصايا الرّبِّ إلهِهِم، بل سَلكوا كبَقيَّةِ بَني إِسرائيلَ في الطُّرُقِ السَّيِّئةِ الّتي تعَلَّموها. 20 فنَبَذَ الرّبُّ جميعَ بَني إِسرائيلَ وأذَلَّهُم وأسلَمَهُم إلى الغُزاةِ وطَرَدَهُم مِنْ أمامِ وجهِهِ.
21 وفصَلَ الرّبُّ شعبَ إِسرائيلَ عَنْ يَهوذا، وأقاموا يَرُبعامَ بنَ نَباطَ مَلِكا علَيهِم، فأبعَدَهُم عَنِ اتِّباعِ الرّبِّ وجعَلَهُم يَرتكِبونَ خطايا عظيمةً. 22 وفعَلَ بَنو إِسرائيلَ جميعَ خطايا يَرُبعامَ وما حادوا عَنها، 23 إلى أنْ نَفاهُمُ الرّبُّ مِنْ أمامِ وجهِهِ، كما قالَ على ألسِنةِ جميعِ عبـيدِهِ الأنبـياءِ. فسَباهُمُ العَدُوُّ مِنْ أرضِهِم إلى أشُّورَ إلى هذا اليومِ.
الأشوريون يستوطنون إسرائيل
24 وجلَبَ مَلِكُ أشُّورَ قَوما مِنْ بابِلَ وكوثَ وعَوَّا وحماةَ وسَفَروايِمَ وأسكنَهُم مُدُنَ السَّامِرةِ مكانَ بَني إِسرائيلَ، فامتَلكوها واستَوطَنوها. 25 ولم يَعبُدوا الرّبَّ في بِدايةِ إقامَتِهِم هُناكَ، فأرسلَ الرّبُّ علَيهِم أسُودا فتَكَت بِهِم. 26 فقيلَ لِمَلِكِ أشُّورَ: «هؤلاءِ القَومُ الّذينَ سَبـيتَهُم وأسكنتَهُم في مُدُنِ السَّامِرةِ لم يَعرِفوا شريعةَ إلَهِ تِلكَ الأرضِ، فأرسلَ الرّبُّ علَيهِم أسُودا فتَكَت بِهِم». 27 فقالَ مَلِكُ أشُّورَ: «أرسِلوا إليهِم واحدا مِنَ الكهنَةِ الّذينَ سَبـيتُهُم، فيذهَبَ إليهِم ويُقيمَ بَينَهُم ويُعَلِّمَهُم شريعةَ إلهِ تِلكَ الأرضِ». 28 فجاءَ واحدٌ مِنَ الكهَنةِ الّذينَ سَباهُم مِنَ السَّامِرةِ وأقامَ في بـيتَ إيلَ، وأخذَ يُعَلِّمُهُم عِبادةَ الرّبِّ.
29 ولكِنْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ مِنْهُم أخذَت تُقيمُ أصناما لآلِهَتِها في المُدُنِ الّتي سكَنَتْها، وتَضَعُها في المَعابِدِ الّتي أقامَها السَّامِريُّونَ على المُرتَفَعاتِ. 30 فأقامَ أهلُ بابِلَ صنَما للإلَهِ سُكُّوتَ بَنوثَ، وأهلُ كوثَ صنَما للإلهِ نَرجَلَ، وأهلُ حماةَ صنَما للإلَهِ أشيما، 31 والعُوِّيُّونَ صنَما للإلهَينِ نِبحازَ وتَرتاقَ، وأمَّا السَّفروايِميُّونَ فكانوا يحرِقونَ بَنيهِم بِالنَّارِ للإلهَينِ أدرَمَّلَكَ وعَنَمَّلَكَ. 32 وكانَ جميعُ هؤُلاءِ مِنْ بَينِهِم كهَنةٌ يَخدِمونَ في المَعابِدِ الّتي على المُرتَفَعاتِ ويُقَرِّبونَ فيها لهُمُ الذَّبائِحَ لكِنْ في الوقتِ ذاتِهِ كانوا يَتَّقونَ الرّبَّ. 33 وهكذا كانوا يَتَّقونَ الرّبَّ مِنْ جِهةٍ ومِنْ جِهةٍ ثانيةٍ يَعبُدونَ آلِهَتَهُم، كعادَةِ الأُمِمِ الّتي جاؤوا مِنها. 34 وإلى هذا اليومِ أبْناؤُهُم مُتَمَسِّكونَ بِــعاداتِهِمِ القديمةِ. فلا يَتَّقونَ الرّبَّ ولا يَعمَلونَ بِالفرائِضِ والأحكامِ والشَّريعةِ والوصايا الّتي أمرَ الرّبُّ بِها بَني يَعقوبَ الّذي سَمَّاهُ إِسرائيلَ. 35 وكانَ الرّبُّ قطَعَ معَ بَني يعقوبَ عَهدا وأمرَهُم: «لا تَتَّقوا آلِهَةً غريـبَةً ولا تَسجُدوا لها ولا تَعبُدوها ولا تَذبَحوا لها، 36 بلِ اتَّقوني أنا الرّبَّ واسجُدوا لي ولي قدِّموا الذَّبائحَ، فأنا الّذي أخرَجَكُم مِنْ أرضِ مِصْرَ بِقُوَّةٍ عظيمةٍ وذِراعٍ مَمدودَةٍ. 37 واحفَظوا دائما تِلكَ الفرائِضَ والأحكامَ والشَّريعةَ والوصايا الّتي كتَبْتُها لكُم، ولا تَتَّقوا آلِهَةً أُخرى. 38 ولا تَنسَوا العَهدَ الّذي قطَعتُهُ مَعكُم، 39 بلِ اتَّقوني أنا الرّبَّ إلَهكُمُ الّذي يُنقِذُكُم مِنْ أيدي جميعِ أعدائِكُم». 40 فلم يَسمَعوا، بل عَمِلوا كعادَتِهِم.
41 وهكذا كانَ هؤلاءِ الأُمَمُ يَتَّقونَ الرّبَّ مِنْ جِهةٍ، ومِنْ جِهةٍ ثانيةٍ كانوا يَعبُدونَ أصنامَهُمُ المَنحوتةَ هُم وبَنوهُم وبَنو بَنيهِم، إلى هذا اليومِ.
1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
3 ¶ Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. 4 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.
5 ¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6 ¶ 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.
7 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, 8 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. 9 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 Beth-el, 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 Succoth-benoth, 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.