2 Kings 17:24-28, 33-34 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. So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 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 among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land.” 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.” So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord. . . . They feared the Lord, and also served their own gods, after the ways of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. To this day they do what they did before. They don’t fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes, or the ordinances, or the law, or the commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel