4. And Melech Ashur found kesher in Hoshea; for he had sent malachim to So Melech Mitzrayim, and paid no minchah to Melech Ashur, as he had done shanah b'shanah; therefore Melech Ashur took him in custody, and bound him in the bais keleh.
5. Then Melech Ashur came up throughout kol HaAretz, and went up to Shomron, and besieged it shalosh shanim.
6. In the ninth year [722 B.C.E.] of Hoshea, Melech Ashur took Shomron, and carried Yisroel away to Ashur, and placed them in Chalach and in Chavor by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7. For so it was, that the Bnei Yisroel had sinned against Hashem Eloheihem Who had brought them up out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from under the yad of Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, had feared elohim acherim,
8. Walked in the chukkot of the Goyim, whom Hashem cast out from before the Bnei Yisroel, and [in the chukkot] of the Malkhei Yisroel, which they had made up.
9. And the Bnei Yisroel did secretly those things that were not right against Hashem Eloheihem, and they built for them [idolatrous] high places in all their towns, from the migdal of the notzerim (watchmen) to the fortified city.
10. And they set up for them matzevot and Asherim on every high hill, under every lushly foliaged green tree;
11. And there they burned ketoret in all the high places, as did the Goyim whom Hashem drove out before them; and wrought devarim ra'im (wicked things) to provoke Hashem to anger;
12. For they served the gillulim (idols), whereof Hashem had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
13. Yet Hashem testified warnings against Yisroel, and against Yehudah, by all the nevi'im, and by all the khozer (seers), saying, Turn ye from your derakhim hara'im and be shomer over My mitzvot and My chukkot, according to all the torah which I commanded your Avoteichem, and which I sent to you by My avadim the Nevi'im.
14. Notwithstanding they would not listen, but stubbornly stiffened their necks, like the neck of their avot, that did not believe in Hashem Eloheihem.
15. And they rejected His chukkot, and His brit (covenant) that He made with their avot, and His edot (testimonies, warnings) which He testified against them; and they followed after hevel, and became hevel, and went after the Goyim that were all around them, concerning whom Hashem had charged them, that they should not do like them.
16. And they forsook all the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheihem, and made them massekhah, even two agalim, and made Asheirah, and worshiped all the Tzava HaShomayim, and served Ba'al.
17. And they caused their banim and their banot to pass through the eish, and practiced kesamim and practiced witchcraft, and sold themselves to do rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.
18. Therefore Hashem was very angry with Yisroel, and removed them out of His sight; there was none left but the shevet of Yehudah only.
19. Also Yehudah kept not the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheihem, but walked in the chukkot of Yisroel which they had made up.