17:24 The king of Assyria brought foreigners 1 from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria 2 in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 17:25 When they first moved in, 3 they did not worship 4 the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. 17:26 The king of Assyria was told, 5 “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people 6 because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.” 17:27 So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you 7 deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” 8
1 tn The object is supplied in the translation.
2 sn In vv. 24-29 Samaria stands for the entire northern kingdom of Israel.
3 tn Heb “in the beginning of their living there.”
4 tn Heb “fear.”
5 tn Heb “and they said to the king of Assyria, saying.” The plural subject of the verb is indefinite.
6 tn Heb “Look they are killing them.”
7 tc The second plural subject may refer to the leaders of the Assyrian army. However, some prefer to read “whom I deported,” changing the verb to a first person singular form with a third masculine plural pronominal suffix. This reading has some support from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic witnesses.
8 tc Heb “and let them go and let them live there, and let him teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” The two plural verbs seem inconsistent with the preceding and following contexts, where only one priest is sent back to Samaria. The singular has the support of Greek, Syriac, and Latin witnesses.