2 Kings 17:26

“They spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations that you carried into exile and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent against them the lions, and there they are, putting them to death, because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.””
2 Kings 17:26 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

They spokeוַיֹּאמְרוּto the kingלְמֶלֶךְof Assyria,אַשּׁוּרsaying,לֵאמֹר“The nationsהַגּוֹיִםthatאֲשֶׁרyou carried into exileהִגְלִיתָand settledוַתּוֹשֶׁבin the citiesבְּעָרֵיof Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןdo notלֹאknowיָדְעוּthe customאֶת מִשְׁפַּטof the godאֱלֹהֵיof the land;הָאָרֶץso he has sentוַיְשַׁלַּחagainst themבָּםthe lions,אֶת הָאֲרָיוֹתand there they are,וְהִנָּםputting them to death,מְמִיתִים אוֹתָםbecauseכַּאֲשֶׁרthey do notאֵינָםknowיֹדְעִיםthe customאֶת מִשְׁפַּטof the godאֱלֹהֵיof the land.”הָאָרֶץ

2 Kings 17:26, word by word

They spokeיֹּאמְרוּyomru

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomru” appears

to the kingמֶלֶךְmelech

king

A king who rules a people.

Where else “melech” appears

of Assyriaאַשּׁוּרashur

Assyria, Asshur

See it on the map Where else “ashur” appears

“The nationsגּוֹיִםgoyim

Gentiles

The peoples other than Israel.

Where else “goyim” appears

you carried into exileהִגְלִיתָhiglita

go into exile

To be taken away from one's own land, or deport others.

Where else “higlita” appears

and settledתּוֹשֶׁבtoshev

dwell

To make one's home in a place.

Where else “toshev” appears

in the citiesעָרֵיare

city

A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.

Where else “are” appears

of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshomron

Samaria

See it on the map Where else “shomron” appears

knowיָדְעוּyadu

know

To know something, realize.

Where else “yadu” appears

the customמִשְׁפַּטmishpat

custom

The usual practice, the way to do something.

Where else “mishpat” appears

of the godאֱלֹהֵיelohe

gods

The gods of other peoples.

Where else “elohe” appears

of the landאָרֶץarets

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “arets” appears

so he has sentיְשַׁלַּחyeshalach

send

To send someone or something.

Where else “yeshalach” appears

the lionsאֲרָיוֹתarayot

lion

Lion.

Where else “arayot” appears

putting them to deathמְמִיתִיםmemitim

die

To cease living; also, one who has ceased living.

Where else “memitim” appears

Translation note

Those reporting the lions speak to the king of Assyria; it can be understood that they say “the god of the land” because for them each land had its god.

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

1Assyria
Today: northern Iraq (with parts of Syria, Turkey, Iran)
An empire of northern Mesopotamia along the Tigris River, in present-day Iraq.
Assyria took the northern kingdom of Israel captive (2 Kgs 17:6). God sent Jonah to preach in Nineveh, its capital (Jonah 3:3).
2 Kings 17:6 Isaiah 10:5 Hosea 11:5 2 Chronicles 33:11
2Samaria
Today: northern West Bank (Sebastia, Samaria hills)
A city and region in central Israel, between Judea and Galilee.
Omri founded the city as capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 16:24); the Assyrians conquered it (2 Kgs 17:6). Jesus passed through the region, and Philip preached there (John 4:4; Acts 8:5).
1 Kings 16:24 2 Kings 17:6 John 4:4 Acts 8:5

The context

25And it happened, at the beginning of their living there, that they did not fear YHWH; so YHWH sent against them the lions, and they were killing some among them.

26 · This verse (above)

27The king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried into exile from there, and let them go and live there, and let him instruct them in the custom of the god of the land.”

Read all of 2 Kings 17

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