"Therefore, I will make you gointo exilebeyondDamascus,"saysthe LORD,whose nameis the Godof hosts.
"For the LORDwill strikeIsrael,as a reedis shakenin the water;and He will uprootIsraelfrom thisgoodlandwhichHe gaveto their fathers,and will scatterthem beyondthe [Euphrates] River,becausethey have madetheir Asherim,provokingthe LORDto anger.
In the daysof Pekahkingof Israel,Tiglath-pileserkingof Assyriacameand capturedIjonand Abel-beth-maacahand Janoahand Kedeshand Hazorand Gileadand Galilee,allthe landof Naphtali;and he carriedthem captiveto Assyria.
untilthe LORDremovedIsraelfrom His sight,as He spokethroughallHis servantsthe prophets.So Israelwas carriedawayinto exilefrom their own landto Assyriauntilthisday.
In the ninthyearof Hoshea,the kingof AssyriacapturedSamariaand carriedIsraelawayinto exileto Assyria,and settledthem in Halahand Habor,[on] the riverof Gozan,and in the citiesof the Medes.
Then Jeremiahsaidto Zedekiah,"Thussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Ifyou will indeedgoout to the officersof the kingof Babylon,then you will live,thiscitywill not be burnedwith fire,and you and your householdwill survive.
For behold,He who formsmountainsand createsthe windAnd declaresto manwhatare His thoughts,He who makesdawninto darknessAnd treadson the highplacesof the earth,The LORDGodof hostsis His name.
"You also carriedalong Sikkuthyour kingand Kiyyun,your images,the starof your godswhichyou madefor yourselves.
Woeto thosewho are at easein ZionAnd to those who [feel] securein the mountainof Samaria,The distinguishedmen of the foremostof nations,To whomthe houseof Israelcomes.
Therefore,they will nowgointo exileat the headof the exiles,And the sprawlers'banquetingwill passaway.
YOU ALSOTOOKALONG THE TABERNACLEOF MOLOCHAND THE STAROF THE GODROMPHA,THE IMAGESWHICHYOU MADETO WORSHIP.I ALSOWILL REMOVEYOU BEYONDBABYLON.'
