17:26a So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying,

The king of Syria received a report/message about this. It said/read,

-or-

A messenger came/went and told the king of Assyria,

-or-

The king/emperor of Assyria heard about this.

17:26b “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria

“The people you (sing.) have sent to live in the towns in Samaria ⌊region⌋

-or-

“The people you moved to Israel (Contemporary English Version)

-or-

⌊He was told that⌋ the people he had moved into the cities of the northern kingdom

17:26c do not know the requirements of the God of the land.

do not know how the god of that country wants them to worship.

-or-

do not know the right way to worship the god of that country.

-or-

were ignorant of the laws of the god who owned the land.

17:26d Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”

He has sent lions among them to destroy them because they have not worshiped him correctly.” (New Living Translation (2004))

-or-

So he sent lions that have attacked and killed some of them because they do not know the right way to worship him.”

-or-

For that reason the god had sent lions that were killing some of the people. He was punishing the people for not following the correct rites.

17:26b-d (combined)

“The people you sent to live in the towns of Samaria do not know the ⌊correct⌋ customs/rites of the god of that land. So he has sent lions against them to kill them!”

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