Historical Context

Ancient Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, holds a significant place in biblical history. Established by King Omri around 880 BC (1 Kings 16:24), Samaria became the political and religious center of the northern tribes. The city was strategically located on a hill, providing a strong defensive position and serving as a hub for trade and governance.

Religious Practices and Apostasy

The inhabitants of Samaria, like the rest of the Northern Kingdom, were often criticized by the prophets for their idolatrous practices. The worship of Baal and other Canaanite deities was prevalent, as introduced by Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31-33). This apostasy led to a series of prophetic warnings and judgments pronounced by prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea.

Assyrian Conquest and Captivity

The culmination of Samaria's disobedience was its conquest by the Assyrian Empire. In 722 BC, after a prolonged siege, the city fell to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, and his successor Sargon II completed the conquest (2 Kings 17:5-6). The fall of Samaria marked the end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

The Assyrians employed a policy of deportation to prevent rebellion and assimilate conquered peoples. As recorded in 2 Kings 17:6 , "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried the Israelites away to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes." This deportation effectively dispersed the ten tribes of Israel, leading to their historical designation as the "Lost Tribes."

Cultural and Religious Impact

The Assyrian captivity had profound implications for the identity and religious practices of the Israelites. The deported Israelites were scattered among various regions, where they were assimilated into the local populations. This dispersion contributed to the loss of distinct tribal identities and the dilution of their religious practices.

Meanwhile, the Assyrians repopulated Samaria with people from other conquered territories, as noted in 2 Kings 17:24 : "Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns." This mixture of populations led to the emergence of the Samaritans, a group with a syncretistic form of worship that combined elements of Israelite and foreign religions.

Prophetic Interpretation

The prophets viewed the fall of Samaria and the captivity of its inhabitants as a direct consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness. Hosea, in particular, lamented the spiritual adultery of Israel and warned of impending judgment (Hosea 9:3, 17). The captivity served as a divine chastisement intended to bring about repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness.

Legacy

The Assyrian captivity of the Samaritans left a lasting legacy in biblical history. The Samaritans, with their distinct religious practices and tensions with the Jews of Judah, play a notable role in the New Testament narrative. Jesus' interactions with the Samaritans, such as the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-26), highlight themes of grace, redemption, and the breaking down of ethnic and religious barriers.2 Kings 17:6,23
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 18:11
And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel to Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deliverance from Assyria
... and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand ... how I have done it, and of ancient
times that ... Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 30 deliverance from assyria.htm

Two Famous Versions of the Scriptures
... THE 'SEPTUAGINT'"THE OLD TESTAMENT IN ANCIENT GREEK, THE ... The Israelitish city of
Samaria was captured by ... away the most important inhabitants captive, a great ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter vii two famous versions.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... The ancient sanctuaries of Pteria and the treasures they ... still remained standing,
and those of the inhabitants who had escaped being carried away captive ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... their survivors were removed to Samaria, where captives ... Ami-tashshi, the brother
of their ancient lord Assurli ... off their gods and their inhabitants, and peopled ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... His first achievement was the capture of Samaria. ... walls razed to the ground, and
its inhabitants transported to ... a true representative of the ancient stock, who ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... Moab was permanently lost to the kingdom of Samaria. ... their masters, and in recovering
their ancient independence ... and carried terror to the inhabitants of Canaan ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... The inhabitants of Judah still continued to build altars on ... had flocked to celebrate
in the ancient temple erected ... before had the King of Samaria appeared to ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... with the slaughter and captivity of its inhabitants, and heaps ... abib on the Chebar
(perhaps the ancient Chaboras, a ... chap.16, and of Jerusalem and Samaria in chap ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... of the place was Kaprabi, and its inhabitants believed it ... element appears to exist
in the ancient name of ... its garrison, burned its houses, and carried off 2400 ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... terminated in the fall of Samaria, or which ... The ancient Chaldaean cities, Uru, Bagash,
Uruk, and ... pillaging and destroying the inhabitants without opposition. ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

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