Lexical Summary Kuth or Kuthah: Kuth or Kuthah Original Word: כּוּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Cuth Or (feminine) Kuwthah {koo-thaw'}; of foreign origin; Cuth or Cuthah, a province of Assyria -- Cuth. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition a city of Assyr. NASB Translation Cuth (1), Cuthah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כּוּתָה, כּוּת proper name, of a location whence king of Assyria (Sargon) transported colonists into Northern Israel, מִכּוּתָה 2 Kings 17:4, אַנְשֵׁיכֿוּת 2 Kings 17:30; Babylonian Kûtû, Kûtê, modern Tel-Ibrahim, approximately 20 miles northeast from Babylon, see COT2Kings 17:24 DlPar 217 M-AJBL 1892, xi. 169. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Cuth (כּוּת) designates a Mesopotamian city located in northern Babylonia, generally identified with ancient Kutha, situated about twenty-five miles northeast of Babylon on the eastern bank of the current Shatt en-Nil canal. Archaeological surveys of Tell Ibrahim—the probable site—reveal a center devoted to Nergal worship, confirming the Scriptural link between Cuth and that deity. Biblical Occurrences Cuth is mentioned twice, both in the narrative that explains the origin of the Samaritans after the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom. 2 Kings 17:24 recounts that the king of Assyria “brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites”. 2 Kings 17:30 notes that “the men of Cuthah made Nergal”, listing the foreign gods introduced into Israel’s former land. Historical Background Assyria’s policy of forced relocation sought to pacify conquered regions by displacing native populations and mixing ethnicities. When Samaria fell in 722 BC, deportations removed Israelites while imported settlers—Cuthites among them—occupied their towns. Assyrian records (notably the inscriptions of Sargon II) corroborate mass movements from Babylonia during this period. The newly transplanted colonists retained their mother-tongue religion and, despite later instruction from an Israelite priest (2 Kings 17:27-28), blended the worship of Yahweh with persistent allegiance to ancestral deities. Religious Practices and Idolatry Cuth’s patron god, Nergal, was associated with plague, war, and the netherworld. Statues excavated at Tell Ibrahim depict a lion-headed figure, matching ancient descriptions. Scripture highlights the theological significance: although the colonists acknowledged “the LORD” (Hebrew YHWH) after experiencing divine judgment by lions (17:25-26), they never relinquished idolatry. Verse 33 thus states, “They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods.” Cuth therefore becomes emblematic of syncretism—outward reverence toward Israel’s God while inwardly loyal to foreign idols. Impact on Post-Exilic Samaritan Identity By New Testament times Samaritans traced descent to both remnant Israelites and the Assyrian settlers. Jewish authors such as Ben-Sira and Josephus frequently label Samaritans “Cuthim,” underscoring the memory of their mixed origin. This background explains the deep-seated hostility reflected in John 4:9 (“Jews do not associate with Samaritans”) and in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33). Understanding Cuth elucidates why Samaritans were regarded as ethnically and theologically compromised. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. God’s holiness is incompatible with divided allegiance. Cuth’s settlers illustrate that partial obedience breeds continuing bondage to idolatry. Key Lessons for Today Believers are called to wholehearted devotion (James 4:8). The narrative of Cuth challenges congregations to identify and abandon modern “Nergals”—cultural idols that dilute worship—while offering hope that God can transform any community, however entangled its past. Forms and Transliterations וּ֠מִ֠כּוּתָה ומכותה כ֔וּת כות Chut ḵūṯ ū·mik·kū·ṯāh uMikkutah ūmikkūṯāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 17:24 HEB: אַשּׁ֡וּר מִבָּבֶ֡ל וּ֠מִ֠כּוּתָה וּמֵעַוָּ֤א וּמֵֽחֲמָת֙ NAS: [men] from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva KJV: [men] from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, INT: of Assyria Babylon Cuthah Avva Hamath 2 Kings 17:30 2 Occurrences |
    |