2 Kings 17:24–29 – Does the portrayal of each nation setting up its own gods align with known cultural assimilation patterns or does it conflict with archaeological findings?

Historical and Literary Context

2 Kings 17:24–29 states:

“Then 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. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. Now when they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, ‘The nations you have deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Therefore He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them off because the people do not know the requirements of the God of the land.’ Then the king of Assyria commanded: ‘Send back one of the priests you carried away from there; have him go and live there to teach them the requirements of the God of the land.’ So one of the priests who had been carried away from Samaria returned and lived in Bethel, and he taught them how to worship the LORD. Nevertheless, each nation continued to make its own gods and set them up in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made—each nation in the cities where they lived.”

This passage describes how the Assyrian king, after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, repopulated the region with foreigners. These new settlers brought along their own deities, which they set up alongside any local worship. The text indicates that even after learning of the worship requirements for the “God of the land,” the groups persisted in honoring their native gods. This raises the question of whether this portrayal aligns with known cultural assimilation patterns and with archaeological findings of the time.

Assyrian Conquest and Cultural Assimilation

The Assyrian Empire (circa 900–600 BC) was known for forcibly relocating conquered peoples. Assyrian records such as the Annals of Sennacherib and the Lachish Reliefs confirm that massive deportations took place. These records, uncovered in Nineveh and other Assyrian sites, corroborate the biblical narrative of peoples sent to repopulate Samaria.

Forced relocations typically resulted in a combination of cultural blending and religious syncretism. There is evidence in Mesopotamian, Syrian, and Canaanite areas of transplanted communities preserving their traditional gods, showing that local, regional, and ancestral worship often persisted together. Tying into 2 Kings 17, this phenomenon would create the sort of religious coexistence the passage describes—where worship of the God of Israel was introduced but foreign worship practices were never completely abandoned.

Archaeological Findings in Samaria and Surrounding Regions

Archaeological surveys in the region of Samaria (including excavations at sites like Tel Sebastia) have revealed layers of occupation that correspond to both pre- and post-Assyrian conquest periods. Pottery styles and architectural remains show a mixture of local Canaanite-Israelite traditions (e.g., certain building styles, city layouts) with influences from Mesopotamia and elsewhere, indicating an influx of cultures.

Discoveries of idolatrous objects in these post-conquest layers, such as small figurines and cultic artifacts, point to foreign religious customs—consistent with the biblical portrayal of resettled groups preserving their native idol worship. These findings do not conflict with 2 Kings 17; rather, they reinforce the notion that each group continued to honor its own gods while also learning local religious customs.

Additionally, Assyrian administrative tablets referencing Samerin (Samaria) speak of resettlement, taxation, and political integration. Though these tablets do not list which gods each group worshiped, they confirm a religiously plural environment during the Assyrian period.

Patterns of Religious Syncretism

Throughout the Ancient Near East, conquered peoples often merged existing beliefs with the traditions of the new ruling power. However, the biblical account is unique in that it highlights the attempt to teach the worshipers about the LORD (YHWH) specifically. This endeavor was partially successful, according to 2 Kings 17:28, since a priest was returned to instruct them. Yet the text also plainly states “each nation continued to make its own gods” (17:29).

This aligns well with broader historical patterns where immigrants might add local deities or, if they recognized one deity as supreme in the new territory, they still often clung to their ancestral gods for personal or communal identity. Archaeology also suggests that both official and grassroots religious practices coexisted in the region.

Impact on Samaria’s Religious Identity

The passage gives a background to the later identity of Samaritans, who developed traditions partly distinct from those of Judean worshipers. Over time, the Samaritans claimed to follow the Pentateuch while still displaying elements of syncretism—seen in disputes recorded in the Gospels (e.g., John 4:20–22). The 2 Kings 17 narrative sets the stage for these differences by describing how the new population initially interacted with Israelite worship.

From an archaeological standpoint, this ongoing mixture helps explain the differences between Judean traditions in Jerusalem and Samaritan traditions in Mount Gerizim. Excavations at Mount Gerizim have uncovered a significant religious complex that testifies to this Samaritan worship, distinct yet related to Israelite worship.

Evaluation of Possible Conflicts with Archaeological Evidence

1. Cultural Assimilation and Religious Continuity

The text accurately reflects the known assimilation strategies used by the Assyrian Empire. Archaeological records and inscriptions support widespread deportations and integration of different peoples into Samaria. These newcomers often brought idols, in line with 2 Kings 17:29.

2. Syncretistic Worship

Figurines and cultic items discovered at various levels of occupation around Samaria match what 2 Kings 17:24–29 suggests: a mixing of native gods alongside the local deity.

3. No Notable Contradictions

There is no significant archaeological find that directly disputes the biblical portrayal of multiple gods being introduced. Instead, the evidence of foreign objects and architecture from Mesopotamia, Hamath, and other areas corresponds well with 2 Kings 17.

Thus, the historical data and archaeological findings do not conflict with the depiction in 2 Kings 17:24–29. Rather, they corroborate the large-scale relocations and the religious diversity resulting from Assyrian administrative policies.

Conclusion

The portrayal of various nations setting up their own gods after being transplanted into Samaria aligns with well-attested cultural assimilation patterns under the Assyrian Empire. Archaeological discoveries, ranging from administrative tablets mentioning Samaria’s new inhabitants to household idols consistent with foreign origins, support the biblical description. These findings reinforce the reliability of the passage, showing that foreign peoples did indeed maintain some of their traditional worship practices, even while partly adopting or acknowledging the worship of the God of Israel.

2 Kings 17:24–29 remains historically credible and in agreement with what is known from ancient Near Eastern records of Assyrian conquest and repopulation. The religious patchwork it describes—a mix of worship for the LORD with persistent idolatry—accurately reflects syncretistic behaviors commonly observed in ancient deportation scenarios.