Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Their True Descent
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Topical Encyclopedia
Geographical Context:
Modern Samaria, located in the central region of the historical land of Israel, corresponds to the ancient territory that was once the heartland of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This area is bounded by Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. The city of Samaria, founded by King Omri (1 Kings 16:24), served as the capital of the Northern Kingdom and is a significant archaeological and historical site today.

Historical Background:
The inhabitants of ancient Samaria were originally Israelites, descendants of the ten northern tribes. However, following the Assyrian conquest in 722 B.C., the Assyrians deported many Israelites and repopulated the area with people from other conquered lands (2 Kings 17:24). This led to a mixed population, both ethnically and religiously, which played a significant role in the tensions between Samaritans and Jews during the time of Jesus.

Religious and Cultural Identity:
The Samaritans developed a distinct religious identity, centered on the worship of Yahweh but with significant differences from mainstream Judaism. They accepted only the Pentateuch as their Scripture and worshiped on Mount Gerizim rather than in Jerusalem. This divergence is highlighted in the New Testament, where Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well reveals the deep-seated animosity and theological differences between Jews and Samaritans (John 4:9-20).

Modern Samaritans:
Today, the Samaritan community is small, numbering around 800 individuals, primarily residing in the West Bank near Nablus (ancient Shechem) and in Holon, Israel. They continue to practice their ancient traditions, maintaining their unique religious identity and observing Passover on Mount Gerizim.

True Descent and Identity:
The question of the true descent of modern Samaritans is complex. While they claim descent from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, historical intermarriage with foreign populations during the Assyrian period complicates this claim. Despite this, the Samaritans have preserved a distinct cultural and religious identity over the centuries, emphasizing their connection to the ancient Israelites.

Biblical References:
The Bible provides several references to the Samaritans, often highlighting the tension between them and the Jews. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus uses a Samaritan as an example of neighborly love, challenging prevailing prejudices (Luke 10:33-37). Additionally, the account of the grateful Samaritan leper who returns to thank Jesus underscores the theme of faith transcending ethnic boundaries (Luke 17:16-18).

Theological Significance:
From a theological perspective, the Samaritans serve as a reminder of God's inclusive plan of salvation. Jesus' ministry among the Samaritans, as seen in His conversation with the Samaritan woman and His parables, illustrates the breaking down of ethnic and religious barriers, foreshadowing the Gospel's reach to all nations (Acts 1:8).

Conclusion:
The modern Samaritans, though few in number, continue to embody a unique blend of ancient Israelite heritage and distinct religious practices. Their presence in the land of Samaria serves as a living testament to the complex history and enduring legacy of the biblical narrative.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
2 Kings 17:24
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelled in the cities thereof.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezra 4:9,10
Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

In Jud??a and through Samaria - a Sketch of Samaritan History and ...
... and transportation of the rest, of its inhabitants to Shechem ... of Flavia Neapolis,
which has survived in the modern Nablus ... was in order to teach in Samaria, as in ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in judaea and.htm

Ezekiel
... To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so ... her from the very
beginning"Samaria and Jerusalem ... the threefold fate of the inhabitants of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/ezekiel.htm

John the Baptist's Person and Preaching.
... This province lay north of Samaria, and measured ... Its Ishmaelite inhabitants were
conquered by Aristobulus, king of ... it still retains this meaning in modern Greek ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xvii john the baptists person.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... power: their survivors were removed to Samaria, where captives ... by a single decree
he expropriated all its inhabitants. ... The modern name of the place is Khorsabad ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Israelites
... and Paran, and then at Kadesh-barnea, the modern 'Ain Qadis ... were never welded together
like the inhabitants of Judah ... In BC722 Samaria, the later capital of the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... I.--- Omri and the foundation of Samaria: Ahab and ... by the most insignificant of our
modern ships. ... in contact with the indigenous inhabitants; daily intercourse ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... ravages over the rich plains of modern Lombardy; which ... of their cities and churches,
and the bones of their inhabitants. ... in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert
... Temple on Mount Garizim, near Samaria, approached by ... beasts than with the infamous
inhabitants of this ... during the Egyptian oppression and their journey through ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvi the flight into egypt.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... Most modern critics have rejected that part of the ... standing, and those of the
inhabitants who had ... cities, had gradually returned to their desolated homes. ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... on, if need be, to the walls of Samaria or even ... Rhagian Media and Mount Bikni, the
modern Demavend ... his steps after having levied tribute from their inhabitants. ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

Resources
What is the importance of Samaria in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why had the believers in Samaria not received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8)? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Samaritans? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Ancient Samaria: A Mountainous Country

Ancient Samaria: had Many Cities

Ancient Samaria: Inhabitants of, Carried Captive to Assyria

Ancient Samaria: People of Characterised as Corrupt and Wicked

Ancient Samaria: People of Characterised as Idolatrous

Ancient Samaria: People of Characterised as Proud and Arrogant

Ancient Samaria: Predictions Respecting Its Destruction

Ancient Samaria: Repeopled from Assyria

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Besieged Again by Benhadad

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Besieged and Taken by Shalmaneser

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Besieged by Benhadad

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Built by Omri King of Israel

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Called After Shemer the Owner of the Hill on Which It Was

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Called the Head of Ephraim

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Called the Mountain of Samaria

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Deliverance of, Effected

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Deliverance of, Predicted

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Delivered by Miraculous Means

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Elisha Predicted Plenty In

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Kings of Israel Sometime Took Their Titles From

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Remarkable Plenty In, As Foretold by Elisha

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Suffered Severely from Famine

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of The Burial Place of the Kings of Israel

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of The Pool of Samaria Near To

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of The Prophet Elisha Dwelt In

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of The Residence of the Kings of Israel

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Was a Fenced City, and Well Provided With Arms

Ancient Samaria: The Territory of Ephraim and Manasseh Properly So Called

Ancient Samaria: The Whole Kingdom of Israel Sometimes Called

Modern Samaria: Christ After his Resurrection Commanded the Gospel to Be

Modern Samaria: Christ at First Forbade his Disciples to Visit

Modern Samaria: Christ Preached In

Modern Samaria: Cities of, Mentioned in Scripture: Antipatris

Modern Samaria: Cities of, Mentioned in Scripture: Samaria

Modern Samaria: Cities of, Mentioned in Scripture: Sychar

Modern Samaria: had Many Cities

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Abhorred by the Jews

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Boasted Descent from Jacob

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Expected the Messiah

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of had No Intercourse or Dealings With the Jews

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of More Humane and Grateful than the Jews

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Opposed the Jews After Their Return from Captivity

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Professed to Worship God

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Ready to Hear and Embrace the Gospel

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Their Religion Mixed With Idolatry

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Their True Descent

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Were Superstitious

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Worshipped on Mount Gerizim

Modern Samaria: Many Christian Churches In

Modern Samaria: Situated Between Judea and Galilee

Modern Samaria: The Gospel First Preached In, by Philip

Modern Samaria: The Persecuted Christians Fled To

Samaria

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Besieged by Ben-Hadad

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Besieged by Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, for Three Years

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Capitol of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Idolatry of

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Paul and Barnabas Preach In

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Temple of, Destroyed

Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Visited by Philip, Peter, and John

Samaria: Country of

Samaria: Country of: Disciples Made from the Inhabitants of

Samaria: Country of: Foreign Colonies Distributed Among the Cities of, by the King of Assyria

Samaria: Country of: Jesus Forbids the Apostles to Preach in the Cities of

Samaria: Country of: Jesus Heals Lepers In

Samaria: Country of: Jesus Travels Through

Samaria: Country of: No Dealings Between the Jews and the Inhabitants of

Samaria: Country of: Roads Through, from Judaea Into Galilee

Samaria: Country of: Samaritans Were Expecting the Messiah

Samaria: Country of: The Good Samaritan From

Samaria: The King of Syria is Led Into, by Elisha, Who Miraculously Blinds Him and his Army

Related Terms

Moderately (1 Occurrence)

Temperance (3 Occurrences)

Gentleness (17 Occurrences)

Sirach

Gamaliel (7 Occurrences)

Temper (14 Occurrences)

Repose (8 Occurrences)

Excess (20 Occurrences)

Measure (269 Occurrences)

Modest (2 Occurrences)

Meekness (14 Occurrences)

Mean (93 Occurrences)

Patriarch (2 Occurrences)

Compass (51 Occurrences)

Continency (1 Occurrence)

Honey (62 Occurrences)

Spare (80 Occurrences)

Stay (221 Occurrences)

Drunkenness (10 Occurrences)

Chaldeans (82 Occurrences)

Abstinence (2 Occurrences)

Nero

Chaldea (8 Occurrences)

Commentaries

Law (670 Occurrences)

Nehelamite (4 Occurrences)

Anem (1 Occurrence)

Tabeel (2 Occurrences)

Modern Samaria: Inhabitants of Their Religion Mixed With Idolatry
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