2 Kings 17:24
in 2 Kings 17Then 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 possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
KJV
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 dwelt in the cities thereof.
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This verse in 2 Kings 17
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe Hebrews, however, call a guard somer, and thus they also hand on in their tradition that the Samaritans first received this name because the king of the Assyrians sent them to be guards of the land of Israel after the captivity, that is, that other Israel besides Judah, which was taken captive into Assyria because of their many sins.
This site's exposition
brought people from Babylon
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in Samaria. These five named origins make up the population that becomes the Samaritans of the Gospels. Babylon enters here as a source of colonists for a land just emptied of its own people.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But he carried them to Babylon and to the Medes, and having brought thence nations from divers places, planted them in Samaria, that his dominion for the future might be sure, his own people occupying the place. After this, God, desiring to show that He had not given up the Jews through weakness, but because of the sins of those who were given up, sent lions against the foreigners, who ravaged all their nation. These things were reported to the king, and he sent a priest to deliver to them the laws of God. Still not even so did they desist wholly from their impiety, but only by halves. But as time went on, they in turn abandoned their idols, and worshiped God. And when things were in this state, the Jews having returned, ever after entertained a jealous feeling towards them as strangers and enemies, and called them from the name of the mountain, "Samaritans."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Israel Subdued by Assyria. 1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the L ORD , but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:90%@v1-3
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon,....
That they sent a remonstrance of this grievance to the king their master, setting forth, it is likely, the loss their infant colony had sustained by the lions and the continual fear they were in of them, and stating that they looked upon it to be a judgment upon them for not worshipping the God of the land, which they could not, because they knew not how,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon - He removed one people entirely, and substituted others in their place; and this he did to cut off all occasion for mutiny or insurrection; for the people being removed from their own land, had no object worthy of attention to contend for, and no patrimony in the land of their captivity to induce them to hazard any opposition to their oppressors.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Believing that he would adopt the best and simplest method for them, it is unlikely that he took the written law with him, and so gave origin to the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch [DAVIDSON, Criticism]. Besides, it is evident from his being one of the exiled priests, and from his settlement at Beth-el, that he was not a Levite, but one of the calf-worshipping priests.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sargon is probably the king of Assyria intended, not (as generally supposed) either Shalmaneser or Esar-haddon. The ruins of Cutha have been discovered about 15 miles northeast of Babylon, at a place which is called Ibrahim, because it is the traditional site of a contest between Abraham and Nimrod. The name of Cuilia is found on the bricks of this place, which are mostly of the era of Nebuchadnezzar. The Assyrian inscriptions show that the special god of Cutha was Nergal (see the 2Ki 17:30 note). Ava or Ivah or Ahava Ezr 8:15 was on the Euphrates; perhaps the city in ancient times called Ihi or Aia, between Sippara (Sepharvaim) and Hena (Anah). On Hamath, see 1Ki 8:65 note. Sepharvaim or Sippara is frequently mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions under the name of Tsipar (2Ki 17:31 note). The dual form of the Hebrew name is explained by the fact that the town lay on both sides of the river. Its position is marked by the modern village of Mosaib, about 20 miles from the ruins of Babylon up the course of the stream. The towns mentioned in this verse were, excepting Hamath, conquered by Sargon in his twelfth year, 709 B.C.; and it cannot have been until this time, or a little later, that the transplantation here recorded took place. Hamath had revolted, and been conquered by Sargon in his first year, shortly after the conquest of Samaria. Instead of the children of Israel - This does not mean that the whole population of Samaria was carried off (compare 2Ch 34:9). The writer here, by expressly confining the new-comers to the “cities of Samaria,” seems to imply that the country districts were in other hands.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֵ֣א | vaiyave' | and he brought [people] | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּׁ֡וּר | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| מִבָּבֶ֡ל | mibavel | from Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| וּ֠מִכּוּ֠תָה | umikutah | and from Cuthah <towards> | H3575 → | |
| וּמֵעַוָּ֤א | umeava' | and from Avva | H5755 → | 4 times |
| וּמֵֽחֲמָת֙ | umechamat | and from Hamath | H2574 → | 35 times |
| וּסְפַרְוַ֔יִם | usefarvayim | and Sepharvaim | H5617 → | 6 times |
| וַיֹּ֙שֶׁב֙ | vaiyoshev | and he caused [them] to dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּעָרֵ֣י | bearei | in [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן | shomeron | Samaria | H8111 → | 109 times |
| תַּ֖חַת | tachat | in place of | H8478 → | 505 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיִּֽרְשׁוּ֙ | vaiyirshu | and they took possession of | H3423 → | 231 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן | shomeron | Samaria | H8111 → | 109 times |
| וַיֵּֽשְׁב֖וּ | vaiyeshevu | and they dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּעָרֶֽיהָ׃ | beareiha | in cities its | H5892 → | 1090 times |
וַיָּבֵ֣אand he brought [people]
vaiyave'H935 →2568 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
אַשּׁ֡וּרAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
מִבָּבֶ֡לfrom Babylon
mibavelH894 →262 times
וּ֠מִכּוּ֠תָהand from Cuthah <towards>
umikutahH3575 →
וּמֵעַוָּ֤אand from Avva
umeava'H5755 →4 times
וּמֵֽחֲמָת֙and from Hamath
umechamatH2574 →35 times
וּסְפַרְוַ֔יִםand Sepharvaim
usefarvayimH5617 →6 times
וַיֹּ֙שֶׁב֙and he caused [them] to dwell
vaiyoshevH3427 →1079 times
בְּעָרֵ֣יin [the] cities of
beareiH5892 →1090 times
שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹןSamaria
shomeronH8111 →109 times
תַּ֖חַתin place of
tachatH8478 →505 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיִּֽרְשׁוּ֙and they took possession of
vaiyirshuH3423 →231 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹןSamaria
shomeronH8111 →109 times
וַיֵּֽשְׁב֖וּand they dwelt
vaiyeshevuH3427 →1079 times
בְּעָרֶֽיהָ׃in cities its
beareihaH5892 →1090 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
it leads to
- John 4:9
“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
- Acts 22:21–23
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
- 2 Kings 17:24–41
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 possession of Samaria and lived in…
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16
hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
- John 4:22–24
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
- John 4:9
Through
2 Chronicles 33:11So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone.
- Deuteronomy 28:36
Through
2 Kings 19:13Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
it leads to
- 2 Kings 18:34
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
- 2 Kings 18:34
Through
2 Kings 18:34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
it leads to
- Isaiah 10:9
“Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?
- Isaiah 10:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
On this verse
About 2 Kings
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
- PlaceUpper MesopotamiaAssyriaMesopotamian empire whose capital Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching and fell to Nahum's burden in 612 BC; the rod of God's ang…
- PlaceThe northern hill countrySamariaThe hill Omri bought and built his capital on, where Ahab raised a temple to Baal, where the four lepers found the Aramean camp em…
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 31 on John; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Kings; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.321.