The Assyrian king resettled Samaria with foreign peoples, creating a mixed community that would shape the region’s religious and cultural identity.
Throughout 2 Kings 17, the text describes how Israel (the northern kingdom) fell to the Assyrians under King Hoshea, culminating in the deportation of the Israelites. Immediately following, 2 Kings 17:24 explains that the victorious Assyrians repopulated Samaria with foreigners to replace the exiled Israelites. The verse states, “The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel, so they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities.” (v.24) This moment drastically reshaped the region’s identity, as foreign peoples moved in and took control, occupying the territory that once belonged to the Israelites.
Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim were territories within or near Mesopotamia and the broader region that the Assyrian Empire dominated. By placing population groups from these diverse cities in Samaria, the king of Assyria ensured that the land would be firmly under his control. Historically, this strategy weakened the native inhabitants’ connection to their homeland and promoted loyalty to Assyria. Biblical records indicate that these new settlers adopted some Israelite religious practices mixed with their own pagan customs, which fueled ongoing religious tension. Centuries later, these mixed communities in Samaria became known as Samaritans, a group that the Jewish people to the south distrusted in New Testament times.
This verse shows the sovereignty of God in allowing the Assyrian Empire to rise for a season and serve His purposes of judgment upon the disobedient kingdom of Israel. It also foreshadows Jesus’ ministry in the New Testament, where He deliberately crosses cultural boundaries to engage with Samaritans (John 4). In doing so, He demonstrates that God welcomes worshippers from every background, reflecting His plan to redeem people across all ethnic and regional lines.
God orchestrated Israel’s exile and the subsequent influx of foreigners into Samaria to fulfill covenant consequences, serving as both warning and preparation for future redemption.
Set to dark mode
2 Kings 17:24 meaning
Throughout 2 Kings 17, the text describes how Israel (the northern kingdom) fell to the Assyrians under King Hoshea, culminating in the deportation of the Israelites. Immediately following, 2 Kings 17:24 explains that the victorious Assyrians repopulated Samaria with foreigners to replace the exiled Israelites. The verse states, “The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel, so they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities.” (v.24) This moment drastically reshaped the region’s identity, as foreign peoples moved in and took control, occupying the territory that once belonged to the Israelites.
Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim were territories within or near Mesopotamia and the broader region that the Assyrian Empire dominated. By placing population groups from these diverse cities in Samaria, the king of Assyria ensured that the land would be firmly under his control. Historically, this strategy weakened the native inhabitants’ connection to their homeland and promoted loyalty to Assyria. Biblical records indicate that these new settlers adopted some Israelite religious practices mixed with their own pagan customs, which fueled ongoing religious tension. Centuries later, these mixed communities in Samaria became known as Samaritans, a group that the Jewish people to the south distrusted in New Testament times.
This verse shows the sovereignty of God in allowing the Assyrian Empire to rise for a season and serve His purposes of judgment upon the disobedient kingdom of Israel. It also foreshadows Jesus’ ministry in the New Testament, where He deliberately crosses cultural boundaries to engage with Samaritans (John 4). In doing so, He demonstrates that God welcomes worshippers from every background, reflecting His plan to redeem people across all ethnic and regional lines.
God orchestrated Israel’s exile and the subsequent influx of foreigners into Samaria to fulfill covenant consequences, serving as both warning and preparation for future redemption.