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Uncover the origins, conflicts, and significance of Samaria, from the reign of King Omri to the Assyrian captivity and the Samaritan Temple's destruction. Explore the deep-rooted animosity between Samaritans and Jews through historical events and biblical references. Delve into the complexities of the region with insights into the Galilee's cultural diversity.
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Introduction to the OT World Samaria • Week 12, 10/27/2013 • Gene Wright, GeneLA@comcast.net
Samaria Samaria gets its name from the city Omri built that was the capital of the Northern Kingdom. This was after Zimri had burned the palace (and himself) in the old capital of Tirzah. Prior to this period the site appears to have been the center of an extensive wine and oil production area, which may have accounted for its choice as the new capital. The origin of the name of the site was from Shemer the owner of the land that Omri purchased for two talents of silver (1 Kings 16:23-24).
Samaria Origin of Samaritans? Originally Jews! “Reigned over Israel in Samaria” 1 Kings 16:29, 22:51, 2 Kings 3:1, 10:36, 13:1, 13:10, 15:17, 15:23, 15:27, 17:1 931 B.C. Divided Kingdom - 1 Kings 11:26-12:26 King Omri – Bought Shameron Hill (Shameron originally meant “watch” or “watch tower”) from Shemer -- 1 Kings 16:16-22
Samaria Ancestrally, the Samaritans claim descent from a group of Israelite inhabitants from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (the two sons of Joseph) as well as some descendants from the priestly tribe of Levi, who have connections to ancient Samaria from the period of their entry into the land of Canaan. The Samaritans, however, claim to derive their name not from this geographical designation, but rather from the Hebrew term Shamerim, “Keepers [of the Law]”.
Samaria Assyrian Captivity / Enslavement Settled at least 5 nationalities among them 2 Kings 17:24 – Babylon, Cuthah, Awa, Hamath, Sepharvaim. Goal? “Pluralize” Israelites call them “Cuthites” as from “Cuthah” Patchwork of different faiths existed with a “form” of Judaism becoming prominent.
Samaria • Assyrian sources: • “The inhabitants of Samaria/Samerina, who agreed [and plotted] with a king [hostile to] me, not to do service and not to bring tribute [to Ashshur] and who did battle, I fought against them with the power of the great gods, my lords… • I counted as spoil 27,280 people, together with their chariots, and gods, in which they trusted. I formed a unit with 200 of [their] chariots for my royal force… • I settled the rest of them in the midst of Assyria. I repopulated Samaria more than before. I brought into it people from countries conquered by my hands. I appointed my eunuch as governor over them. And I counted them as Assyrians.”
Why the hatred between? • Three primary causes for the hatred! • 1) Ezra and the return • - the “sons of the Golah”, Ezra 4:1-5, Nehemiah 13:23 • - Anyone who had intermarried, were NOT put on the lists! • - Ezra 4:3 - The offer of help with the temple • “You have no part with us” • 2) Manasseh and Mt Gerazim • - Manasseh - son of the high priest in Jerusalem but had married the daughter of Sanballat, the governor of Samaria • - Nehemiah drives him out, Nehemiah 13:28 • - Josephus says he built worship center on Mt Gerazim
Samaria Three primary causes for the hatred! 3) Destruction of the Samaritan Temple by John Hyrcanus - 330 B.C. Alexander the Great endorsed a temple on Mt Gerizim - 168 B.C. Samaritans support Antiochus Epiphanes - 128 B.C. Hasmonean John Hyrcanus destroyed the temple - Had stood for 200 years Evidence of this hatred in 180 B.C. Wisdom of Ben Sirach 50:25-26 – 180 B.C. – OT Apocrypha “Two nations my soul detests, and the third is not even a people: Those who live in Seir, the Philistines, and the foolish people who live in Shechem” --- Edom, Philistines, and Samaritans
Samaria and Samaritans Evidence of this hatred in 30 A.D. Near the climatic point of Jesus’ longest argument with the Jewish leaders, they make this statement to him: John 8:48 “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’” The two most deadly insults they can hurl are that Jesus is a Samaritan and has a demon. The Aramaic word for Samaritan is “Shomeroni” The Aramaic word for demon is “Shomeron” How interesting that in Jewish thinking these words have become nearly identical.
Galilee Solomon rewarded Hiram of Phoenicia by giving him the gift of an upland plain among the mountains of Naphtali containing 20 cities. Hiram called it "the land of Cabul.” (1 Kings 9:13) Hiram was not pleased with the gift, however. The name means “good for nothing.” The region takes its name from the Hebrew word for “district” “Galilee of the Nations,”Hebrew“galil goyim” Properly called “the Galilee” Isaiah 9:1: “In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” The “nations” would have been the foreigners who came to settle there, or who had been forcibly deported there. Many more Gentiles here than Judea.
Galilee Many more Gentiles here than Judea. Josephus called the largest city in Galilee, the “ornament of all Galilee” This city was the first capital of the district under Herod Antipas. It is named Sepphoris and was a Jewish and Gentile city. Seventeen times the word "hypocrites" appears in the Gospels, and three times in the Sermon on the Mount. Where would Jesus, growing up in the small village of Nazareth, have come into contact with “hypocrites,” a Greek word for actors? Perhaps four miles away in Sepphoris.
Samaria Religiously, they are the adherents to Samaritanism, a religion closely related to Judaism. Based on the Samaritan Torah, Samaritans claim their worship is the true religion of the ancient Israelites prior to the Babylonian Exile, preserved by those who remained in the Land of Israel, as opposed to Judaism, which they assert is a related but altered and amended religion brought back by those returning from exile.
Samaria Religion of the Samaritans Much like the Sadducees – Manasseh link? Little “traditions of the elders” 1) God is one 2) God created man in the image of the angels 3) Moses is God’s only prophet, but he received the law on Mount Gerizim, not Sinai. Will never be another like Moses – Deut 34:10? 4) Mount Gerizim true “House of God” and contains 12 stones of Israel Deut 27:4 5) The “Taheb” – the one who restores, will appear at the end of time (John 4:25?). He is mortal and will live for only 110 years. He will destroy all who followed Ezra’s counsel.
Samaria • Although historically they were a large community — up to more than a million in late Roman times, then gradually reduced to several tens of thousands up to a few centuries ago. • Their unprecedented demographic shrinkage has been a result of various historical events, including, most notably... • the bloody suppression of the Third Samaritan Revolt (529 AD) against the Byzantine Christian rulers and • the mass conversion to Islam in the Early Muslim period of Palestine. • According to their tally, there were 712 Samaritans as of November 1, 2007, living exclusively in two localities, one in Kiryat Luza on Mount Gerizim near the city of Nablus in the West Bank, and the other in the Israeli city of Holon.
Samaria • Note that Jesus did not consider the Samaritans to be Jews • “Do not enter into any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” – Matt 10:5-8 • So, Jews = lost sheep of house of Israel, but • Samaritans = found sheep of house of Israel? No • Samaritans cannot be part of the house of Israel, according to the words of Jesus. • Next week, the Kingdom of Judah
