Page "Samaritans" Paragraph 12

Jewish tradition maintains a different origin for the Samaritans.

The Talmud accounts for a people called " Cuthim " on a number of occasions, mentioning their arrival by the hands of the Assyrians.

According to 2 Kings and Josephus the people of Israel were removed by the king of the Assyrians ( Sargon II ) to Halah, to Gozan on the Khabur River and to the towns of the Medes.

The king of the Assyrians then brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avah, Emath, and Sepharvaim to place in Samaria.

Because God sent lions among them to kill them, the king of the Assyrians sent one of the priests from Bethel to teach the new settlers about God's ordinances.

The eventual result was that the new settlers worshipped both the God of the land and their own gods from the countries from which they came.