(REFLECTIONS ON 2 Kings 17:1-41)

In the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of John 4 where Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman asking her for water to drink, we read,

9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Why did the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans? Today’s Scripture helps us to understand what happened historically to the northern kingdom of Israel, with its capital of Samaria, that would lead the Jews from the southern kingdom of Judah to have a disdain for them.

The kingdom of Israel under King Hoshea became a servant to the king of Assyria and paid tribute to him. However, in today’s Scripture, we read that Hoshea rebelled against Assyria by seeking an alliance with So king of Egypt instead of continuing to pay tribute. In response, the king of Assyria imprisoned Hoshea and laid siege to Samaria, eventually conquering the city.

After conquering Samaria, the Assyrians deported many Israelites and resettled people from various conquered nations in the land of Israel. Those who remained in Israel gradually intermarried with these foreign settlers. Over time, the population became ethnically mixed, and this contributed to the later Jewish view of the Samaritans as a people of mixed ancestry.

In addition, because the king of Assyria wanted the new settlers to appease the “god of the land” he sent an Israelite priest back to Samaria in order to teach the Assyrians in Samaria how they should fear the Lord.

What transpired over time was not just a culturally mixed race, but also had a religiously mixed faith.

33 They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

The feared the Lord and served their own gods, rather than the God that they were taught to fear.

41 So while these nations feared the Lord, they also served their idols; their children like-wise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

As we read today’s Scripture, the Lord is asking us to consider, are we much different? Yes, we may identify as Christians, have a very religious life, but do we fear the Lord, and at the same time also serve our own gods? Has our faith also been compromised? 

Those in Samaria, of mixed Israelite and Assyrian heritage, with a mixed faith of fearing the Lord and serving their own gods, perhaps didn’t think anything of it.

Let us then not be surprised if we identify as Christians, but also serve the gods of this world without realizing it. Brothers and sisters, are we much different from the Samaritans? 

The good news however, is that Jesus Christ reached out as a Jew to the Samaritan woman in the Gospel of John 4, showing us that He will meet us in our less-than-ideal Christian faith, and call us back to Him.

Let us fear the Lord, be in awe of Him, revere Him, and worship Him alone!

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 Kings 17