Bible Lexicons

Σαμαρείτης (Σαμαρείτης Tdf.; (see Tdf. Proleg., p. 87; WH's Appendix, p. 154; cf. Iota) (Σαμάρεια), Σαμαρειτου, ὁ, a Samaritan (Samarites, Curt. 4, 8, 9; Tacitus, ann. 12, 54; Samaritanus, Vulg. ((2 Kings 17:29 'Samaritae')) and ecclesiastical writings), i. e. an inhabitant either of the city or of the province of Samaria. The origin of the Samaritans was as follows: After Shalmaneser (others say Esarhaddon, cf. Ezra 4:2, 10; but see Kautzsch in Herzog edition 2, as referred to under the preceding word), king of Assyria, had sent colonists from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim into the land of Samaria which he had devastated and depopulated (see Σαμάρεια, 1), those Israelites who had remained in their desolated country (cf. 2 Chronicles 30:6, 10; 2 Chronicles 34:9) associated and intermarried with these heathen colonists and thus produced a mixed race. When the Jews on their return from exile were preparing to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem, the Samaritans asked to be allowed to bear their part in the common work. On being refused by the Jews, who were unwilling to recognize them as brethren, they not only sent letters to the king of Persia and caused the Jews to be compelled to desist from their undertaking flown to the second year of Darius (Hystaspis) (), but also built a temple for themselves on Mount Gerizim, a place held sacred even from the days of Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 27:12, etc.), and worshipped Jehovah there according to the law of Moses, recognizing only the Pentateuch as sacred. This temple was destroyed by John Hyrcanus. Deprived of their temple, the Samaritans have nevertheless continued to worship on their sacred mountain quite down to the present time, although their numbers are reduced to some forty or fifty families. Hence, it came to pass that the Samaritans and the Jews entertained inveterate and unappeasable enmity toward each other. Samaritans are mentioned in the following N. T. passages: Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:52; Luke 10:33; Luke 17:16; John 4:9 (here T omits; WH brackets the clause), John 4:39; John 8:48; Acts 8:25. In Hebrew the Samaritans are called שֹׁמְרונִים, 2 Kings 17:29. Cf. Juynboll, Commentarii in historiam gentis Samaritanae (Lugd. Bat. 1846); Winers RWB, under the word Samaritaner; Petermann in Herzog xiii., p. 363ff; Schrader in Schenkel v, p. 150ff; (especially Kautzsch in Herzog and Riehm as above).