2 Kings 17:24

“And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, etc.] Which was at this time under the dominion of the king of Assyria; though in a little time after this it revolted, and had a king of its own, (<122012>2 Kings 20:12), this king of Assyria was either Shalmaneser, who carried Israel captive, or it may be rather his son Esarhaddon, (see <150402>Ezra 4:2), and from Cuthah; which, according to Josephus f205, was a city in Persia, where was a river of the same name; but it was rather a place in Erech, in the country of Babylon, (see Gill on “<011010>Genesis 10:10”), and from Ava; the same with Ivah, (<233713>Isaiah 37:13), where perhaps a colony of the Avim had settled, (<050223>Deuteronomy…”

“the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, etc.--This was not Shalmaneser, but Esar-haddon (Eze 4:2). The places vacated by the captive Israelites he ordered to be occupied by several colonies of his own subjects from Babylon and other provinces. from Cuthah--the Chaldee form of Cush or Susiana, now Khusistan. Ava--supposed to be Ahivaz, situated on the river Karuns, which empties into the head of the Persian Gulf. Hamath--on the Orontes. Sepharvaim--Siphara, a city on the Euphrates above Babylon. placed them in the cities of Samaria, &c.--It must not be supposed that the Israelites were universally removed to a man. A remnant was left, chiefly however of the poor and lower classes, with…”

“Sargon is probably the king of Assyria intended, not (as generally supposed) either Shalmaneser or Esar-haddon. The ruins of Cutha have been discovered about 15 miles northeast of Babylon, at a place which is called Ibrahim, because it is the traditional site of a contest between Abraham and Nimrod. The name of Cuilia is found on the bricks of this place, which are mostly of the era of Nebuchadnezzar. The Assyrian inscriptions show that the special god of Cutha was Nergal (see the 2 Kings 17:30 note). Ava or Ivah or Ahava Ezra 8:15 was on the Euphrates; perhaps the city in ancient times called Ihi or Aia, between Sippara (Sepharvaim) and Hena (Anah). On Hamath, see 1 Kings 8:65 note.…”

“17:24-41 The writer appends information concerning later events in Israel, including the repopulation of the land with foreigners and the syncretistic worship that developed among the mixed population. 17:24 Not only were the Israelites exiled to other places held by the Assyrians (17:6), but groups of people were sent to settle in Israel. By mixing diverse peoples, the Assyrians hoped to have better control of the resulting population and transfer their loyalties to Assyria. • Samaria became the official name of the new Assyrian province.”

“am 3326, bc 678 the king: Ezr 4:2-10 Babylon: Kg2 17:30; Ch2 33:11 Ava: Kg2 17:31, Kg2 18:31; Isa 37:13, Ivah Hamath: Kg2 19:13; Isa 10:9, Isa 36:19 in the cities thereof: Kg2 17:6; Mat 10:5 4 Kings (2 Kings) 17:25”

“The Samaritans and Their Worship. - After the transportation of the Israelites, the king of Assyria brought colonists from different provinces of his kingdom into the cities of Samaria. The king of Assyria is not Salmanasar, for it is evident from Kg2 17:25 that a considerable period intervened between the carrying away of the Israelites and the sending of colonists into the depopulated land. It is true that Salmanasar only is mentioned in what precedes, but the section vv. 24-41 is not so closely connected with the first portion of the chapter, that the same king of Assyria must necessarily be spoken of in both. According to Ezr 4:2, it was Esarhaddon who removed the heathen settlers to…”