one of the three divisions of the Holy Land, having Galilee on
the north, Judea on the south, the river Jordan on the east, and the
Mediterranean Sea on the west. It took its name from its capital city,
Samaria; and formed, together with Galilee and some cantons on the east
of Jordan, during the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah, the
kingdom of the former. The general aspect and produce of the country are
nearly the same as those of Judea. But Mr. Buckingham observes, that
“while in Judea the hills are mostly as bare as the imagination can
paint them, and a few of the narrow valleys only are fertile, in
Samaria, the very summits of the eminences are as well clothed as the
sides of them. These, with the luxuriant valleys which they enclose,
present scenes of unbroken verdure in almost every point of view, which
are delightfully variegated by the picturesque forms of the hills and
vales themselves, enriched by the occasional sight of wood and water, in
clusters of olive and other trees, and rills and torrents running among
them.”
2. SAMARIA, the capital city of the kingdom of the ten tribes that
revolted from the house of David. It was built by Omri, king of Israel,
who began to reign A. M. 3079, and who died 3086. He bought the hill
Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, or for the sum of 684l.
7_s._ 6_d._ It took the name of Samaria from Shemer, the owner of the
hill, 1 Kings xvi, 24. Some think, however, that there were before this
some beginnings of a city in that place, because, antecedent to the
reign of Omri, there is mention made of Samaria, 1 Kings xiii, 32, A. M.
3030. But others take this for a prolepsis, or an anticipation, in the
discourse of the man of God. However this may be, it is certain that
Samaria was no considerable place, and did not become the capital of the
kingdom, till after the reign of Omri. Before him, the kings of Israel
dwelt at Shechem or at Tirzah. Samaria was advantageously situated upon
an agreeable and fruitful hill, twelve miles from Dothaim, twelve from
Merrom, and four from Atharath. Josephus says it was a day’s journey
from Jerusalem. The kings of Samaria omitted nothing to make this city
the strongest, the finest, and the richest that was possible. Ahab built
there a palace of ivory, 1 Kings xxii, 39; that is, in which there were
many ivory ornaments; and, according to Amos, iii, 15; iv, 1, 2, it
became the seat of luxury and effeminacy. Benhadad, king of Syria, built
public places, called “streets,” in Samaria, 1 Kings xx, 34; probably
bazaars for trade, and quarters where his people dwelt to pursue
commerce. His son Benhadad besieged this place under the reign of Ahab,
1 Kings xx, A. M. 3103. It was besieged by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria,
in the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, king of Israel, 2 Kings xvii,
6, &c, which was the fourth of Hezekiah, king of Judah. It was taken
three years after, A. M. 3283. The Prophet Hosea, x, 4, 8, 9, speaks of
the cruelties exercised by Shalmaneser against the besieged; and Micah,
i, 6, says that the city was reduced to a heap of stones. The Cuthites
that were sent by Esar-haddon to inhabit the country of Samaria did not
think it worth their while to repair the ruined city: they dwelt at
Shechem, which they made the capital city of their state. They were in
this condition when Alexander the Great came into Phenicia and Judea.
However, the Cuthites had rebuilt some of the houses of Samaria, even
from the time of the return of the Jews from the captivity, since the
inhabitants of Samaria are spoken of, Ezra iv, 17; Neh. iv, 2. And the
Samaritans, being jealous of the Jews, on account of the favours that
Alexander the Great had conferred on them, revolted from him, while he
was in Egypt, and burned Andromachus alive, whom he had left governor of
Syria. Alexander soon marched against them, took Samaria, and appointed
Macedonians to inhabit it, giving the country round it to the Jews; and
to encourage them in the cultivation, he exempted them from tribute. The
kings of Egypt and Syria, who succeeded Alexander, deprived them of the
property of this country. But Alexander Balas, king of Syria, restored
to Jonathan Maccabæus the cities of Lydda, Ephrem, and Ramatha, which he
cut off from the country of Samaria, 1 Macc. x, 30, 38; xi, 28, 34.
Lastly, the Jews reëntered into the full possession of this whole
country under John Hircanus, the Asmonean, who took Samaria, and,
according to Josephus, made the river run through its ruins. It
continued in this state till A. M. 3947, when Aulus Gabinius, the
proconsul of Syria, rebuilt it, and gave it the name of Gabiniana. Yet
it remained very inconsiderable till Herod the Great restored it to its
ancient splendour.
The sacred authors of the New Testament speak but little of Samaria; and
when they do mention it, the country is rather to be understood than the
city, Luke xvii, 11; John iv, 4, 5. After the death of Stephen, Acts
viii, 1, 2, 3, when the disciples were dispersed through the cities of
Judea and Samaria, Philip made several converts in this city. There it
was that Simon Magus resided, and thither Peter and John went to
communicate the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Travellers give the following account of its present state:--Sebaste is
the name which Herod gave to the name of the ancient Samaria, the
imperial city of the ten tribes, in honour of Augustus (Sebastos) Cæsar,
when he rebuilt and fortified it, converting the greater part of it into
a citadel, and erecting here a noble temple. “The situation,” says Dr.
Richardson, “is extremely beautiful, and strong by nature; more so, I
think, than Jerusalem. It stands on a fine, large, insulated hill,
compassed all around by a broad deep valley; and when fortified, as it
is stated to have been by Herod, one would have imagined that, in the
ancient system of warfare, nothing but famine could have reduced such a
place. The valley is surrounded by four hills, one on each side, which
are cultivated in terraces up to the top, sown with grain, and planted
with fig and olive trees, as is also the valley. The hill of Samaria
likewise rises in terraces to a height equal to any of the adjoining
mountains. The present village is small and poor, and, after passing the
valley, the ascent to it is very steep. Viewed from the station of our
tents, it is extremely interesting, both from its natural situation, and
from the picturesque remains of a ruined convent, of good Gothic
architecture. Having passed the village, toward the middle of the first
terrace, there is a number of columns still standing. I counted twelve
in one row, beside several that stood apart, the brotherless remains of
other rows. The situation is extremely delightful, and my guide informed
me, that they belonged to the serai, or palace. On the next terrace
there are no remains of solid building, but heaps of stone and lime and
rubbish mixed with the soil in great profusion. Ascending to the third
or highest terrace, the traces of former building were not so numerous,
but we enjoyed a delightful view of the surrounding country. The eye
passed over the deep valley that encompasses the hill of Sebaste, and
rested on the mountains beyond, that retreated as they rose with a
gentle slope, and met the view in every direction, like a book laid out
for perusal on a reading desk. This was the seat of the capital of the
short-lived and wicked kingdom of Israel; and on the face of these
mountains the eye surveys the scene of many bloody conflicts and many
memorable events. Here those holy men of God, Elijah and Elisha, spoke
their tremendous warnings in the ears of their incorrigible rulers, and
wrought their miracles in the sight of all the people. From this lofty
eminence we descended to the south side of the hill, where we saw the
remains of a stately colonnade that stretches along this beautiful
exposure from east to west. Sixty columns are still standing in one row.
The shafts are plain; and fragments of Ionic volutes, that lie scattered
about, testify the order to which they belonged. These are probably the
relics of some of the magnificent structures with which Herod the Great
adorned Samaria. None of the walls remain.” Mr. Buckingham mentions a
current tradition, that the avenue of columns formed a part of Herod’s
palace. According to his account, there were eighty-three of these
columns erect in 1816, beside others prostrate; all without capitals.
Josephus states, that, about the middle of the city, Herod built “a
sacred place, of a furlong and a half in circuit, and adorned it with
all sorts of decorations; and therein erected a temple, illustrious for
both its largeness and beauty.” It is probable that these columns
belonged to it. On the eastern side of the same summit are the remains,
Mr. Buckingham states, of another building, “of which eight large and
eight small columns are still standing, with many others fallen near
them. These also are without capitals, and are of a smaller size and of
an inferior stone to the others.” “In the walls of the humble dwellings
forming the modern village, portions of sculptured blocks of stone are
perceived, and even fragments of granite pillars have been worked into
the masonry.”
the north, Judea on the south, the river Jordan on the east, and the
Mediterranean Sea on the west. It took its name from its capital city,
Samaria; and formed, together with Galilee and some cantons on the east
of Jordan, during the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah, the
kingdom of the former. The general aspect and produce of the country are
nearly the same as those of Judea. But Mr. Buckingham observes, that
“while in Judea the hills are mostly as bare as the imagination can
paint them, and a few of the narrow valleys only are fertile, in
Samaria, the very summits of the eminences are as well clothed as the
sides of them. These, with the luxuriant valleys which they enclose,
present scenes of unbroken verdure in almost every point of view, which
are delightfully variegated by the picturesque forms of the hills and
vales themselves, enriched by the occasional sight of wood and water, in
clusters of olive and other trees, and rills and torrents running among
them.”
2. SAMARIA, the capital city of the kingdom of the ten tribes that
revolted from the house of David. It was built by Omri, king of Israel,
who began to reign A. M. 3079, and who died 3086. He bought the hill
Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, or for the sum of 684l.
7_s._ 6_d._ It took the name of Samaria from Shemer, the owner of the
hill, 1 Kings xvi, 24. Some think, however, that there were before this
some beginnings of a city in that place, because, antecedent to the
reign of Omri, there is mention made of Samaria, 1 Kings xiii, 32, A. M.
3030. But others take this for a prolepsis, or an anticipation, in the
discourse of the man of God. However this may be, it is certain that
Samaria was no considerable place, and did not become the capital of the
kingdom, till after the reign of Omri. Before him, the kings of Israel
dwelt at Shechem or at Tirzah. Samaria was advantageously situated upon
an agreeable and fruitful hill, twelve miles from Dothaim, twelve from
Merrom, and four from Atharath. Josephus says it was a day’s journey
from Jerusalem. The kings of Samaria omitted nothing to make this city
the strongest, the finest, and the richest that was possible. Ahab built
there a palace of ivory, 1 Kings xxii, 39; that is, in which there were
many ivory ornaments; and, according to Amos, iii, 15; iv, 1, 2, it
became the seat of luxury and effeminacy. Benhadad, king of Syria, built
public places, called “streets,” in Samaria, 1 Kings xx, 34; probably
bazaars for trade, and quarters where his people dwelt to pursue
commerce. His son Benhadad besieged this place under the reign of Ahab,
1 Kings xx, A. M. 3103. It was besieged by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria,
in the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, king of Israel, 2 Kings xvii,
6, &c, which was the fourth of Hezekiah, king of Judah. It was taken
three years after, A. M. 3283. The Prophet Hosea, x, 4, 8, 9, speaks of
the cruelties exercised by Shalmaneser against the besieged; and Micah,
i, 6, says that the city was reduced to a heap of stones. The Cuthites
that were sent by Esar-haddon to inhabit the country of Samaria did not
think it worth their while to repair the ruined city: they dwelt at
Shechem, which they made the capital city of their state. They were in
this condition when Alexander the Great came into Phenicia and Judea.
However, the Cuthites had rebuilt some of the houses of Samaria, even
from the time of the return of the Jews from the captivity, since the
inhabitants of Samaria are spoken of, Ezra iv, 17; Neh. iv, 2. And the
Samaritans, being jealous of the Jews, on account of the favours that
Alexander the Great had conferred on them, revolted from him, while he
was in Egypt, and burned Andromachus alive, whom he had left governor of
Syria. Alexander soon marched against them, took Samaria, and appointed
Macedonians to inhabit it, giving the country round it to the Jews; and
to encourage them in the cultivation, he exempted them from tribute. The
kings of Egypt and Syria, who succeeded Alexander, deprived them of the
property of this country. But Alexander Balas, king of Syria, restored
to Jonathan Maccabæus the cities of Lydda, Ephrem, and Ramatha, which he
cut off from the country of Samaria, 1 Macc. x, 30, 38; xi, 28, 34.
Lastly, the Jews reëntered into the full possession of this whole
country under John Hircanus, the Asmonean, who took Samaria, and,
according to Josephus, made the river run through its ruins. It
continued in this state till A. M. 3947, when Aulus Gabinius, the
proconsul of Syria, rebuilt it, and gave it the name of Gabiniana. Yet
it remained very inconsiderable till Herod the Great restored it to its
ancient splendour.
The sacred authors of the New Testament speak but little of Samaria; and
when they do mention it, the country is rather to be understood than the
city, Luke xvii, 11; John iv, 4, 5. After the death of Stephen, Acts
viii, 1, 2, 3, when the disciples were dispersed through the cities of
Judea and Samaria, Philip made several converts in this city. There it
was that Simon Magus resided, and thither Peter and John went to
communicate the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Travellers give the following account of its present state:--Sebaste is
the name which Herod gave to the name of the ancient Samaria, the
imperial city of the ten tribes, in honour of Augustus (Sebastos) Cæsar,
when he rebuilt and fortified it, converting the greater part of it into
a citadel, and erecting here a noble temple. “The situation,” says Dr.
Richardson, “is extremely beautiful, and strong by nature; more so, I
think, than Jerusalem. It stands on a fine, large, insulated hill,
compassed all around by a broad deep valley; and when fortified, as it
is stated to have been by Herod, one would have imagined that, in the
ancient system of warfare, nothing but famine could have reduced such a
place. The valley is surrounded by four hills, one on each side, which
are cultivated in terraces up to the top, sown with grain, and planted
with fig and olive trees, as is also the valley. The hill of Samaria
likewise rises in terraces to a height equal to any of the adjoining
mountains. The present village is small and poor, and, after passing the
valley, the ascent to it is very steep. Viewed from the station of our
tents, it is extremely interesting, both from its natural situation, and
from the picturesque remains of a ruined convent, of good Gothic
architecture. Having passed the village, toward the middle of the first
terrace, there is a number of columns still standing. I counted twelve
in one row, beside several that stood apart, the brotherless remains of
other rows. The situation is extremely delightful, and my guide informed
me, that they belonged to the serai, or palace. On the next terrace
there are no remains of solid building, but heaps of stone and lime and
rubbish mixed with the soil in great profusion. Ascending to the third
or highest terrace, the traces of former building were not so numerous,
but we enjoyed a delightful view of the surrounding country. The eye
passed over the deep valley that encompasses the hill of Sebaste, and
rested on the mountains beyond, that retreated as they rose with a
gentle slope, and met the view in every direction, like a book laid out
for perusal on a reading desk. This was the seat of the capital of the
short-lived and wicked kingdom of Israel; and on the face of these
mountains the eye surveys the scene of many bloody conflicts and many
memorable events. Here those holy men of God, Elijah and Elisha, spoke
their tremendous warnings in the ears of their incorrigible rulers, and
wrought their miracles in the sight of all the people. From this lofty
eminence we descended to the south side of the hill, where we saw the
remains of a stately colonnade that stretches along this beautiful
exposure from east to west. Sixty columns are still standing in one row.
The shafts are plain; and fragments of Ionic volutes, that lie scattered
about, testify the order to which they belonged. These are probably the
relics of some of the magnificent structures with which Herod the Great
adorned Samaria. None of the walls remain.” Mr. Buckingham mentions a
current tradition, that the avenue of columns formed a part of Herod’s
palace. According to his account, there were eighty-three of these
columns erect in 1816, beside others prostrate; all without capitals.
Josephus states, that, about the middle of the city, Herod built “a
sacred place, of a furlong and a half in circuit, and adorned it with
all sorts of decorations; and therein erected a temple, illustrious for
both its largeness and beauty.” It is probable that these columns
belonged to it. On the eastern side of the same summit are the remains,
Mr. Buckingham states, of another building, “of which eight large and
eight small columns are still standing, with many others fallen near
them. These also are without capitals, and are of a smaller size and of
an inferior stone to the others.” “In the walls of the humble dwellings
forming the modern village, portions of sculptured blocks of stone are
perceived, and even fragments of granite pillars have been worked into
the masonry.”