17:29 gods of its own. Bringing back an Israelite priest to serve at Bethel did not oblige the immigrants settling in Samaria to follow the local religion. On the contrary, they continued to follow their own religious practices, taking over local sanctuaries and worshiping there.

the Samaritans. See 23:19; 1 Kin. 12:31; 13:32. Although the expression “Samaritans” appears only here in the Old Testament, it occurs in extrabiblical documents as early as the eighth century b.c. referring to the residents of the northern kingdom.