2 Kings 17:24

2 Kings 17:24 Meaning and Explanation

And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

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Assyria resettles the emptied land with foreign peoples from across its empire, who take possession of Samaria.

What Does 2 Kings 17:24 Mean?

With Israel deported, the Assyrian king repopulates the land. He brings men from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and places them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. These newcomers possess the towns and settle the land that once belonged to the covenant people.

The emptied land filling with strangers is the visible aftermath of judgment, the inheritance passing to others. Yet God's purposes are not bounded by Israel's borders, and these very nations are brought within reach of His name. Where one people forfeited the knowledge of God, others would be drawn toward it. The God of all the earth was already turning even exile and resettlement toward a wider mercy.

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What does 2 Kings 17:24 mean?

Assyria resettles the emptied land with foreign peoples from across its empire, who take possession of Samaria.

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