Cuthites

CUTHITES, People who dwelt beyond the Euphrates, and were from thence transplanted into Samaria, in the room of the Israelites, who before inhabited it. It is our opinion, that they came Samaria was taken in the year of the World 3283. before J. C. 717, before the vulg. Æra 721. 2 Kings xvii. 17, 24--- compared with xviii. 34. & xvii. 6. & xviii. 11. & xix. 12, 16. 2 Kings xvii. 25.from the Land of Cush or Cutha, upon the Araxes, and that their first settlement was in the Cities of the Medes subdued by Salmanefer, and the Kings of Syria his Predecessors; and that the Israelites were removed to those places whence the Cuthites came. The Scripture observes, that the Cuthites upon their arrival in this new Country, continued to worship the Gods formerly adored by them beyond the Euphrates. The Lord provoked by their Sins, sent Lions among them, which destroyed them. The news hereof was carried to Esarhaddon King of Assyria, who succeeded Sennacherib, and he was informed, that the Cushites, who had been sent into Samaria, being ignorant of the way wherein the God of this Country required to be worshipped, he had sent Lions against them, which devoured them.

About the year of the World 3295. he began to reign in 3293. before J. C. 707.Hereupon Esarhaddon appointed an Israelitish Priest to go thither, and instruct them in that sort of worship, which was well pleasing unto God. This Priest upon his arrival settled at Bethel, and began to teach the Cuthites the Religion of the Hebrews. But these People thought they might reconcile their old superstition with the worship of the true God. They framed particular Gods for themselves, which they placed in the several Cities where they dwelt. The Babylonians set up Succoth-benoth; that is to say, Tents for the prostitution of young Women, in honour of their false Deities. The Cuthites set up Nergal, those of Hamath, Ashima, the Avites, Nibbaz and Tartak: And the Sepharvites burnt their Children in honour of their Gods Adramelech and Anammelech. The Reader may see our account of these Deities under the particular Articles relating to them.

The Cuthites therefore worshipped both the Lord and their false Gods together, and chose the lowest of the People to make Priests of them in the high Places: And they continued this practice for a long time. But afterwards they forsook the worship of Idols, and adored only to the Law of Moses, as the Samaritans, who are descended from the Cuthites, do at this day. When the Jews returned from their Captivity, In the year of the World 3469, before J. C. 531. ¹ Plin. l. xxxvii. c. 8. Strabo l. xvi. m Antiq. l. xx. c. 2. n Antiq. l. xx. c. 3. Captivity, the Samaritans deputed to them some of their Community, desiring that they might be permitted to assist Ezra iv. 1, 2.them in the building the Temple, telling them withal, that since the reign of Esarhaddon, they had worshipped constantly the Lord. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua the Son of Jozadak, with the Elders of the People answered them, that they could not grant them their request; the King of Persia having given his Licence to the Jews only to build a Temple to the Lord. Hereby it appears that the Cuthites hitherto had no common Temple in their Country; but that in every City they worshipped God, and perhaps Idols in consecrated places, or upon the high places of the old Israelites. Accordingly Josephus¹ informs us, that they were not impowered to build a common Temple on Mount Gerizim, till the reign of Alexander the great. We shall speak more at length of the Cuthites and their Adventures, under the Title of Samaritans.

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