What was Kuthah?
Kuthah (also spelled Cuthah) was an ancient city located in Mesopotamia, mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:24 as one of the places from which the king of Assyria deported people to repopulate the cities of Israel, particularly Samaria, after the northern kingdom of Israel was taken into exile. The Hebrew name is כּוּתָה (Kuwthah), and it likely refers to a location near Babylon. The city is closely associated with the origin of the Cuthim or Samaritans, whose religious syncretism became a major point of theological tension in the biblical narrative.
Biblical Reference
“The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.”
— 2 Kings 17:24 (NIV)
Historical and Biblical Context
The Assyrian Exile Strategy
Kuthah comes into focus during the reign of King Shalmaneser V (and later Sargon II) when the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom of Israel around 722 BC. As part of Assyria‘s imperial policy, conquered peoples were deported and replaced with foreign settlers to disrupt nationalistic unity and reduce rebellion. Thus, foreigners from Kuthah, Babylon, and other cities were relocated into Samaria to inhabit the land left vacant by exiled Israelites.
These foreign settlers brought with them their own deities and customs. The people from Kuthah were noted in extra-biblical sources as worshipers of the god Nergal, a deity associated with war and pestilence, possibly worshiped in lion or beast form.
Religious Confusion and Syncretism
After settling in Samaria, the foreigners were plagued by attacks from lions, which they interpreted as divine judgment (2 Kings 17:25). In response, the Assyrian king sent one of the exiled Israelite priests back to the land to teach the new settlers “the law of the god of the land.” However, rather than fully adopting the worship of Yahweh, these new settlers mixed Yahwistic religion with their own pagan practices, forming a syncretistic belief system.
This syncretism laid the foundation for the later animosity between Jews and Samaritans, as seen in the New Testament (John 4:9, Luke 9:52–54). The descendants of these mixed peoples became known as Cuthim or Samaritans, often despised by the Jews for their corrupt religion and foreign heritage.
Theological Implications
God’s Jealousy for Pure Worship
The story of Kuthah’s settlers is a warning against compromising true worship. Despite learning something about the God of Israel, the people continued to “worship the Lord, but also serve their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33). This highlights God‘s demand for exclusive devotion, not religious blending.
God’s Sovereignty Over Nations
The relocation of the Kuthahites and others was ultimately under God’s sovereign hand, even as Assyria carried out its policies. Scripture consistently teaches that God uses even pagan nations to fulfill His purposes (Isaiah 10:5-7). The presence of foreign peoples in Israel was both a judgment and a test of Israel’s own faithfulness.
Foreshadowing the Gospel’s Reach
Though Kuthah initially represents religious corruption, the gospel would one day reach even these descendants. In John 4, Jesus offers living water to a Samaritan woman, showing that salvation is available even to those with compromised spiritual roots. Christ came not only for Jews, but also for outcasts and foreigners—those with “mixed” backgrounds like the Cuthites.
Broader Biblical Themes
1. Holiness and Separation
God called Israel to be holy, set apart from the nations (Leviticus 20:26). The introduction of Kuthahite practices into Samaria violated this principle and became a lasting problem.
2. Syncretism as a Spiritual Danger
Mixing truth with error dilutes faith and dishonors God. The inclusion of false gods alongside Yahweh in the worship of Samaria shows how syncretism can blind people to true obedience.
3. God’s Mission to the Nations
Despite the sin of the nations, God‘s plan was always to bring salvation to all peoples (Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 28:19). Kuthah’s people, though initially pagan, represent the nations that would one day see the light of Christ.
4. Redemption from a Mixed Heritage
Jesus’ ministry among Samaritans (Luke 10:33; John 4) demonstrates God’s power to redeem and restore even those with corrupted spiritual pasts. Grace reaches beyond heritage and history.
How This Points to Jesus
Kuthah’s inclusion in Israelite history is part of the long biblical narrative showing how nations failed to truly know God until the arrival of Christ. Jesus fulfilled what Israel could not: perfect obedience, pure worship, and the mission to the nations. By engaging with Samaritans—descendants of the Cuthites and others—Jesus shows that the gospel is powerful enough to purify even a legacy of idolatry.
The Cuthites’ flawed worship points to the need for a true Priest and Teacher—not just one sent from exile to teach rituals, but one who embodies the truth. Jesus, as the final High Priest, does not merely instruct in godliness; He transforms hearts by the Spirit (John 4:23-24).
Reflection Questions
- What dangers does spiritual syncretism pose in our modern lives?
- How does the story of Kuthah challenge us to examine the purity of our worship?
- In what ways does the gospel redeem people from a legacy of religious confusion or idolatry?
- How can Jesus’ ministry to Samaritans inspire us to reach those outside our cultural or spiritual comfort zones?
- Are there areas in your life where you, like the settlers from Kuthah, are trying to serve both God and other “gods”?
Kuthah, though a distant city with a forgotten god, plays a crucial role in the story of God’s people. It reminds us that God desires exclusive worship, judges false religion, and yet graciously draws even the most spiritually confused to Himself through Christ.