Regions & nations · Central highlands

Samaria

What was Samaria?

Samaria was the capital and region of the northern kingdom — and in Jesus’ day, the despised land where he offered living water.

TodayThe hill of Sebastia and the region of the northern West Bank

Built byKing Omri

Fell to Assyria722 BC

NT scenesThe woman at the well

King Omri built the hilltop capital Samaria; under Ahab and Jezebel it housed a temple of Baal and heard Elijah’s thunder. It fell to Assyria in 722 BC.

The mixed population that followed worshiped at Mount Gerizim, and deep hostility grew between Jews and Samaritans.

Jesus cut straight through it: he sat at Jacob’s well and offered a Samaritan woman living water, made a Samaritan the hero of his most famous parable, and sent his witnesses to “Samaria and the ends of the earth.”

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

1 Kings 16:24 “He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city there, calling it Samaria after the name of Shemer, who had owned the hill.” John 4:7 “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”” Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

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Original BibleDawn profile. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Scripture quoted from the public-domain Berean Standard Bible.