Original Word: Σαμάρεια
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Samareia
Pronunciation: sah-MAR-eh-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (sam-ar'-i-ah)
Definition: Samaria
Meaning: Samaria, a small district of Palestine, bounded by Galilee on the north, and by Judaea on the south, and taking its name from the city of Samaria, the ancient capital of the kingdom of (northern) Israel.

Samaria.

Of Hebrew origin (Shomrown); Samaria (i.e. Shomeron), a city and region of Palestine -- Samaria.

see HEBREW Shomrown

Word Origin
of Hebrew origin Shomron
Definition
Samaria, the name of both a city and a region in Pal.
NASB Translation
Samaria (11).

STRONGS NT 4540: Σαμάρεια

Σαμάρεια (on the accent cf. Chandler § 104; Buttmann, 17 (15); Σαμαρια T WH (see Tdf. Proleg., p. 87; cf. Iota); on the forms see Abbot in B. D. American edition, under the word), Σαμαρείας (cf. Buttmann, as above), ἡ (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 18, 5{a}) (Hebrew שֹׁמְרון, Chaldean שָׁמְרַיִן pronoun Scha-me-ra-in, Assyr. Samirina) (on the derivation, see B. D., under the word), Samaria;

1. the name of a city built by Omri king of Israel (1 Kings 16:24), on a mountain of the same name (שֹׁמְרון הַר, Amos 6:1), situated in the tribe of Ephraim; it was the capital of the whole region and the residence of the kings of Israel. After having been besieged three years by Shalmaneser (IV.), king of Assyria, it was taken and doubtless devastated by Sargon, his son and successor, , who deported the ten tribes of Israel and supplied their place with other settlers; 2 Kings 17:5f, 24; 2 Kings 18:9ff. After its restoration, it was utterly destroyed by John Hyrcanus the Jewish prince and high priest (see next word). Long afterward rebuilt once more, it was given by Augustus to Herod (the Great), by whom it was named in honor of Augustus Sebaste, i. e. Augusta (Strabo book 16, p. 760; Josephus, Antiquities 15, 7, 3; 8, 5). It is now an obscure village bearing the name of Sebustieh or Sebastiyeh (cf. Bädeker, Palästina, p. 354ff. (English translation, p. 340ff; Murray, Handbook, Part ii., p. 329ff)). It is mentioned, Acts 8:5 L T WH, εἰς τήν πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας (genitive of apposition, cf. Winers Grammar, § 59, 8 a.; (Buttmann, § 123, 4)), but according to the better reading, πόλει ... τῆς Σαμαρείας, the genitive is partitive, and does not denote the city but the Samaritan territory; cf. Acts 8:9.

2. the Samaritan territory, the region of Samaria, of which the city Samaria was the capital: Luke 17:11; John 4:4f, 7; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1, 5 (see above), ; ; by metonymy, for the inhabitants of the region, Acts 8:14. Cf. Winers RWB, under the word Samaria; Robinson, Palestine ii. 288ff; Petermann in Herzog 13:359ff; (especially Kautzsch in (Riehm under the word Samaritaner, and) Herzog edition 2, xiii. 340ff, and references there and in B. D. (especially American edition) under the word ).

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shomron), which is the name of the city and region of Samaria.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shomron) • Strong's Hebrew 8111: Refers to the city of Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and by extension, the surrounding region.

Usage: The term Σαμάρεια is used in the New Testament to refer to both the city and the region of Samaria. It appears in contexts that highlight its geographical, cultural, and religious significance during the time of Jesus and the early church.

Context: • Historical Context: Samaria was originally the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, established by King Omri in the 9th century BC. It became a significant city and region, known for its mixed population of Israelites and foreigners following the Assyrian conquest in 722 BC. This mix led to religious syncretism, which was often looked down upon by the Jews of Judea.

• Biblical Significance: In the New Testament, Samaria is notable for its interactions with Jesus and the early Christian church. Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:4-42) is a pivotal moment, illustrating His message of salvation extending beyond traditional Jewish boundaries. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) further challenges prevailing prejudices by portraying a Samaritan as a model of neighborly love.

• Cultural and Religious Tensions: The Samaritans and Jews had longstanding animosities, partly due to differences in worship practices and the Samaritans' acceptance of only the Pentateuch as Scripture. Despite these tensions, the early church's mission included Samaria, as seen in Acts 8:5-25, where Philip the Evangelist preached and performed miracles, leading to many conversions.

• Geographical Importance: Samaria's location made it a critical area for travel and communication between the northern and southern parts of ancient Israel. Its central position also made it a focal point for political and military activities throughout its history.

Σαμαρείᾳ Σαμάρεια Σαμάρειαν Σαμαρείας Σαμαρια Σαμαρία Σαμαρίᾳ Σαμαριαν Σαμαρίαν Σαμαριας Σαμαρίας Samareia Samáreia Samareíāi Samareian Samáreian Samareias SamareíasInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts