17:24; comp. Ezra 4:2, 9, 10). These strangers (comp. Luke 17:18)
amalgamated with the Jews still remaining in the land, and gradually
abandoned their old idolatry and adopted partly the Jewish religion.
After the return from the Captivity, the Jews in Jerusalem refused to allow
them to take part with them in rebuilding the temple, and hence sprang up
an open enmity between them. They erected a rival temple on Mount
Gerizim, which was, however, destroyed by a Jewish king (B.C. 130).
They then built another at Shechem. The bitter enmity between the Jews
and Samaritans continued in the time of our Lord: the Jews had “no
dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9; comp. Luke 9:52, 53). Our Lord
was in contempt called “a Samaritan” (John 8:48). Many of the Samaritans
early embraced the gospel (John 4:5-42; Acts 8:25; 9:31; 15:3). Of these
Samaritans there still remains a small population of about one hundred and
sixty, who all reside in Shechem, where they carefully observe the religious
customs of their fathers. They are the “smallest and oldest sect in the
world.”
- SAMGAR-NEBO be gracious, O Nebo! or a cup-bearer of Nebo,
probably the title of Nergal-sharezer, one of the princes of Babylon
(Jeremiah 39:3). - SAMOS an island in the AEgean Sea, which Paul passed on his voyage
from Assos to Miletus (Acts 20:15), on his third missionary journey. It is
about 27 miles long and 20 broad, and lies about 42 miles south-west of
Smyrna. - SAMOTHRACIA an island in the AEgean Sea, off the coast of Thracia,
about 32 miles distant. This Thracian Samos was passed by Paul on his
voyage from Troas to Neapolis (Acts 16:11) on his first missionary
journey. It is about 8 miles long and 6 miles broad. Its modern name is
Samothraki. - SAMSON of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah. The narrative of
his life is given in Judges 13-16. He was a “Nazarite unto God” from his
birth, the first Nazarite mentioned in Scripture (Judges 13:3-5; comp.
Numbers 6:1-21). The first recorded event of his life was his marriage with
a Philistine woman of Timnath (Judges 14:1-5). Such a marriage was not
forbidden by the law of Moses, as the Philistines did not form one of the
seven doomed Canaanite nations (Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-4).
It was, however, an ill-assorted and unblessed marriage. His wife was soon