Fact: The Samaritans

The Samaritans. When Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C., many of the people were taken into exile but others remained in the land. Assyria brought people from other nations to repopulate Israel, and many of the remaining Israelites intermarried with these Gentiles. In NT times, their descendants were despised, but Jesus brought them the good news of salvation (4:1–30).