Back to Search

Cuth; Cuthah

Locations
Modern Location Tell Ibrahim, near Hit, Anbar Province, Iraq
Coordinates 33.5833, 42.9667

Geographical Setting

Cuthah was an ancient Mesopotamian city located in Babylonia, known as the origin of the colonists resettled in Samaria by the Assyrian empire.

What is the meaning of Cuth; Cuthah in the Bible?

Cuthah, identified with the archaeological site of Tell Ibrahim, was a Babylonian city from which Sargon II and Sennacherib deported populations to repopulate the territory of the former Kingdom of Israel. The site yielded artifacts confirming its status as a significant urban center in the Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods.

SIGNIFICANCE

Identifying Cuthah clarifies the historical context of the foreign settlers introduced in 2 Kings 17, explaining the syncretic religious practices that developed in Samaria and the subsequent tensions between Jews and Samaritans.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Geopolitical & Terrain Context: Cuth; Cuthah (located near modern Tell Ibrahim, near Hit, Anbar Province, Iraq) held strategic importance. Understanding its position and trade routes explains why key biblical events unfolded here.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Cuth; Cuthah in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Cuth; Cuthah clarify?

Source Attribution

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.

How to Cite This Entry

"Cuth; Cuthah." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/cuth-cuthah/
Report Error