The Samaritans

Following the destruction of Jerusalem’s First Temple and the subsequent Babylonian exile, the returning exiles under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah sought to rejuvenate Israelite identity through spiritual and textual reforms centered around the Torah. This process of restoration, however, led to the exclusion of groups like the Samaritans, who claimed legitimate ties to Israel and had a complex history influenced by foreign powers. Over time, tensions grew as the returning exiles, emphasizing their own lineage and authority, distanced themselves from the Samaritans, intensifying the religious and cultural divide.