the king of Assyria] Shalmaneser first, vers. 3. afterwards Esar-Haddon (Ezra 4:2.) who was Sennacheribs son. Babylon] Heb. Babel. The chiefest city in Assyria. Cuthah] No mention is elsewhere made of this city. It is supposed to be in the consines of Syria. Ava] Or, Iva. This, and Hamath and Sepharvaim were cities which the king of Assyria had conquered, chap. 18. 34. cities of Samaria] Appertaining to the kingdom of Israel, which was called Samaria, from the chiefest city in that kingdom. See the notes on 1 Kings 16:24. in stead, &c.] Having removed the Israelites to other cities (v. 6.) he placed strangers in the cities of Israel, that in all places they might hold what they had, not as inheritours of their own, but as his vassals. Joseph used the like policy, Genesis 47:21.