Bible Names

Samaria: meaning of the name

Samaria means “watch-mountain.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869)

Samaria in Hebrew and Greek

שֹׁמְרוֹן H8111

Shômᵉrôwn (sho-mer-one') — Shomeron, a place in Palestine

from the active participle of H8104 (שָׁמַר); watch-station;

שׇׁמְרַיִן H8115

Shomrayin (shom-rah'-yin) — Shomrain, a place in Palestine

(Aramaic) corresponding to H8111 (שֹׁמְרוֹן);

Σαμάρεια G4540

Samáreia — Samaria (i.e. Shomeron), a city and region of Palestine

of Hebrew origin (H08111);

Places named Samaria

Samaria in Scripture

“Samaria” appears in 115 verses of the King James Version; here are the first 8.

  • 1 Kings 13:32

    For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in Beth–el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

  • 1 Kings 16:24

    And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

  • 1 Kings 16:28

    So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

  • 1 Kings 16:29

    And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

  • 1 Kings 16:32

    And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

  • 1 Kings 18:2

    And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

  • 1 Kings 20:1

    And Ben–hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

  • 1 Kings 20:10

    And Ben–hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.