So these nations worshipped the LORD but also served their carved images, to this day. Their children and their children's children continue to do as their ancestors did — the final summary indicates that the syncretic Samaritan religion, neither authentic Yahwism nor purely pagan, persisted through generations. The repeated phrase "their carved images" (פְסִילֵיהֶם, *pesileihem*) indicates that polytheistic idolatry remained institutionalized within the Samaritan community. The phrase "to this day" suggests a perspective centuries after the exile, observing the persistence of Samaritan syncretism. This theological evaluation of Samaritan religion establishes the framework for later Judean-Samaritan antagonism: the Samaritans represent a fundamentally compromised form of Yahwism, rejecting exclusive covenant devotion and embracing the polytheistic practices that led to Israel's destruction.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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