מלכים ב, פרק י״ז, פסוק מ״א

The nations exiled to Samaria developed a highly unusual spiritual reality, merging their original, traditional beliefs with the worship of God [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This blending of faiths created a fundamental contradiction between a genuine fear of God and the active practice of idolatry.

Commentators explore the exact nature of this dual worship. One approach argues that this situation proves the people completely ignored the priest sent to guide them, leaving them devoid of any true fear of God. Under this view, they cannot be considered genuine converts, as a sincere conversion requires accepting all of the commandments without addition or subtraction, a commitment that simply cannot coexist with idolatry [רלב״ג].

Conversely, another perspective draws a sharp distinction between the spiritual obligations of the Israelites and those of other nations. According to this explanation, these foreign nations were never strictly forbidden from blending the worship of God with a belief in other powers or celestial systems. Merely recognizing God as the primary creator was sufficient to be credited as fearing Him. Because of this basic recognition, God did not direct His anger at them, and the deadly lion attacks ceased, even as they continued to serve their carved idols. This reality stands in stark contrast to the Israelites, who had entered a binding covenant with God and received the Torah, and were consequently punished with exile for engaging in the exact same practices [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, this phenomenon of a combined faith was not a passing phase. It solidified into a permanent tradition. Exactly as their ancestors behaved upon first arriving in the land, the people maintained this blended worship throughout their lives, passing this specific spiritual path down to all future generations [מצודת דוד].