Editing Samaritans (section)

===Josephus's version===
Josephus, a key source, has long been considered a prejudiced witness hostile to the Samaritans.{{efn|"if one considers the general framework, the Samaritans are used by Josephus as a group that forms a negative counterpart to the loyal Jews, an example of people who try to exploit the ruling powers and who are justly punished for that." {{harv|Kartveit|2009|p=72}}; "For many centuries, more precisely since the days of Flavius Josephus the account in 2 Kings 17:24–41 was accepted as accurate description of the origin of the Samaritans. They were seen as descendants of pagan colonist converts from Cutha in Persia, and were therefore called 'Cutheans' However, recent research has shown that this tradition was the result of polemics against the Samaritans, and cannot be accepted as historical."{{harv|Pummer|1997|p=118}}}} He displays an ambiguous attitude, calling them both a distinct, opportunistic ethnos and, alternatively, a Jewish sect.{{sfn|Kartveit|2009|pp=78,82}}