Samaria is never called in Scripture Sebast, though strangers know it only by that name.
Obadiah is supposed to have been buried in this city; and here, at one time, were shown the tombs of Elisha, and of John the Baptist; and many ancient coins of this town are still preserved in the cabinets of the curious.
Samaria, during a siege, was afflicted with a great famine; and a very extraordinary occurrence is related with respect to it[202].
“24. And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
“25. And there was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
“26. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
“27. And he said, if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press?
“28. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
“29. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.