Ezra 4:2

As ye do. — “They feared the Lord, and worshipped their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33): thus they came either in the spirit of hypocrites or with an intention to unite their own idolatries with the pure worship of Jehovah. In any case, they are counted enemies of the God of Israel.

We do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon. — He ended his reign B.C. 668, and therefore the Samaritans speak from a tradition extending backwards a century and a half.

Which brought us up hither. — Thus they entirely leave out of consideration what residue of Israel was yet to be found among them.