Midrasch zu Nechemja 6:2

Even though the inhabitants of Samaria feared God, they also worshipped their own gods. They did so until Ezra returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his officers to build the Temple, as it is said: Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Sheatiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build (Ezra 5:2). Soon thereafter, one hundred and eighty thousand Samaritans attacked them. Were they actually Samaritans? Indeed not. They were, in fact, Cuthites, who were called Samaritans only because they lived in Samaria. Furthermore, they conspired to kill Nehemiah, as it is said: Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of One (Neh. 6:2). They halted the work of rebuilding the Temple of the Holy One, blessed be He, for two years, as is said: Then ceased the work of the House of God that was in Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia (Ezra 4:24).

When Ezra came up (with) Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, || son of Jehozadak, they began to build the Temple of the Lord, as it is said, "Then rose up Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God" (Ezra 5:2). And the Samaritans came against them to fight (with) 180,000 (men). Were they Samaritans? Were they not Cutheans? But they were called Samaritans because of the city of Samaria. And further, they sought to kill Nehemiah, as it is said, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages,… but they thought to do me mischief" (Neh. 6:2). Moreover, they made the work of the Lord to cease for two years ["Then ceased the work of the house of God, which is at Jerusalem]; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia" (Ezra 4:24).