The Keepers: An Introduction to the History and Culture of the Samaritans

181 Pages·2002·4.055 MB·English

by  Robert T. Anderson, Terry Giles

THE KEEPERS

THE KEEPERS
An Introduction to the History and
Culture of
THE SAMARITANS
Robert T. Anderson
Terry Giles
© 2002 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
P. O. Box 3473
Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing—March 2002
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anderson, Robert T., 1928-
The keepers : an introduction to the history and culture of the
Samaritans / Robert T. Anderson, Terry Giles.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56563-519-1 (alk. paper)
1. Samaritans—History. I. Giles, Terry. II. Title.
DS129 .A57 2002
296.8'17'09—dc21
2001008158
To my wife, Elizabeth
RTA
In honor of those I love most: Cheryl, Ginny, Will, and Amy
TG

Table of Contents
Abbreviations ix
Maps xiii
1. Introduction 1
Purpose 1
The Chamberlain-Warren Samaritan Collection 2
The Samaritans 6
2. Samaritan Origins 9
Introduction 9
Samaritan Version of Origins 10
Biblical Background 10
Samaritan Chronicles 11
Jewish Versions of Origins 13
2 Kings 17 14
Other Biblical Accounts 17
3. The Persian and Hellenistic Periods 21
The Persian Period 21
The Hellenistic Period 24
4. The Roman Period 35
Josephus 35
New Testament 40
Synoptic Gospels 41
Gospel of John 41
Acts 42
Second-Century Rabbinic Literature 42
5. The Byzantine Period 51
Prosperity 51
Baba Raba 58
Amram Dare 61
Marqe 61
Persecutions 62
6. Islamic Invasion to the Renaissance 69
The Islamic Period 69
viii THE KEEPERS
The Crusades 72
The Renaissance 73
7. The Modern Period 91
Samaritan Manuscripts Arrive in the West 92
Samaritan Correspondence with the West 94
8. The Samaritan Pentateuch 105
Characteristics of Manuscripts 107
Comparison of the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text 115
9. Samaritan Religion 117
Creed 117
Monotheism 117
Moses 119
Torah 120
Mount Gerizim 121
Day of Vengeance and Recompense 123
Priesthood 125
Ritual 126
Sacred Place 128
10. The Chamberlain-Warren Collection 135
The Inscription 135
Pentateuchs 136
The Scroll Case 140
Liturgies 142
Memar Marqe (Tibat Marqe) 143
Epilogue 145
Bibliography 147
Index of Names and Subjects 159
List of Abbreviations
PRIMARY SOURCES
1 ApoL Justin Martyr, Apologia i
1-2 Kgs 1-2 Kings
1-2 Macc 1-2 Maccabees
1-2 Sam 1-2 Samuel
3 Macc 3 Maccabees
Zar. zAbodah Zarah
*Abot ^Abot
Acts Acts
An. Tertullian, De anima
Ant. Josephus, Jewish Antiquities
b. Babylonian
B. Mesica Baba Mesica
Bek. Bekorot
Ber. Berakot
Besah Besah (-Yom Tob)
Buildings Procopius, On the Buildings
Demai Demai
Deut Deuteronomy
Exod Exodus
Ezra Ezra
Gen Genesis
Git. Gittin
Hag Haggai
Haer. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses
Hag. Hagigah
Heb Hebrews
Hos Hosea
J.W. Josephus, Jewish War
John John
Josh Joshua
Ketub. Ketubbot
Luke Luke
m. Mishnah
X THE KEEPERS
Matt Matthew
Mic Micah
Ned. Nedarim
Neh Nehemiah
Nid. Niddah
'OhaL ^Ohalot
Pe’ah Pe’ah
Pirqe R El. Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer
Praep. ev. Eusebius, Prepararía evangélica
Ps Psalm
Qidd. Qidduiin
Ros Hai. Rol Hallanah
Sank. Sanhedrin
Seb. Sebi’it
Seqal. Seqalim
Sir Sirach/Ecclesiasticus
Tanh. Tanhuma
Ter. Terumot
Tehar. Teharot
Wis Wisdom of Solomon
Yebam. Yebamot
Zech Zechariah
SECONDARY SOURCES
AB Anchor Bible
ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary
AJBA Australian Journal of Biblical Archaeology
BA Biblical Archaeologist
BAR Biblical Archaeology Review
BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
BCH Bulletin de correspondance hellénique
BEATAJ Beiträge zur Erforschung des Alten Testaments und des antiken
Judentums
BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester
BSac Bibliotheca sacra
BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
EAEHL Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land
HTR Harvard Theological Review
ICC International Critical Commentary
/£/ Israel Exploration Journal
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society