Second Temple Jewish Scriptures — Manuscripts and Textual Traditions

The Samaritan Pentateuch Tradition

Established by the late Second Temple period
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The Samaritan community preserved the five books of Moses in its own script and textual tradition centered on Mount Gerizim.

Full Account

The Samaritans recognize only the Pentateuch as Scripture. Their Hebrew text agrees with the Jewish Hebrew tradition in most readings but contains thousands of differences, many minor and some connected with Samaritan worship at Mount Gerizim.

Qumran manuscripts show that a pre-Samaritan form, sharing characteristic expansions but not all specifically Samaritan readings, existed in the Second Temple period. This makes the Samaritan Pentateuch an important comparative witness without requiring that its distinctive readings be preferred automatically.

Historical Significance

The Samaritan Pentateuch preserves an ancient branch of Pentateuchal transmission and assists scholars in comparing early Hebrew readings.

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