The Samaritans: A Profile

by Reinhard Pummer

Overview

Authoritative introduction to the Samaritan tradition from antiquity to the present

Most people associate the term "Samaritan" exclusively with the New Testament stories about the Good Samaritan and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Very few are aware that a small community of about 750 Samaritans still lives today in Palestine and Israel; they view themselves as the true Israelites, having resided in their birthplace for thousands of years and preserving unchanged the revelation given to Moses in the Torah.

Reinhard Pummer, one of the world's foremost experts on Samaritanism, offers in this book a comprehensive introduction to the people identified as Samaritans in both biblical and nonbiblical sources. Besides analyzing the literary, epigraphic, and archaeological sources, he examines the Samaritans' history, their geographical distribution, their version of the Pentateuch, their rituals and customs, and their situation today. There is no better book available on the subject.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802867681
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	02/24/2016
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Reinhard Pummer is professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Among his other books are The Samaritans in Flavius Josephus and Early Christian Authors on Samaritans and Samaritanism.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Abbreviations xi

Illustrations xiii

Introduction 1

I The Identity of the Samaritans 9

1 The Samaritan View 9

2 Vie Traditional Jewish View 13

3 Modern Scholarly Views 15

II Samaritans in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament? 26

III The Samaritans and the New Testament 36

1 Vie Gospel of Matthew 37

2 The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts 37

3 The Gospel of John 42

4 Samaritan Influence on New Testament Writings? 44

IV Samaritans in Jewish Writings of Antiquity 47

1 Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Writings 47

2 The Dead Sea Scrolls 52

3 Flavins Josephus 54

4 Rabbinic Literature 66

V Archaeological Excavations 74

1 Mount Gerizim 74

2 Synagogues 91

3 Amulets and Oil Lamps 112

4 Ritual Baths - Miqva'ot 115

VI Samaritan Sects 119

1 Samaritan Sources 119

2 Muslim and Karaite Sources 123

3 Patristic Sources 124

VII The Samaritans in History 128

1 Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods 128

2 Late Roman and Byzantine Periods 131

3 Early Muslim Period 142

4 Crusader Period 150

5 Mamluk Period 152

6 Ottoman Period 155

7 Modern Period 164

VIII Geographical Distribution and Demography 170

1 Palestine 171

2 Diaspora 180

3 Demography 187

IX The Samaritan Pentateuch 195

1 The Nature of the Samaritan Pentateuch 195

2 Ancient Translations of the Samaritan Pentateuch 208

3 The Samaritan Pentateuch in Western Scholarship 211

4 The Samaritan Script 213

X Samaritan Literature 219

1 Exegesis 223

2 Halakhah 231

3 Liturgy 239

4 Chronicles 241

5 Linguistic Writings 249

6 Folktales 251

7 Interactions with European Scholars 252

XI Samaritan Rituals and Customs 257

1 The Samaritan Calendar 258

2 Passover and Masot 260

3 The Feast of Weeks 263

4 The First Day of the Seventh Month 264

5 The Day of Atonement 264

6 Tabernacles 264

7 The Eighth Day of Tabernacles - Shemini Aseret 266

8 Simmut Pesah and Simmut Sukkot 266

9 Pilgrimage 267

10 Circumcision 270

11 Redemption of the First Born 271

12 Completion of the Reading of the Torah 271

13 Betrothal and Wedding 272

14 Funeral 275

15 Prayer 277

16 Music 282

17 Art 284

XII The Samaritans Today 289

XIII New Challenges 302

Bibliography 305

Index of Sources 339

Index of Modem Authors 344

Index of Subjects 351

Editorial Reviews

Review of Biblical Literature
"The author's keen expertise, signature accuracy, and concise style have resulted in a formidable book that will no doubt shine both as a textbook and as an indispensable handbook for the scholarly expert."

Steven Fine
-- Yeshiva University
"Reinhard Pummer is the world's leading expert on all things Samaritan. In this marvelously detailed yet highly accessible volume, he presents not only the Samaritans' religion, literature, history, and material culture but also their life today. This is an important book for scholars, students, and general readers -- a real cause for celebration!"

Pieter W. van der Horst
-- Utrecht University
"There is no better introduction to the history, religion, and culture of the Samaritans than this impressive book, the product of half a century of research by the leading Samaritanologist of our time, Reinhard Pummer. Written in a clear style, it reflects in all respects the present state of our knowledge of this fascinating branch of Israelite religion and culture."

Gary N. Knoppers
-- University of Notre Dame
"Pummer has done us all a great service by producing such a well-informed analysis of the identity, history, and religion of the Samaritans."

Abraham Tal
-- Tel-Aviv University
"This book provides not only 'a concise biographical and character sketch of the community as it developed throughout the centuries' but also a major instrument of guidance for all who seek to take a journey through the vast realm of Samaritanism."

Robert T. Anderson
-- Michigan State University
"Pummer distills his many years of Samaritan study and research in a clear, focused writing style to profile and illuminate the history, culture, and literature of this unique community from its origins to its existence in the Holy Land today."

From the Publisher