Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
Secret Alias
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

Post by Secret Alias »

More on the "Judaean whore" motif in Samaritanism according to Tal:
Selon leur tradition , les Samaritains sont associés aux tribus de Joseph , de Mannasse et d'Éphraïm , situées au nord du territoire de Juda qui , après le règne de Salomon , se sont séparées du royaume de David en réclamant leur indépendance ( 1 R 11 , 26 - 12 , 33 ) . Il est donc naturel qu'ils soient réservés à l'égard de la position primordiale accordée à Juda , l'ancêtre de David , qu'ils abhorrent Car c'était David qui avait transféré l'arche de l'Éternel à Jérusalem ( 717 7 " « la ville de David » ) , ainsi établie comme centre du culte d'Israël ( 2 S 6 , 6-12 ) . La tradition incrustée dans les chroniques des Samaritains ignore ce récit . D'après leur narratif , la conquête de Canaan par Josué fut suivie de l'implantation du Tabernacle , ( contenant l'arche ? ) au sommet du mont Garizim , où il restait jusqu'à l'année 25 de la sacerdoce d'Ouzi , le sixième Grand Prêtre dans la lignée d'Aaron . À ce moment - là , la période de la « Grâce Divine » ( an107 ) avait atteint son but , et le Tabernacle ( avec l'arche ? ) fut caché . La période de Disgrâce ( an130 ) commença ( Tulida , lignes 37-39 ) . Elle ne s'achèvera qu'à la fin des jours , lorsque la inn7 sera de retour et le Tabernacle récupéré . La répugnance des Samaritains à l'égard de Juda s'exprime dans leurs diverses compositions . En voici les attestations les plus évidentes . 1 ) Le livre d'Asatir , document attribué au dixième ou onzième siècle " , prédit ( § 11 ) : דבית יהודה בעלום גזיראתה יבטלון שמע יהוה קול יהודה .מגדל גפנה יבני בעמק .קהל יהי בעי קשטה , יתלחצון בר מולד אקדשו מורר .

Par l'annulation des commandements les gens de Juda cesseront d'invoquer ' écoute , Éternel , la voix de Juda ' ( Dt 33 , 7 ) . La Tour de Gafna sera bâtie vigoureusement . L'assemblée cherchera Dieu ( mais ) ils seront harcelés par le fils de prostitution , le malfaiteur ... Le culte des dieux étrangers sera établi. Après quelques jours le temple du culte étranger sera renversé par une nation au visage farouche ( Dt 28 , 50 ) » . Apparemment , il s'agit de Jérusalem , surnommée Gafna , comme cela a déjà été spécifié dans le § 5 d'Asatir : « et il bâtit Sion , nommée Gafna » . C'est par « le fils de prostitution » que David est mentionné , en raison de la fornication de Juda avec Tamar . Cet inceste est vigoureusement condamné dans le quatrième livre du Tibat Marqe ” , la célèbre collection des homélies dont la partie majeure est attribuée à Marqe ( actif au 4 ° siècle après J.-C. ) , le présent paragraphe est beaucoup plus tardif : תלתה מן זכאי בטלו מצוהתי פוררתון בדינה ולא בטלת שמון יהודה כד גלה

Traduction : Trois ( des fils ) des Vertueux ont aboli mes commandements et je les ai prévenu du jugement mais je n'ai pas aboli leur nom . Juda , lorsqu'il a introduit la fornication dans le monde , je l'ai menacé d'abolition – admonestation pour toutes les générations . Siméon , lui aussi , a opprimé Joseph , je l'ai menacé d'abolition – admonestation pour toutes les générations . Reuben, quand il s'associe avec eux, je l'ai menacé d'abolition-admonestation pour toutes les générations.

Une prière pour le Jour d'Expiation ( 71037 01 ' ) , composée par Ibrahim Al - Ayya au 18 ° siècle est encore plus explicite:

Traduction : L'acte de Juda , lorsque Tamar , sa belle - fille , était debout devant lui sur le chemin , et la prenant pour une prostituée , il vint vers elle , et elle devint enceinte de lui . Misère de cette fornication ! Elle ensemença une semence mauvaise , chardons et broussailles germèrent d'elle : les Juifs apparurent , et la terre se remplira de souillure .

Finalement , dans une lamentation dont la composition et son , époque nous restent inconnues , le récitant / pleureur dito : גנו לך דאת שבק שבילי בן פרת ומנגד בשבילי ראובן ויהודה >

Traduction : Honte à toi , car tu abandonnes les chemins du « rejeton d'un arbre fertile » ( Gn 49 , 22 ) pour te laisser conduit dans les chemins de Reuben et de Juda.

Ce parallèle montrant de Joseph , le Vertueux , qui avait refusé les avances de la femme de son maître , afin de ne pas tomber en péché d'adultère ( Gn 39 , 7-9 ) , contre Reuben qui coucha avec la concubine de son père ( Gn 35 , 22 ) et enfin Juda , qui forniqua avec Tamar sa belle - fille ( Gn 38 , 18 ) est parfaitement concluant . La mention récurrente du péché de Juda par fornication et adultère qui contredit le précepte de Lv 18 , 15 et son association avec deux personnes , l'une adultère et l'autre tachée de sang ( Gn 34 ) qui représentent les tribus de position mineure ' ' , est la meilleure expression de l'attitude négative des Samaritains envers Juda et ses descendants .

Il ne sera donc pas étonnant de trouver dans le texte prophétique de Gn 49 , selon la version samaritaine , quelques indications d'animosité vers Juda . En sa « bénédiction » , Jacob ne manque pas d'user d'une grande emphase en évoquant Juda et son avenir . Après la prophétie concernant la position centrale qu'il occupera parmi « ses frères » qui l'adoreront , Juda est décrit telle une bête farouche et : « Le sceptre ne s'écartera pas de Juda , ni le bâton du législateur " d'entre ses pieds >> 12 > 10 Dans le manuscrit Sam IX , 1 de la Bibliothèque Nationale Russe à SaintPetersbourg , d'après la lecture de mon collègue , le Professeur M. FLORENTIN de l'Université de Tel Aviv dans son article " An unknown Samaritan Aramaic Poem of the Admonition Genre ” , Leshonenu , 67 , 2005 , pp .175. Je lui exprime ici ma reconnaissance de ses observations . 11 Les hésitations de Reuben pendant la guerre de Baraq , condamnées par Deborah ( Jg 5 , 14-16 ) et l'amoindrissement du nombre de ses gens ( Dt 33 , 6 ) montrent sa position mineure . Siméon fut absorbé dans Juda et pratiquement disparut . 12 Le mot pana a beaucoup préoccupé les exégètes . Voir par exemple ( 10727 7939 , v . 10 ) . Dans la version samaritaine , le dernier mot de cette phrase présente une modification graphiquement mineure , mais de grande importance exégétique : 1927 1928 , « entre ses cohortes » . De cette façon , l'envergure de sa souveraineté est limitée à ses propres gens . Conformément , le Targum araméen traduit : 1770 1'an ( var.1'0 7'an ) , tous les deux ayant la signification d ' « unité militaire >> La suite n'est pas plus flatteuse . Au verset 11 de la version מבין סדריו . est interprété comme dérive אסורי le mot , אסורי לגפן עירו : samaritaine 14 de 110 , « égarer » , et 17 comme « sa ville » . Le Targum samaritain rend le passage 1077 033923 780 « sa ville s'égare vers Gafna » ( visant Jérusalem , voir plus haut ) . La suite : un " 2 7710 « et à la vanité les fils de sa puissance » , rendu 77129 972 773957 par le Targum ? 4 Examinons maintenant sur cet arrière - fond la signification attribuée au mot rare : 159790 ( v . 12 ) dans les traditions courantes. Il faut d'abord préciser que pour la version samaritaine le mot n'est pas un adjectif , comme dans la tradition juive , mais un verbe à la 3 ° personne du pluriel du parfait : 9595377 . Le verset en question suit un passage où la richesse future de Juda est copieusement dépeinte . L'hémistiche signale l'abondance du vin qui sert à laver son vêtement , et c'est précisément cette abondance qui se reflète dans les yeux de Juda , le fils entouré des délices . Étant un mot rare , 59250 a attiré l'attention des générations des traducteurs et d'exégètes . Bien que la plupart traite le mot comme un adjectif dénotant une couleur , la Septante préfère le rendre xapotoi oi opdazuoi aŭtoŮ ÅTÒ oivo , « brillants sont ses yeux sous l'effet du vin » . " Jérôme comprend semblablement .: pulchriores oculi eius vino . De tous les Targums , Ongelos est le seul à se prononcer sans équivoque en faveur de la couleur rouge . Il démantèle l'image a 15 ses » , יסמקון טורוהי בכרמוהי יטופון נעווהי metaphorique disant montagnes seront rouges de ses vignobles , ses cuvées débordant de vin » . Le Targum dit « de Jérusalem » , d'après cod . Neofiti 1'6 , suit C. WESTERMANN , Genesis , a Commentary ( J. J. Scullion , transl . ) suit ...

ENGLISH

According to their tradition, the Samaritans are associated with the tribes of Joseph, Mannasse and Ephraim, located north of the territory of Judah which, after the reign of Solomon, separated from the kingdom of David claiming their independence (1 Kings 11 , 26-12, 33). It is therefore natural that they should be reserved with regard to the primordial position granted to Judah, the ancestor of David, whom they abhor. For it was David who had transferred the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem (717 7 ""the city of David"), thus established as the center of the worship of Israel (2 S 6, 6-12). The tradition embedded in the chronicles of the Samaritans ignores this account. According to their narrative, the conquest of Canaan by Joshua was followed by the planting of the Tabernacle, (containing the ark?) on top of Mount Gerizim, where he remained until the year 25 of the Uzi priesthood, the sixth High Priest in the line of 'Aaron. By this time the period of "Divine Grace" (AD 107) had served its purpose, and the Tabernacle (with the ark?) was concealed. The period of Disgrace (AD 130) began (Tulida, lines 37-39).It will not end until the end of days, when the inn7 will return and the Tabernacle will be recovered. expressed in their various compositions. Here are the most obvious proofs. 1) The book of Asatir, document attributed to the tenth or eleventh century ", predicts (§ 11): דבית יהודה בעלום גזיראתה יבטלון שמע יהוAT

By the annulment of the commandments the people of Judah will cease to invoke 'hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah' (Dt 33, 7). The Tower of Gafna will be built vigorously. The congregation will seek God (but) they will be harassed by the son of prostitution, the malefactor... The worship of foreign gods will be established. After a few days the temple of foreign worship will be overthrown by a fierce-faced nation (Dt 28, 50)”. Apparently, it is about Jerusalem, surnamed Gafna, as it has already been specified in § 5 of Asatir: “and he built Zion, called Gafna”. It is by “the son of prostitution” that David is referred to, because of Judah's fornication with Tamar. This incest is vigorously condemned in the fourth book of the Tibat Marqe”, the famous collection of homilies the major part of which is attributed to Marqe (active in the 4th century AD), the present paragraph is much later: תלתה מן זכאי בטלו מצוהתי פוררתון בדינה ולא בטלת שמון יהודה כד גלה

Translation: Three (of the sons) of the Righteous have abolished my commandments and I have warned them of judgment but I have not abolished their name. Judah, when he brought fornication into the world, I threatened him with abolition – admonition for all generations. Simeon, too, oppressed Joseph, I threatened him with abolition – admonishment for all generations. Reuben, when he associates with them, I threatened him with abolition-admonition for all generations.

A prayer for the Day of Atonement (71037 01'), composed by Ibrahim Al-Ayya in the 18th century is even more explicit:

Translation: The act of Judah, when Tamar his daughter-in-law stood before him in the way, and mistaking her for a harlot, he came to her, and she became pregnant with him. Misery of this fornication! She sowed an evil seed, thistles and brushwood sprouted from her: the Jews appeared, and the earth will be filled with filth.

Finally , in a lamentation whose composition and sound , time remain unknown to us , the reciter / mourner says : גנו לך דאת שבק שבילי בן פרת ומנגד בשבילי ראובן ויהודה >

Translation: Shame on you, for you forsake the paths of the "offshoot of a fertile tree" (Gn 49, 22) to let yourself be led in the paths of Reuben and Judah.

This parallel showing Joseph, the Virtuous, who had refused the advances of his master's wife, in order not to fall into the sin of adultery (Gn 39, 7-9), against Reuben who slept with his father's concubine (Gn 35, 22) and finally Judah, who fornicated with Tamar his daughter-in-law (Gn 38, 18) is perfectly conclusive. The recurring mention of Judah's sin by fornication and adultery which contradicts the precept of Lv 18, 15 and its association with two persons, one adulterous and the other stained with blood (Gn 34) who represent the tribes of minor position' ', is the best expression of the negative attitude of the Samaritans towards Judah and his descendants.

It will therefore not be surprising to find in the prophetic text of Gn 49, according to the Samaritan version, some indications of animosity towards Judah. In his "blessing", Jacob does not fail to use great emphasis in evoking Judah and its future. After the prophecy concerning the central position he will occupy among "his brethren" who will worship him, Judah is described as a fierce beast and: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the staff of the lawgiver" his feet >> 12 > 10 In the manuscript Sam IX, 1 of the Russian National Library in Saint Petersburg, according to the reading of my colleague, Professor M. FLORENTIN of the University of Tel Aviv in his article "An unknown Samaritan Aramaic Poem of the Admonition Genre”, Leshonenu, 67, 2005, pp.175. I hereby express to him my gratitude for his observations . 11 The hesitations of Reuben during the war of Barak, condemned by Deborah (Jg 5, 14-16) and the lessening of the number of his people (Dt 33, 6) show his minor position. Simeon was absorbed into Judah and practically disappeared. 12 The word pana has greatly preoccupied exegetes. See for example (10727 7939, v. 10). In the Samaritan version, the last word of this sentence presents a graphically minor modification, but of great exegetical importance: 1927 1928, “among his cohorts”. In this way, the scope of his sovereignty is limited to his own people. Accordingly , the Aramaic Targum translates : 1770 1'an ( var.1'0 7'an ) , both meaning " military unit " The sequel is not more flattering . In verse 11 of the מבין סדריו version. is interpreted as derives אסורי the word, אסורי לגפן עירו: samaritan 14 of 110, "to mislead", and 17 as "his city". The Samaritan Targum renders the passage 1077 033923 780 “his city wanders towards Gafna” (aimed at Jerusalem, see above). The sequel: a “2 7710 “and to vanity the sons of his power”, rendered 77129 972 773957 by the Targum? 4 Let us now examine against this background the meaning attributed to the rare word: 159790 (v. It should first be specified that for the Samaritan version the word is not an adjective, as in the Jewish tradition, but a verb in the 3rd person plural of the perfect: 9595377. The verse in question follows a passage where the future wealth of Judah is copiously depicted.The hemistich signals the abundance of the wine which serves to wash his garment, and it is precisely this abundance which is reflected in the eyes of Judah, the son surrounded by delights. a rare word, 59250 has caught the attention of generations of translators and scholars. Although most treat the word as an adjective denoting a color, the Septuagint prefers to render it xapotoi oi opdazuoi aŭtoŮ ÅTÒ oivo, "shining are his eyes under the effect of wine." " Jéro understands me similarly.: pulchriores oculi eius vino. Of all the Targums, Ongelos is the only one to come out unequivocally in favor of the color red. He dismantles the image has 15 his ", יסמקון טורוהי בכרמוהי יטופון נעווהי metaphorically saying mountains will be red from his vineyards, his vintages overflowing with wine". The Targum said "of Jerusalem", according to cod. Neofiti 1'6, follows C. WESTERMANN, Genesis, a Commentary (J. J. Scullion, transl.).
Marqe's dating is disputed with dates ranging from 1st century CE to the aforementioned 4th century CE. The point of course is that Marqe is Samaritanism so Samaritanism as such interprets Genesis 38 as being a testimony of the origins of the Jews from an illicit union and whore-mongering epitomized (later) by David himself.

The reason I am certain that Marqe was first century is the first hymn of Marqe in the Samaritan Prayer Book is so centrally focused on crucifixion it is impossible or at least unlikely in my mind that it could have been written when Christianity had great influence over the Roman Empire. But anyway, the point here and now is whether the Samaritan interpretation of Genesis 38 is the more 'plain' and self-evident interpretation (Ibn Ezra) of the text. Of course it is. No one refers to their mother or the mother of their people as a whore. No one invents, when any invention could have been invented, a "self" origin from illicit union. The Jewish origins story was obviously written by northern (non-Judaean) writers as was most of the rest of the Joseph section of Genesis.
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neilgodfrey
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Secret Alias wrote: Thu Dec 01, 2022 12:52 pm Nuance. Sure. In a story of the origin of a people from an illicit relationship. . . . . . I don't believe that anyone would voluntarily write that his people, his nation was founded from an illicit relationship . . . .
Why do you say it was an "illicit relationship"?

Tamar was declared righteous because she did the right thing and tricked Judah into a LICIT relationship according to the laws of levirate marriage. She was not a whore. She only pretended to be one for the sake of tricking Judah into doing God's will.

That's the obvious interpretation from what the story itself tells us.

No more pages and pages and pages of attempts to get around the obvious message of the story:

Gen 38:26 Judah . . . said, “She is more righteous than I"

Why do you believe hostile anti-jewish Samaritan propaganda interpretation of Genesis 38 instead of a plain "what you see is what you get" reading of the Genesis narrative for yourself? One would almost think you are a self-hating Jew who would prefer to believe lying misrepresentation of a story about Jewish origins than the plain meaning of the story on its own terms.
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neilgodfrey
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Secret Alias wrote: Thu Dec 01, 2022 3:09 pm No one calls their mom a whore. A line in the proverbial sand...
You should read Genesis 38 for yourself. Tamar was not a whore. That was the point of the story -- if she were a whore Gen 38 could never have been written. The children of Judah were legitimate -- and that's the bottom line of the story. If I quoted Mein Kampf or the Protocols of the Elders of Zion here about Jews I would be censured. But if you quote with approval Samaritan racist shit that lies about the clear message of a story that is okay?
Secret Alias
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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That's not the point. I remember being struck by this when a Samaritan and I were at a predominantly black strip club in the 2000s - Cleos in Orlando. https://cleosorlando.com/ And he had never seen a club filled with Black people, male and female with the hip hop music etc. Ended up on the stage dancing with the girls. Anyway, afterwards one of the girls was my friend and we discussed Moses's wife being black or beautiful (the different Hebrew words cut either way in the MT or SP) and he reiterated that Joseph resisted the attempts by Potiphar's wife while Judah was attracted to the prostitute. That was the difference in their relative virtue. "I must be a Jew and you the Samaritan" I said.
Secret Alias
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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SA, what happened to being
There is a difference between bullshit invention and ancient tradition. I am trying to present the ancient Samaritan reading of Genesis 38 (rather than my bullshit re-interpretation/invention). The fact that the Samaritans read the material in the way I deemed to be the plain reading of the material (after Ibn Ezra) is more important than me merely presenting invention.
Secret Alias
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Why do you say it was an "illicit relationship"?
The Samaritans and Jews read the text this way. What White people think or re-interpret is irrelevant. The Jewish exegesis focuses on Judah's 'confession' (deriving his name from his act of 'confession'). The Samaritans argue the text was laid down to show the slutty wretched origins of the Jews. Either way it's a slutty wretched origins story with (if the Jewish exegesis is accepted) has a silver lining of 'confession' and redemption. White reinterpretation of the material irrelevant.
Secret Alias
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Anyway, afterwards one of the girls was my friend
She really was so pretty. Not just 'sexy' (I remember my Africans were amazed at her matako). Really, really beautiful. Sad how time makes bright delicate flowers fade back into the mud of creation. Could have been Moses's wife.
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neilgodfrey
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Secret Alias wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:50 am ....I am trying to present the ancient Samaritan reading of Genesis 38 .....
If that were so you would not keep referring to modern instances of how certain people (from your culture) today react to harlots -- as if that were relevant to how the original audience read Genesis.

You quote a late Samaritan writing. I can quote a passage much closer to the time, and centuries before Marqe -- the Gospel fo Matthew.

No-one past or present thinks Matthew made explicit reference to Jesus being descended from Tamar, from Rahab, from Bath-sheba, in order to disgrace Jesus. Matthew was closer to the original audience of Genesis than Marqe.
Last edited by neilgodfrey on Fri Dec 02, 2022 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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neilgodfrey
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Re: Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

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Secret Alias wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:52 am
Why do you say it was an "illicit relationship"?
The Samaritans and Jews read the text this way. What White people think or re-interpret is irrelevant.
You are not addressing the points I have raised in the story itself that clearly say Tamar was righteous. The story itself says the relationship was licit -- it was a righteous one in fact -- for Judah to fulfil his obligation to his deceased brother. Judah was tricked into doing the right thing.

You are the one introducing an alien interpretation from a racist tract that emerged only in the Christian era when anti-semitism was rife.

The first Muslim Arabs closer to the time of Marqe evidently did not read the text that way, for all the racist denunciation of the Jews in the Koran. That would have been an excellent one to throw up IF they read the story that way.
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