Evidence of Sectarian Redaction in the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text

Abstract

Abstract This chapter provides the theoretical and methodological foundation for the second central thesis of the book. The chapter systematically explores examples in the HB of growing redactional competition between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch, with each sectarian group making slight alterations to key texts in order to promote their respective holy mountains and denigrate the others’. This leads to the presentation of evidence for a third compelling thesis: that the Moriah mentioned in conjunction with Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac in Gen. 22 originally read Moreh, and was initially a reference to the Oak of Moreh near Shechem in the shadow of Mt. Gerizim. To combat this, the hapax legomenon Moriah was created to remove the central theophany from the holy Samaritan mountain, Gerizim, and later, utilizing a gloss in 2 Chron. 3:1, was relocated from the desert to Jerusalem.