ࠕࠅࠓࠄ Samaritan Torah תורה שומרונית

The Samaritan Pentateuch Online: A Resource for Textual Study

The Samaritan Torah website provides access to the Samaritan Pentateuch in its original Samaritan script (ancient Hebrew script) and Hebrew script (i.e., Assyrian/Aramaic script), along with the Masoretic Text for parallel comparison. It also includes a new English translation of the Samaritan Pentateuch, offering a fresh perspective on its distinctive features and theological insights. This resource is valuable for those interested in textual criticism, comparative biblical studies, and Samaritan Torah research.

The Samaritan Torah, also known as the Samaritan Pentateuch, is the sacred scripture of the Samaritan community. It consists of the first five books of Moses, similar to the Jewish Torah, but with some variations in text and interpretation. The Samaritans believe that their version of the Torah preserves the original revelation given to Moses and view Mount Gerizim as the chosen place of worship. The differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text provide insights into the textual history and development of the Torah.

The Samaritan Pentateuch in Parallel Scripts

The Samaritan Pentateuch is presented on this website in both the Samaritan Hebrew script and the Hebrew (Assyrian/Aramaic) script to make it accessible to a wider audience. The Samaritan script is an ancient Hebrew script that the Samaritan community has preserved for centuries, distinct from the square script used in the Masoretic Text. The Hebrew (Assyrian) script, also known as Ktav Ashuri (כתב אשורי), is the script traditionally used in Jewish texts, including modern Torah scrolls and printed editions of the Hebrew Bible.

By providing both scripts side by side, this website allows readers to engage directly with the Samaritan Torah in its original form while also making it easier for those unfamiliar with the Samaritan script to study and analyze the text. This dual presentation serves as a bridge for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the textual history of the Torah.

Why Compare the Samaritan and Masoretic Texts?

The inclusion of the Masoretic Text alongside the Samaritan Pentateuch provides a valuable opportunity for textual comparison. The Samaritan and Masoretic traditions both claim to preserve the Torah of Moses, yet there are notable differences between the two versions. These variations include:

• Textual Differences: One of the significant differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text involves missing or additional words and phrases. A well-known example is found in Genesis 4:8, where the Samaritan Torah includes the phrase נלכה השדה (“Let us go to the field”), while this phrase is omitted in the Masoretic Text. This difference impacts the clarity of the passage, as the Samaritan reading provides a more explicit lead-in to the narrative of Cain and Abel.
• Orthographic Differences: The Samaritan Torah uses a different spelling system, often preserving older forms of words compared to the Masoretic Text. These spelling variations can provide insights into the historical development of Hebrew and the linguistic traditions maintained by the Samaritan community.
• Grammatical Variations: Some grammatical constructions in the Samaritan text differ from the Masoretic tradition, reflecting unique linguistic developments within the Samaritan community. These differences can be seen in verb forms, word agreements, and syntactical structures.
• Theological Distinctions: One of the most well-known differences is the emphasis on Mount Gerizim as the central place of worship in the Samaritan Torah, whereas the Masoretic Text focuses on Jerusalem. This distinction highlights the theological divide between the Samaritan and Jewish traditions regarding the chosen place of worship.
• Harmonizations: The Samaritan Pentateuch often harmonizes parallel passages, making the text more internally consistent in comparison to the Masoretic version. This includes aligning accounts of laws, narratives, and commandments to ensure uniformity across the Torah.

Historical Significance of the Two Scripts

The use of the Samaritan script reflects an unbroken tradition that dates back to ancient Israel, predating the widespread adoption of Ktav Ashuri by Jewish scribes. The Hebrew (Assyrian) script became the standard in Jewish communities after the Babylonian exile, while the Samaritans continued to use their ancestral script, which more closely resembles the Paleo-Hebrew writing system.

For scholars of biblical Hebrew, textual criticism, and Semitic linguistics, comparing these two scripts provides insight into the evolution of the Hebrew language and script traditions. This side-by-side presentation allows readers to study both the written forms and the linguistic features of the Samaritan Torah and the Masoretic Text.

A Resource for Textual and Linguistic Studies

This parallel-script presentation is a valuable tool for:

• Students learning Samaritan Hebrew: Those studying the Samaritan dialect can directly compare its script with the Assyrian script to understand letter forms and pronunciation.
• Scholars analyzing textual variations: Researchers can identify and examine differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text more efficiently.
• Linguists studying Hebrew script evolution: The relationship between the Samaritan script and ancient Hebrew writing can be observed in detail.
• Those interested in the history of biblical transmission: The preservation of these script traditions sheds light on how different communities maintained and passed down their sacred texts.

The availability of both Samaritan and Hebrew (Assyrian) scripts alongside the Masoretic Text provides a unique opportunity to explore the textual history of the Torah. Whether for linguistic research, comparative textual analysis, or theological study, this resource offers a direct way to engage with the Samaritan Torah in its historical and literary contexts.

Samaritan Targum

This website includes the Samaritan Targum, an Aramaic translation of the Torah that reflects the unique linguistic and theological perspectives of the Samaritan tradition. The Samaritan Targum serves as an important bridge between the Hebrew text and its interpretation in the Samaritan community, offering valuable insights into how the Torah was understood and transmitted over time. Unlike the Targums used in Rabbinic Judaism, which often contain midrashic expansions and commentary, the Samaritan Targum maintains a more direct and literal translation style while incorporating distinct Samaritan theological elements.

For scholars and students of biblical languages, the Samaritan Targum provides an opportunity to study the relationship between Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as the linguistic differences between the Samaritan dialect of Aramaic and other forms of biblical and post-biblical Aramaic. It is particularly useful for comparative studies, allowing researchers to analyze textual variants between the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Masoretic Text, and other ancient versions of the Torah, such as the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

This resource may be helpful for those engaged in the study of biblical exegesis, historical linguistics, and the development of scriptural traditions within the Samaritan community. By exploring the Samaritan Targum alongside the Hebrew and Masoretic texts, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the interpretive methods and doctrinal perspectives that shaped Samaritan theology and religious practice.

New English Translation

A new English translation of the Samaritan Pentateuch is available, offering readers a direct and faithful rendering of the text. This translation is designed to be as literal as possible, carefully following the Hebrew syntax and structure of the Samaritan Torah. By preserving the original word order and grammatical patterns, it provides a closer representation of how the text was written and understood in its ancient linguistic form.

One of the key features of this translation is its effort to maintain the distinct theological and textual characteristics of the Samaritan tradition. Unlike translations that smooth out difficult constructions for readability, this version retains the parallelism, repetition, and unique phrasing of the Samaritan text. This approach allows readers to experience the flow and rhythm of the original language while gaining deeper insight into its meaning.

In addition to its literal nature, this translation highlights key differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text, providing an opportunity to explore textual variations and their implications for biblical studies. The Samaritan Torah includes certain passages and readings that differ from the Masoretic tradition, particularly regarding sacred geography, such as the command to worship at Mount Gerizim. These elements are carefully preserved in the translation to reflect the distinct identity of the Samaritan text.

This translation is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the textual history of the Torah. By closely following the Hebrew syntax and avoiding interpretative paraphrasing, it allows for a more accurate study of the language, structure, and theological nuances of the Samaritan tradition. Whether used for linguistic research, comparative analysis, or theological exploration, this translation offers a direct and precise window into the ancient words of the Samaritan Torah.

Interlinear Translation

For those studying biblical languages, this website provides an interlinear translation of the Samaritan Pentateuch, presenting each word in its original form along with its corresponding English translation. This interlinear format is designed to assist students, scholars, and researchers in closely examining the linguistic structure and meaning of the text while comparing it with the Masoretic tradition.

The interlinear text is displayed in both the Samaritan script, which is an ancient Hebrew script used by the ancient Israelites, and the Hebrew script (Assyrian script, also known as Ktav Ashuri – כתב אשורי), which is the square script traditionally used in Rabbinic and Masoretic texts. This dual-script presentation makes the Samaritan Pentateuch accessible to a broader audience, including those who are unfamiliar with the Samaritan script but can read the standard Hebrew script used in modern biblical studies.

Each word is provided with a literal English translation, maintaining the structure and syntax of the original Hebrew as closely as possible. This format is particularly useful for students learning Samaritan Hebrew, ancient Hebrew grammar, and textual comparison. By breaking down each word individually, learners can observe grammatical features such as verb conjugations, noun inflections, and syntactical patterns that define the Samaritan textual tradition.

This interlinear resource also enables textual analysis, allowing users to compare the Samaritan Pentateuch with the Masoretic Text word by word. It provides insight into how certain words and phrases differ between these traditions, helping researchers explore textual variations, linguistic shifts, and historical developments in the Hebrew Bible.

Whether used for academic research, theological study, or personal learning, the interlinear translation serves as a valuable tool for deepening one’s understanding of the Samaritan Torah and its place in biblical history. By providing both Samaritan and Hebrew scripts along with literal English translations, this resource helps bridge the gap between ancient and modern readers, making the study of the Samaritan Pentateuch more accessible and enriching.

Morphology of the Samaritan Pentateuch

This website includes a detailed morphological analysis of each word in the Samaritan Pentateuch, making it a valuable resource for students, scholars, and linguists studying the structure of ancient Hebrew. Morphology is the study of the forms of words and how they change depending on their function within a sentence. By analyzing the morphology of the Samaritan Torah, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the language, grammar, and textual transmission of the biblical text.

The morphological analysis on this website includes:

• Root Identification: Every word is traced back to its Hebrew root, helping readers understand the base meaning and how words are derived.
• Grammatical Parsing: Words are classified according to their grammatical role, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, or particles.
• Verb Conjugations: Detailed breakdowns of verb forms, including tense (perfect, imperfect), aspect, mood, voice (active, passive), and binyan (verbal stem), showing how verbs function in the text.
• Noun Forms: Analysis of singular and plural forms, absolute and construct states, as well as noun suffixes.
• Syntactical Functions: Explanation of how words interact within sentences, clarifying subject-verb agreement, object markers, and prepositional relationships.

Why Studying Morphology is Important

Understanding morphology is essential for engaging with the Samaritan Pentateuch in its original language. Without a solid grasp of morphology, readers may struggle to accurately interpret meanings, identify nuances, or recognize connections between words. Studying morphology allows for:

• More Accurate Translation: By analyzing word forms, scholars can produce translations that better reflect the original meaning of the text.
• Improved Reading Comprehension: Recognizing verb conjugations, noun cases, and grammatical structures helps readers follow complex passages with greater clarity.
• Comparative Analysis: Morphological studies enable comparisons between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text, highlighting textual variations and historical linguistic developments.
• Understanding Linguistic Evolution: Examining the morphology of the Samaritan Hebrew dialect helps linguists trace changes in Hebrew over time and compare it with other Semitic languages.
• Textual Criticism and Exegesis: Morphological details provide insights into scribal traditions, textual variations, and theological interpretations within the Samaritan community.

This resource is particularly beneficial for students who are learning biblical Hebrew, Samaritan Hebrew, and ancient Semitic linguistics. By providing a detailed morphological analysis of every word in the Samaritan Torah, this website serves as a useful tool for those seeking to deepen their understanding of the language, history, and textual significance of the Samaritan Pentateuch.

A Resource for Textual Criticism

For those engaged in textual criticism, this website offers a valuable resource for analyzing the textual transmission of the Samaritan Pentateuch. By providing a side-by-side comparison of the Samaritan Torah, the Masoretic Text, and the Samaritan Targum, this platform allows scholars, researchers, and students to study how these texts differ in wording, structure, and theological emphasis.

Textual criticism is the scholarly discipline of examining ancient manuscripts to determine the most reliable reading of a text. Since the Torah has been preserved through multiple textual traditions, comparing these versions helps identify variations that may have emerged due to scribal practices, oral transmission, or theological influences over time.

Key Areas of Textual Comparison

This website facilitates textual analysis in several key areas:

• Linguistic Differences: Variations in grammar, spelling, and word choices between the Samaritan Torah and the Masoretic Text reveal different scribal traditions and dialectal shifts in Hebrew.
• Textual Variations: Differences in wording, sentence structure, and content highlight how the Samaritan and Jewish communities preserved their Torah texts over centuries.
• Theological Nuances: The Samaritan Torah emphasizes Mount Gerizim as the central place of worship, whereas the Masoretic Text points to Jerusalem. These theological distinctions reflect the historical and religious identities of the two traditions.
• Harmonization of Passages: The Samaritan Pentateuch often exhibits harmonization in parallel passages of the Torah, resulting in a more consistent and readable text. This characteristic provides insight into how biblical texts were transmitted and adapted within the Samaritan community.
• Influence of the Samaritan Targum: As an Aramaic translation, the Samaritan Targum offers additional interpretive insights, showing how Samaritan exegetes understood and applied the Torah in their religious tradition.

The Importance of Textual Criticism

Studying textual variations between the Samaritan Pentateuch and other Torah traditions is essential for:

• Reconstructing the History of the Biblical Text: By comparing different versions, scholars can trace the development of the Torah and how it was transmitted through different communities.
• Understanding Scribal Traditions: Differences in spelling, grammar, and word choice reveal insights into how ancient scribes copied, preserved, and interpreted the Torah.
• Exploring Theological Development: The variations between the Samaritan Torah and the Masoretic Text reflect distinct theological beliefs, shaping how each community understood divine revelation and sacred history.
• Comparing with Other Ancient Texts: In addition to the Masoretic Text and Samaritan Torah, textual critics compare these texts with the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls to reconstruct the most ancient form of the Hebrew Bible.

By making the Samaritan Torah, Masoretic Text, and Samaritan Targum available for detailed comparison, this website serves as a useful tool for those interested in the textual history of the Pentateuch. Whether for academic research, theological inquiry, or personal study, this resource allows readers to explore the depth and complexity of the Torah’s transmission throughout history.

Explore the Samaritan Torah

This website is dedicated to making the Samaritan Pentateuch accessible to those interested in its linguistic, textual, and theological significance. Whether you are a scholar, student, or someone seeking to deepen your understanding of biblical texts, this resource provides various tools for study and analysis. The website features parallel scripts—both the Samaritan script (ancient Hebrew script) and the Hebrew (Assyrian) script—as well as interlinear translations, a new English translation, the Samaritan Targum, and morphological analysis of each word.

We encourage visitors to explore the Samaritan Torah and its relevance in biblical history, textual studies, and theological interpretation. The textual differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text offer valuable insights into the historical development of the Torah and the distinct traditions preserved by the Samaritan community. By examining these texts side by side, one can gain a deeper appreciation of how biblical scripture has been transmitted, interpreted, and preserved over time.

A Work in Progress

As this project is a work in progress, new updates and improvements will continue to be made. The study of the Samaritan Torah is an ongoing effort, and additional resources, analyses, and enhancements will be incorporated as the project develops. Because of this, we encourage visitors to check back regularly for updates and newly added materials.

To better understand the scope of this project, its goals, and the dedication behind it, we recommend reading our About Us page. This page provides insight into why this website was created, the methodologies used in compiling the texts, and the ongoing efforts to expand and refine this resource. Understanding the background of this project will help users appreciate the depth of research and the scholarly commitment involved in making the Samaritan Pentateuch accessible to a wider audience.

We invite you to explore, compare, and analyze the texts available here. Your engagement with the material contributes to a broader appreciation of the historical and theological significance of the Samaritan Torah, and we welcome feedback and scholarly discussion to enhance this resource even further.