Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polycarp66 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 9/4/2000 10:04:17 AM Central Standard Time, 
lizfried AT umich.edu writes:


<< Just curious, what is the evidence for a Samaritan temple
in the Elephantine papyri??
thanks,
 >>

The 5th century b.c.e. Elephantine papyri include letters requesting help to 
build a temple from both the Samaritan and Jewish priests (CAP, 30), implying 
an already existing schism. Indeed the Samaritan Chronicle of Abu’l Fath 
claims that Zerubbabel and Sanballat, subsequent leaders of the Jewish and 
Samaritan communities, were already feuding about the appropriate location of 
the restored temple while still in Babylon (Stenhouse 1985:89–95). The 
Persian king, “Surdi,” likely Darius spelled backward, ruled in favor of 
Sanballat and sent him home to Mt. Gerizim with funds to construct the altar 
and by implication the temple.

Freedman, David Noel, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary, s.v. "Samaritans", 
(New York: Doubleday) 1997, 1992.

gfsomsel