Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Thomas L. Thompson" <tlt AT teol.ku.dk>]

I find the quotation from Freedman's ABD article somewhat problematic and
seriously anachronistic. The Elephantine texts refer to two distinct
communities to which the Jews of Elephantine could address themselves for
help. It does not imply that there ever was a schism, let alone that it was
this early. I think Freedman here is assuming that there had been an
original unity and that, therefore, separate temples imply schism. The
Samaritan Chronicle is discussed in some detail in Ingrid Hjelm, The
Samaritans and Early Judaism (Sheffield, 2000), esp. p.97-103, as is
Josephus in regard to the Samaritans. A detailed argument is raised against
assuming any early 'schism'.
Thomas

> But even granting
> that point, all that it would show is that there was a rivalry in
> Palestine/Israel.  
> 
> Steve Oren
> 
> >
> > 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 Abuâ?Tl
> 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 1985:89â?"95). The
> > Persian king, â?oSurdi,â? 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
> >
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