Samaritan Pentateuch [possibly Nablus, 7th century or later]

PARTS OF EXODUS ON TWO LEAVES FROM A PENTATEUCH, IN SAMARITAN

[possibly Nablus, 7th century or later]

manuscript on vellum, 2 imperfect leaves c.240x200mm, blind-ruled for 32 and 40 lines, the text comprising parts of Exodus 1-3 and 8-9 (concerning Moses' childhood, call by God, appeal to Pharaoh, and Plagues of Egypt), sewn together at the gutter margin, stained, the fore-edges damaged with loss of text on one leaf, some areas of ink abraded, reducing legibility

Provenance

(1) Inscribed in a 19th-century hand 'Part of a Samaritan Bible of 7th century presented to Lord C[larence? (d.1895)] Paget by the Samaritan High Priest at Shechem [Nablus]'. (2) The Marquess of Anglesey.

Accompanied by a typescript description by Charles F[rancis] Whitley, in which he suggests that 'the similarity of the script to that of documents of established 6th century provenance seems to confirm a 7th century date for its execution', an opinion that we have not been able to verify.

The scriptures of the Samaritans consist only of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, i.e. the Pentateuch, or Torah.