The Major Additions in the Samaritan Pentateuch Tradition

One of the most prominent characteristics of the SP tradition is the inclusion of major additions in the text, which consist of material duplicated from other parts of the Pentateuch. While most of these additions involve mechanical and faithful copying of the Pentateuchal material, this paper discusses four major additions that reflect distinctive editorial practices. The editors responsible for these additions slightly revise the copied material, primarily through moderate-sized omissions, in a manner that responds to the tension and congestion inherent within it. Recognizing the peculiarity of this group of variants has implications for the literary development of the SP.