Was the Temple on Mount Gerizim Modelled after the Jerusalem Temple?

Abstract

Was the Yahweh temple on Mount Gerizim modelled after the temple in Jerusalem? This question is important for our understanding of the sanctuary on Mount Gerizim and the people who worshipped there in the Persian and Hellenistic period; if the Gerizim temple was modelled after the Jerusalem temple, the argument in favour of the Gerizim cult as derived from the cult in Jerusalem is strengthened. On the other hand, if no such connection can be demonstrated convincingly, one must look elsewhere for the answer to the question of Samaritan origins. The present study gives a brief introduction to the relationship between early Judaism and early Samaritanism, or rather Southern and Northern Yahwism, followed by a presentation of Mount Gerizim and the excavations that were carried out there between 1982 and 2006. Finally, I shall turn to the theory that the temple on Mount Gerizim was modelled after the Jerusalem temple, which has been recast by Dr Yitzhak Magen (2008). I conclude that the archaeological remains from the Persian-period sanctuary on Mount Gerizim offer no evidence that this temple was modelled on the temple in Jerusalem.

The Question about the Hypertextual Relations in the Book of Genesis Still Open

“…In the case of some of the identified "major sections" questions arise about the criteria used by the author to delimit them. Those who are familiar with the structure of Deuteronomy may ask, for example, about the reasons for Adamczewski to decompose the Deuteronomic Code (Deut 12-26) and divide it into three "major sections" in his monograph (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34), while ignoring, for instance, the delimiting introductions to the speeches in 12:1 and 27:1. The consequence of such a breakdown of the Deuteronomic Code is the creation of a completely new rhetorical unit, Deut 11:29-12:28, the hypertextual transposition of which is the narrative about the sacrifice on Mount Moriah (Gen 22:1-10).…”

“…Gudme points out the flaws in Magen's argument for interpreting the ruins dating to the 5th century BC as an implementation of Ezekiel's temple design (Ezek 40-42). 24 Although Benedikt Hensel supports the existence of a temple on Mount Gerazim in the 5th century, he admits that it is currently impossible to determine the time of its construction based on the excavation documentation presented by Magen. 25 It remains regrettable that Adamczewski ignores those critical (or at least cautious -in the case of Hensel) voices, especially since he refers to Mor's and Hensel's articles in his monograph.…”

Samaritans, Biblical Studies, and Ancient Judaism: Recent Trends

“…Details have also emerged concerning the sanctuary itself, although the matter of the sanctuary’s similarity (or not) to the Jerusalem Temple remains contested. Magen’s excavations, as well as the publication of pottery finds from an earlier project overseen by G. Ernest Wright (Lapp 2008; see also Berlin 2010), have led to a scholarly consensus on two phases of activity: an earlier Persian-period walled precinct and a Hellenistic expansion (see Gudme 2020; Knoppers 2019c; Zangenberg 2012). Recent excavations also emphasize the need for caution in applying some traditional identifiers to Samaritan (over against Jewish) synagogues in the later period, such as their orientation to Gerizim, aniconic decoration, and lack of lulav and etrog (Pummer 2018; Talgam 2014).…”