Go to Related Reading
About this book

Samaritan Leviticus

Samaritan Penteteuch

About this book
Chapter 9

1 And on the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel, 2 and he said to Aaron: “Take a calf of the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burned offering, both without blemish, and offer them in the presence of Shema. 3 And you shall speak to the elders of Israel,⁠ saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burned offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice in the presence of Shema, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today Shema appears to you.’” 5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting; and all the congregation came near and stood in the presence of Shema. 6 And Moses said: “This is what Shema commanded you to do; and the glory of Shema shall appear to you.”

7 And Moses said to Aaron: “Come near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burned offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as Shema commanded.” 8 So Aaron came near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 And the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, 10 but he burned the fat, and the kidneys, and the appendage from the liver of the sin offering on the altar, as Shema commanded Moses. 11 And he burned the meat and the skin with fire outside the camp.

12 And he killed the burned offering; and Aaron’s sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around. 13 And they brought the burned offering to him, piece by piece, and the head; and he burned them on the altar. 14 And he washed the internal organs and the legs, and burned them on the burned offering on the altar. 15 And he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering, which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first. 16 And he presented the burned offering, and offered it according to the rule. 17 And he presented the grain offering, and filled his hands from it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burned offering of the morning. 18 He also killed the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons brought him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar all around, 19 and the fat of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail, and what covers the internal organs, and the kidneys, and the appendage of the liver; 20 and he put the fat on the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar, 21 and Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering in the presence of Shema, as Shema commanded Moses.

22 And Aaron raised his hand toward the people,⁠ and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burned offering, and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and the glory of Shema appeared to all the people. 24 And fire came out from the presence of Shema, and consumed the burned offering and the fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Texts in conversation

Compare Leviticus 9:22 and Samaritan Leviticus 9:22

Hebrew Bible · Samaritan

Share:

Summary

Leviticus 9 says Aaron blessed the people after the offerings, yet versions differ on how he raised his hand. The Masoretic text says he lifted both hands and the Samaritan Pentateuch says he lifted one, perhaps reflecting competing traditions.

Passages

Leviticus 9:22

Hebrew Bible
21 Finally Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the Lord just as Moses had commanded. 22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them and descended from making the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. 23 Moses and Aaron then entered into the Meeting Tent. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.
750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Leviticus

Samaritan Leviticus 9:22

Samaritan · Samaritan Penteteuch
21 and Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering in the presence of Shema, as Shema commanded Moses. 22 And Aaron raised his hand toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burned offering, and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and the glory of Shema appeared to all the people.
130–120 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Samaritan Leviticus

References

"... The passage of Leviticus 9:22 mentions the blessing of the people by Aaron after he offered sacrifices. The posture of the one giving the blessing is particularly notable, as the textual witnesses are not in agreement. According to the reading of one textual witness or another, it is possible to understand that Aaron raised either one hand (ידו) or both hands (ידיו). The textual difference is very minor, involving the presence or absence of the second yod (י). However, this question holds significant interest as it contributes to the understanding of the priest's posture while blessing the people. The divergences between textual witnesses suggest that either the posture evolved over time or it varied among communities. Rabbinic traditions often describe the priestly blessing with two hands raised, which appears to be the standard practice. Conversely, the Samaritan Pentateuch implies that Aaron raised only one hand ..."
Innocent Himbaza, “La Bénédiction d’Aaron en Lévitique 9,22 et le Pentateuque Samaritain,” in The Text of Leviticus: Proceedings of the Third International Colloquium of the Dominique Barthélemy Institute, ed. Innocent Himbaza (Leuven: Peeters, 2020), 69–81.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Your feedback

Leviticus 9:22 and Samaritan Leviticus 9:22

Leave a comment

Your questions and comments are welcome!

Comments

Glossary

Search the Library