272 THE HOLY LAND. 
CHAP, herds were feedino- as of old ' : nor in the simple 
VI. * ^ 
V I »y- .) garb of the shepherds of Samaria was there any 
thing to contradict the notions we may entertain 
of the appearance formerly exhibited by the 
sons of Jacob. The Jews of the twelfth 
century acknowledged that the Tomb of Joseph 
then existed in Sichem, although both the citi/ 
and the io?7ib were the possession and the boast 
of a people whom they detested. *' The town," 
says Rabbi Benjamin', " lies in a vale, be- 
tween Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, where 
there are above a hundred Cuthieans^, who 
observe only the law of Moses, whom men call 
Samaritans. Samaritans. They have priests, of the lineage 
of Aaron who rests in peace; and those they 
call Aaronites, who never marry but with per- 
sons of the sacerdotal family, that they may not 
he confounded with the people. Yet these priests 
of their law offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings 
in their congregations, as it is written in the 
law * ; ' Thou shalt put the blessing upon Mount 
Gerizim.' They therefore affirm that this is the 
(1) "And Israel said uuto Joseph, Do not tliy brethren feed the 
flock in SuECHEM ?" Genesis xxxvii. 13. 
(2) See the translation by Gerrans, p. 6P. Lond. 1783. 
(3) The Samaritans were called Cuthaans bj' Jewish Writers ; from 
Scmhallad, a Cuthite, who was their founder. See JosepMis, Aiitiq. 
lib. xi. C.7. 
(4) Deut. xi. 29. 
