Samaritan Torah, פַּרְשַׁת פִּנְחָס

Numbers 26:10	במדבר כו י-כו י
The earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah; when that company died, in the fire consuming two hundred and fifty men, they became a sign.	וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם וְאֶת־קֹרַח בְּמוֹת הָעֵדָה בַּאֲכֹל הָאֵשׁ אֵת חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ וַיִּהְיוּ לְנֵס׃

The word translated "sign" in the KJV, נֵס, means "miracle". The Samaritan text has it slightly differently:

The earth opened its mouth, and the earth swallowed them up; when that company died, in the fire consuming Korah and two hundred and fifty men, they disappeared.

וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם הָאָרֶץ בְּמוֹת הָעֵדָה בַּאֲכֹל הָאֵשׁ אֵת קֹרַח וְאֶת־חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ וַיִּהְיוּ לְנוּס׃

The use of וַיִּהְיוּ here is unusual. It may be an indication the Masoretic Text preserves the original reading and the Samaritan text a corrupt one.

On to the investiture of Joshua (Num 27:18):

The Lord said to Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה קַח־לְךָ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת־יָדְךָ עָלָיו׃

The Samaritan text is more impressed with Joshua's characteristic:

The Lord said to Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun, the man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה קַח־לְךָ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת־יָדְךָ עָלָיו׃

The Samaritan text also inserts Deut. 3:21-22 ("I commanded Joshua at that time: 'Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings: so shall the Lord do to all the kingdoms where you pass. Do not fear them, for the Lord your God he shall fight for you.'") into the end of his investiture, after v. 23.

Samaritan Torah notes         Jewish learning notes index

Heard in yesterday's דְרָשָׁה in shul

Speaker: ...which brings us to the link between the [Yom Kippur mincha] Torah reading, and the Haftarah [the Book of Jonah], which is the word "vomit".
Congregant: I'm glad you brought that up.