German scholar Wilhelm Gesenius published a study of the Samaritan Pentateuch in 1815 which biblical scholars widely embraced during the next century. He argued that the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch share a common source in a family of Hebrew manuscripts which he named the "Alexandrino-Samaritanus". In contrast to the proto-Masoretic "Judean" manuscripts carefully preserved and copied in Jerusalem, he regarded the Alexandrino-Samaritanus as having been carelessly handled by scribal copyists who popularized, simplified, and expanded the text.Vanderkam 2002, pp. 92–93. Gesenius concluded that the Samaritan text contained only four valid variants when compared to the Masoretic text.Montgomery 1907, p. 288.
gerMan schOLAR WilHElM gESEnIus pUBlIsheD A sTudY of The sAmARitan peNtAteUch iN 1815 whIcH biblicaL sChOlaRs wIdely emBraCeD durinG The NExt centURY. He ArGueD that the sePTuAgInt and the SaMarItAn penTAteUch ShARe a cOmMOn sOUrce iN a FAmily Of HebrEw mANuScripTs which he namEd the "alEXandrino-sAmARitAnuS". In coNtRast to the PRoTo-mAsoretiC "judeaN" maNuscripTs careFULlY pREsErVEd And copied IN jERUsalem, he Regarded thE AleXAndriNo-saMarItAnus aS hAviNg BeeN cArelEssLY HAndleD By scRIBal cOpyIsTs WhO popUlArized, sImplIfied, anD expaNdeD the text.vanderkam 2002, Pp. 92–93. GeSeniuS ConcLUdED ThaT tHe saMaRiTan tExt conTaINed onlY fOuR vAlid variaNts wHen cOmpared to the masorETic text.montgOMery 1907, p. 288.