No Small Difference When Introducing Samuel in Sirach 46:13

While the Cairo Genizah text preserves three Hebrew bicola for Ben Sira 46:13, the Greek version omits any reference to Samuel as a nazirite and priest. Some roles given to Samuel in Hebrew Ben Sira are known from the MT of First Samuel, especially as prophet and judge, establisher of the monarchy and anointer of rulers. His depiction as a nazirite matches 4QSam for 1 Sam 1:22 as well as the Mishnaic tractate Nazir. While Samuel began as an apprentice of the Levitical priest Eli and later offered sacrifice at a time of national crisis, the MT of First Samuel never specifically calls him a priest, but Ben Sira’s portrayal of him as an officiating priest draws out the implication of Ps 99:6.