The final sub-category of stylistic variation relates to differences in the word order of
parallel manuscripts. It reflects the category of changes in sequence, or changes in word
order, represented in the models of Tov, Cogan, George and Tigay. It also reflects the
category of ‘stylistic metathesis and textual inversion’ described by Talmon.^96 Variants in
this final sub-category are listed as Stylistic Variants (Type 3), abbreviated to SV(3).
Hermeneutic Variants
The final category of variation relates to forms that alter the meaning of the parallel
manuscript. These are the most significant differences between parallel texts. Shorter
forms of this category are typically changes in definitive information, such as cardinal or
ordinal numbers. In the biblical text hermeneutic variation generally involves exegetical
changes, whereas in non-biblical texts this category can involve opposing and contradic-
tory observational information such as weather or planetary movements, as well as
changes to chronological information. Variations of this type are listed as Hermeneutic
Variants, abbreviated to HV.
The Quantification of Texts
In order to render our texts adaptable to a statistical analysis, it is necessary to reduce
each of our sources into data streams that can be counted and registered statistically. To
this end we must decide on a system of quantifying our texts into units that can be easily
defined and counted. These units should be adjustable to the characteristics of any of the
(^96) See S. Talmon, "The Textual Study of the Bible - A New Outlook," (^) Qumran and the History of the Bibli-
cal Text (eds F.M. Cross and S. Talmon; Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1975) 438.