into volumes, like the modern synagogue rolls. (Psalms 40:7; Jeremiah 36:14; Ezekiel 2:9; Zechariah
5:1) The original character in which the text was expressed is that still preserved to us, with the
exception of four letters, on the Maccabaean coins, and having a strong affinity to the Samaritan
character. At what date this was exchanged for the present Aramaic or square character is still as
undetermined as it is at what the use of the Aramaic language Palestine superseded that of the
Hebrew. The old Jewish tradition, repeated by Origen and Jerome, ascribed the change to Ezra.
[Writing] Of any logical division, in the written text, of the rose of the Old Testament into Pesukim
or verses, we find in the Tulmud no mention; and even in the existing synagogue rolls such division
is generally ignored. In the poetical books, the Pesukim mentioned in the Talmud correspond to
the poetical lines, not to our modern verses. Of the documents which directly bear upon the history
of the Hebrew text, the earliest two are the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch and the Greek
translation of the LXX. [Samaritan PentateuchPentateuch, The; Septuagint] In the (translations
of Aquila and the other Greek interpreters, the fragments of whose works remain to us in the
Hexapla, we have evidence of the existence of a text differing but little from our own; so also (in
the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. A few centuries later we have, in the Hexapla, additional
evidence to the same effect in Origin’s transcriptions of the Hebrew text. And yet more important
are the proofs of the firm establishment of the text, and of its substantial with our own, supplied
by the translation of Jerome, who was instructed by the Palestinian Jews, and mainly relied upon
their authority for acquaintance not only with the text itself, but also with the traditional unwritten
vocalization of brings us to the middle of the Talmudic period. The care of the Talmudic doctors
for the text is shown by the pains with which they counted no the number of verses in the different
books and computed which were the middle verses, words and letters in the Pentateuch and in the
Psalms. The scrupulousness with which the Talmudists noted what they deemed the truer readings,
and yet abstained from introducing them into the text, indicates at once both the diligence with
which they scrutinized the text and also the care with which even while knowledging its occasional
imperfections, they guarded it. Critical procedure is also evinced in a mention of their rejection
of manuscripts which were found not to agree with others in their readings; and the rules given
with refer once to the transcription and adoption of manuscripts attest the care bestowed upon
them. It is evident from the notices of the Talmud that a number of oral traditions had been gradually
accumulating respecting both the integrity of particular passages of the text itself and also the
manner in which if was to be read. This vast heterogeneous mass of traditions and criticisms,
compiled and embodied in writing, forms what is known as the Masorah, i.e. Tradition. From the
end of the Masoretic period onward, the Masorah became the great authority by which the text
given in all the Jewish MSS. was settled.
•Manuscripts .—The Old Testament MSS. known to us fall into two main classes: synagogue rolls
and MSS. for private use of the latter, some are written in the square, others in the rabbinic or
cursive, character. The synagogue rolls contain separate from each other, the Pentateuch, the
Haphtaroth or appointed sections of the prophets, and the so-called Megilloth, viz. Canticles, Ruth,
Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. Private MSS. in the square character are in the book form,
either on parchment or on paper, and of various sizes, from folio to 12mo. Some contain the
Hebrew text alone; others add the Targum, or an Arabic or other translation, either interspersed
with the text or in a separate column, occasionally in the margin. The upper and lower margins
are generally occupied by the Masorah, sometimes by rabbinical commentaries, etc. The date of
a MS. is ordinarily given in the subscription but as the subscriptions are often concealed in the
frankie
(Frankie)
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