Introduction2015.01.28

Introduction to BHS and Hebrew Exegesis

BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia)

• BHS is a reproduction of a manuscript called “Codex Leningradensis” from the Tiberian tradition dating to about 1008 CE.

• What makes BHS a standard resource for Hebrew scholars is its critical apparatus at the bottom of the Hebrew text.

• The critical apparatus indicates any differences found in other manuscripts or any textual issues raised by the editors.

The Masoretic Text

• BHS < Codex Leningradensis < Ben Chayim (Rabbinic Bible) < Masoretic Manuscript

• The Masoretes (around 500 CE)

The Masoretes

• The scholars dating around 500 CE (300-700 CE), who began to assume the responsibility to preserve and transmit the biblical text.

• They also developed a system of notations in the margin of the text that provided exegetical and text-critical information.

Masora

• These notations were called “Masora.” The word is likely to be derived from מסר (to hand down) or .(to bind) אסר

• “The sopherim” refers to those who wrote the consonantal text.

• “The nakdanim” refers to those who provided the vowel points and accents.

• Those who provided “masora” (i.e. the marginal notes) are called the masoretes (Though, scholars use the term to refer to all the three above.).”

Masora Magna & Masora Parva

• Masora Parva, Mp, (the small notes on the sides) and Masora Magna, Mm, (the big notes on top & bottom of the text in manuscript).

• Mp: One of the significant example of Mp is “ .Qere/Ketiv (Gen. 8:17) ”ֹק�“ ב” “ refer to ”ֹל�the number of a word’s occurrence. Seberin ,(anticipated corrections, Gen. 19:23 סביר)Tiqqune Sopherim (scribal corrections), Itture Sopherim ( כת וֹלא scribal omissions, 2 Sam ֹקר16:23).

Key Abbreviations in BHS notes

• ad to, towards, according to

• add additum: added

• al alii, etc.: others, another

• aut...aut either...or

• bab Babylonicum, -e, etc.

• c cum: with

• cj conjunge(ndum) etc.; conjugit, conjugunt

Cont.

• dl dele, delendus: delete, to be deleted

• Edd editions of Hebrew Bible

• et and

• ex from, out of,

• dub dubium: doubtful, uncertain

• fin finis, etc.: limit, boundary

• frt fortasse: perhaps

Cont.

• gl glossa: gloss

• hab habent, habet: they have, they esteem; it has

• huc hither

• init initium: beginning

• ins insere, inserit: insert, it inserts

• L Leningrad Codex

• l lege(ndum): reader

Cont.

• mlt multi, multae, multa: many

• Mss medieval manuscripts of Heb. Bible

• nonn nonnulli, nonnae, nonna: some, several

• pc pauci: few, little

• post after

• prb probabliter: probably

• prp propositum: it has been proposed

Cont.

• sed without; but, however

• sic so, thus

• tr transpone: transpose

• vel or, rather; even, for example

See LII – LIII in BHS

Some technical terms often used in Hebrew Exegesis

• chiasm

• codex

• doublet

• hapax legomenon

• hendiadys

• inclusion

• Kethib/Qere

• parallelism