introduction 2015.01.28 introduction to bhs and hebrew exegesis
TRANSCRIPT
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