Masoretic
The Masoretic Text
Over 700 years after Jesus was proclaimed king in Judea someone began to create the Masoretic version of the Old Testament. There is a difference of opinion as to when the Text was written, but it may have been accomplished in the 10th to the 11th century. Editions vary but there is one claiming to be an authoritative text[1] published in 1524.
Many traditions of the Jewish scholars known as the Masoretes (or Masorites) who were rabbis attempted to correct what they called faults which they said crept into the text during the Babylonian captivity.
The people who did this were influenced by what they already believed to be true. Vowel points were added to the text along with cantillation marks bit some who once thought the text was still reliable have questioned that the bias is real.
"Historical research reveals five significant ways in which the Masoretic Text is different from the original Old Testament:
- The Masoretes admitted that they received corrupted texts to begin with.
- The Masoretic Text is written with a radically different alphabet than the original.
- The Masoretes added vowel points which did not exist in the original.
- The Masoretic Text excluded several books from the Old Testament scriptures.
- The Masoretic Text includes changes to prophecy and doctrine.[2]
Trope
Although they may have attempted to do a good job they interpreted trope[3] and rhetorical schemes.[4] according to their own preconceived notions, concepts and beliefs.
Like the Pharisees before them, they may not have known the word and meanings of the Father in heaven because they did not know the spirit of God or Christ. They may have been under the same strong delusion of the Pharisees who failed to understand the Old Testament. Others like the Essenes came too much different conclusions reading the same Torah because of private interpretations and sophistry. A Christian should find the meaning of the prophets reflected in the teachings and practices of the early Church.
Every letter counts
As we have seen in the original Hebrew new words could be constructed by adding or changing a letter. If you add the letter Hey, ה, to the word ShinBeitAyin (שבע) you get what some write as shib`ah but in the Hebrew there is still only the same four letters (שבעה).
This word maybe translated seven things or the seventh item, but with a different set of vowel points the word עבשׁ sheba‘, becomes the name Sheba, numbered 07652.
With another set of points the translators make ShinBetAyinHey (שבעה) into the word sib`ah, numbered 07653, with the meaning fullness or satisfaction. It also appears as 07656 Shebah, or 07655 shib`ah, also translated 'seven', 'seven times', or as 07654 sob`ah it becomes satisfy, enough, full, or sufficiently, or as 07653 sib`ah again, becomes fullness.
While many of these translations may be similar the word satisfaction and seven are distinctly different words. There are many other words that are strikingly different in meaning coming from the same words and if improperly marked or translated they may alter the entire meaning of the text in the mind of the reader. This coupled with the preconceived notions of the student, a false impression or understanding of the meaning of the text may result.
One reason for a lack of details and the warnings about immersing ourselves into details is that it may not be as important as the overall message concerning the difference between the way of Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh who oppressed mankind turning their governments into cities of blood and with a lack of forgiveness set up systems of force and violence.
We even see them encouraging the people's appetite for the dainties of rulers. These covetous practices that lead the people back into bondage while they bite one another is contrary to the way of Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus the Christ who set those Captives free.
Letter or Spirit
Many prefer the inspiration of the consonantal Hebrew text rather than the Masoretic vowel points and comments that have been added by men with a religious agenda.
Akkadian is considered a Semitic languages and is undeniably related to Hebrew, even though it was written in cuneiform.
While there is the Samaritan Pentateuch, and now the Dead Sea Scrolls, other than fragments, there is no parallel family of manuscripts to call upon to determine the understanding of the words and meanings themselves. The Masoretic[5] text may be technically similar based on comparison with the Dead Sea scrolls translations of a few texts the interpretations and varied English translations can alter our understanding of the original intent and message.
Methods of teaching Classical Hebrew fall into two basic categories, the Grammar Translation Method and the Inductive Reading Method. The Inductive method lends itself to conversation and since there is no native speakers to consult when one wishes to test out ones inter-language hypotheses we often must resign ourselves to "endless grammar exceptions".
What you are seeing is conclusions based on what the linguist believes the words mean already.
These rules and exceptions are determined to alter the meaning of the words to fit what they already believe the words are supposed to mean and therefore are heavily dependent on theological prejudice. If the linguist or translator comes to a conclusion that counter consistently accepted theology they lose credibility and will need to find another job. But this does not guarantee that "consistently accepted theology" is even close to the truth.
A sample of the text in a study of the word "Celebrate" is seen in the Masoretic Text which says that the Hebrew text should look like this.
Leviticus 23:32
- Westminster Leningrad Codex with vowel points
- שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתֹון הוּא לָכֶם וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בְּתִשְׁעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּעֶרֶב מֵעֶרֶב עַד־עֶרֶב תִּשְׁבְּתוּ שַׁבַּתְּכֶֽם׃ פ
- Westminster Leningrad Codex Consonants Only
- שבת שבתון הוא לכם ועניתם את־נפשתיכם בתשעה לחדש בערב מערב עד־ערב תשבתו שבתכם׃ פ
If you look you will see the letters ShemBeitTav (תבשׁ) in several words. That is a base word and by adding letters you will change the meaning. Those jots and titles are not necessarily in the original text.
- sabbath 07676 שַׁבָּת shabbath
- of rest, 07677 שַׁבָּתוֹן shabbathown[6]
- shall ye celebrate 07673 שָׁבַת shabath
- your sabbath. 07676 שַׁבָּת shabbath
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Footnotes
- ↑ Jacob ben-chayim ibn Adonijah, who arranged previous works
- ↑ Masoretic Text vs. Original Hebrew, August 31, 2015 By Fr. John A. Peck
- ↑ Trope. A rhetorical figure of speech that consists of a play on words, i.e. using a word in a way other than what is considered its literal or normal form.
- ↑ Schemes or elocution are when a word or phrase departs from straightforward, literal language.
- ↑ : The present Hebrew Bibles that we now possess are from the Massoretic Text. This text dates back as far as AD 900 and is called the Massoratic Text because it was a product of the Jewish scribes known as the “Massoretes”. <Alternative form of masorite found in some dictionaries.>
- The Massorets were Hebrew scholars between AD 500 and 950 who made determinations about pronunciation and grammatical form of the Old Testament text by inserting vowel points. Their opinion and criticism produced the modern-day Hebrew Bible from what was an unpainted consonantal text we no longer have.
- ↑ 07677 ^ןותבשׁ^ shabbathown \@shab-baw-thone’\@
from 07676; n m; AV-rest 8, sabbath 3, 11
- 1) Sabbath observance, sabbatism
- 1a) of weekly sabbath
- 1b) day of atonement
- 1c) sabbatical year
- 1d) of Feast of Trumpets
- 1e) of the 1st and last days of the Feast of Tabernacles:
- 1) Sabbath observance, sabbatism
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