valiant Leader Zorobabel whose Stock and Vertue is ennobled by the Genealogy of our Saviour Christ He had with him the High Priest Jeschua and other Chief Priests and Levites the companions of Zorobabel their Leader out of Babylon and he had also all that were Pillars of Piety among all the people These were the men designed for the Settlement of Religion not only for the present time but for the eternal benefit of Posterity from whom they knew the gift of Prophecy was now departing Cap. 10. XXXII In this Synod they thought it not sufficient to have delivered the Sacred authentick books unto the Church but the manner also how to read them cleerly and expound them was most prudently prescribed It appeareth by the learned Hebrews exposition of that place in Nehemiah chap. 8. vers 8. So they read in the Book in the sight of all the people and gave the sense and caused them t◠understand the reading that in the publick Synagogue they read first the Text of the Book of the Law in Hebrew distinctly and understandingly according to the pauses and then explained it in the Chaldee which was now the vulgar Tongue of the people brought from Babylon This Reformation of the Sacred Scripture by Ezra was not unknown to Tertullian a most grave Writer of the first Antiquity in the Christian Church for in his Book De Hab. Mul. he saith After the overthrow of Jerusalem by the Babylonians it is certain that all the Instruments of the Judaic Literature were restored by Ezra Chrysostome also ascribeth unto Ezra the same work where he writeth Attend and Learn Gods mercy to us of old He inspired Moses and he wrote the Tables of Stone He determined him forty days in the Mount and again so many days that he might give him the Law In after times he sent Prophets who suffered innumerable wrongs War rushed in it consumed all sorts of men the Books were burnt in the Fire But again he inspired another man that he might repair those admirable Scriptures I mean Ezra and enabled him to compose the Law anew out of their Reliques c. Hom. 8. in Epist ad Hebr. Cap. 11. XXXIII Now and henceforth were the Foundations of the Masora laid the work was begun in the partition of the Sacred Books in the distinction of the Text into greater Sections and into Verses and in the dinumeration of them as also of the Letters least one Prick or Tittle might afterward be changed or lost For first having constituted the number of Canonical Books and reduced them into one body of Scripture they divided it into three principal parts viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Writings or Hagiographa This Division was taken notice of by our Saviour and declared in that saying of his All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Luc. 24. 44. where the Psalmes are put for all the Books in that part entitled Hagiographa out of which also some things are cited in the new Testament as fulfilled Elsewhere he named only two parts The Law and the Prophets were until John Luc. 16. 16. And in another place a whole part of Scripture is set for one Book of that part as It is written in the Prophets Mark 1. 2. Jo. 6. 45. That is in that part of Scripture which contains the Prophets in that Volumne of the Prophets For that which was cited was not written in all the Prophets but in one of them the first in Mal. 3. 1. the other in Isa 54. 13. Thus is this division usuall in the most antient writings of the Hebrews In the Masora when any word is found only thrice and that in the three parts of Scripture then they say We meet with it three times once in the Law once in the Prophets once in the Hagiographia In the Talmudists one binds up the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa into one Book Again They brought unto us the Law the Prophets the Hagiographa bound into one Barabathra fol. 13. 2. Elias Levita in the third preface to his Masoreth where he speaks of the men of the great Synagogue and their labour in restoring of the Scripture writes thus For all the twenty four Books were not bound up together but they the Men of the great Synagogue conjoyned them and made three parts of them the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 11. XXXIV These three parts were afterward divided into others The Law according to the diversity of the matter and the History was subdivided into five Books which are entitled by us Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuternomy The Prophets were subdivided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter Prophets The former are four in number which are named under the title of the Books of Joshua Judges Samuel and Kings or so called because in these Books it is treated of the first Prophets In these Samuel was reckoned at first for one Book and the Kings likewise for one which afterwards were distinguished into two Hence Samuel is called a Prophet as in that He gave them Judges until Samuel the Prophet Act. 13. 20. The latter Prophets are also four Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel and the Twelve Lesser These last were united in one Book that they might not be in danger by their smalnesse to be lost Hence is that to be taken Act. 7. 42. As it is written in the Book of the Prophets that is of the lesser Prophets to wit Amos 5. 25. and hence also we read in the Hebrew Doctors Those eight Prophets were bound in one Barabathra fol. 13. 2. to wit the four former and so many latter before mentioned as the Commentator there explains The rest of the Books are the Hagiographa and they were stiled in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Writings by a Synecdoche in asmuch as they were written by the Holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by immediate instinct of the Holy Ghost and not by a Prophetick spirit or by Prophecy properly so called So Daniel and Esra are accounted as it were Historical composing the History of the Church by divine instinct whither also pertain the Paralipomena or Chronicles whose Author Esra is supposed to have been David and Salomon have written most part things belonging unto piety and manners and Doctrin in adversity and prosperity albeit they have Prophetical matters David eminently often times intermixed The five small Books which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are likewise judged as Didactical and historical The Hagiographa therefore at first were accounted nine Books Psalmes Proverbs Job Canticles Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Esra Chronicles where Esra comprehends also Nehemiah and the two Books of Chronicles are taken for one The Book of Ruth was referred to the Book of Judges for the
Masora A COLLECTION Out of the Learned Master JOANNES BUXTORFIUS 's Commentarius Masorethicus By CLEMENT BARKSDALE Neque Omnia neque Nihil Iota unum non peribit LONDON Printed for Matthias Thurston and are to be sold at his Shop next the St. Johns-head Tavern within Ludgate 1665. PETRVS CVNAEVS Of the Hebrew COMMONWEALTH Lib. 1. Cap. ult WHat time the Christians understood scarce Three words of Hebrew how easie had it been for the Jews to corrupt those places which seemed to refute their Follies but Piety would not permit them Religion forbad them to move or alter any thing in the Sacred Text And truly when I look upon the unwearied diligence of the MASORITES I am almost amazed For all the parts of the Hebrew Bible being accurately revised and compared they signed with Impressed Notes They observed not only how many Verses and Words but also how many Letters every Book contained Wherefore that afterward when Barbarism orespread the World not one point of that Divine writing perished we owe next under God to them The INDEX MASORA whence so called 2. What are Traditions 3. Definition of Masora 4. The deligence of the Heb. Gods providence 5. Who the Authors of Masora two opinions 6. Aben Ezra and Elias Levita I. 7. The School of Tiberias the Hierusalem Talmud Rabbi Jehuda 8. The Babylon-Schools their Talmud 9. Hillel Hannasi his new compute Jos Scaliger 10. Tiberias decayed 11. St. Jerom his Hebrew Doctor 12 The Masorites of Tiberias not Authors 13. The Authority of the Babylon-Talmud 14. The Oral Kabala 15. Masora more antient then the Talmud 16. 17. The points before the Masoretic Notes 18. Dages and Mappik 19. The Accents noted 20. Masorites office 21. Masorites the Antients 22. Vowels from one Prick 23. Punctation before Talmud 24. Chaldee names of Points 25. Need of Points 26. Vowel Points not from the Tiberians why 27. The Septuagint 28. The Great Synagogue II 29. Ezra Nehemiah c. High Priest and Alex. M. 30. Scribes Ezra praised 31. Ezra Haggai Malachi Zorobabel c. 32. Nehem. 8. 8. expounded Tertul. and Chrysost 33. Beginning of Masora Division of the Bible Lu. 24. 44. 34. Subdivision into 22. 35. Distinction of Verses Fiction of the Kabalists Septuagint 36. Critical Learning The first Masorites 37. Reading of the words Vowels and Accents Letters numbred 38. Testimonies for the men of the Great Synagogue 39. Elias Levita Succession of Masorites Ezra the first Author 40. The Matter of the Masora The number of the Verses in Genesis c. 41. Notes upon the Verses Venice Edition of the Bible 42. Notes upon the Words 43. The writing and reading 44. VVords written fully or defectively 45. The place of VVords 46. Structure of Verbs 47. Ambiguous signification noted 48. Vowels and Accents observed 49. The Letters noted in their Figure and Number 50. Great Letters observed 51. Little Letters observed 52. The Letter Nun inverted 53. Pricked words 54. The Letters numbred The middle Letter of the Law 55. Raf. Saadia Gaon 56. The Form of the Masora The Edition of Daniel Bomberg and R. Jac. Ben Chajim 57. The Great and Little Masora Textual and Final 58. The end of the Masora The hedge of the Law Testimonies of Jews 59. Testimonies of Christians 60. Conclusion MASORA I. _ה 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masora Masoreth are Verbal Nouns derived from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver and are here taken for a Doctrine or Knowledge which one delivers and communicates to another as it were from hand to hand The correlative Verb is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receive i. to perceive know and understand for what is delivered by word of mouth is received with the Ear and so transmitted to the Mind So the Hebrews have a saying Moses received the Law from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua Joshua to the Elders the Elders to the Prophets the Prophets delivered it to the men of the great Synagogue Cap. 1. II. In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tradition or delivery is usually taken for a Doctrine or Institution about certain Rites and Ceremonies so the Jews had many Traditions invented and prescribed by the Scribes and Doctors for the advancement of Piety that is to keep them by the observing of these in the better observation of Gods Commands whence in Syriac Tradition is called Perfection because they imagined that the Law of God comprehended in writing somwhat imperfectly was perfected and compleated by such Institutions but Christ hath disapproved them saying Ye have made void the Law of God by your Tradition Mat. 15. 6. Cap. 1. III. Masora as we take it here by a Synecdoche signifies the Critical Doctrine about the Holy Hebrew Text and may be thus defined A Critical Doctrine concerning the Hebrew Text of Holy Scripture ingeniously invented by the antient wise men of the Hebrews wherby the Verses Words and Letters thereof were numbred and all the variety of them marked and shewed in their several places with the particular Verses recited that so the constant and genuine reading of the Text might be preserved and for ever secured from all chang and corruption Hence is that saying of the Rabbins The Masora is the Hedge or Fence of the Law Cap. 2. IV. In this Study admirable was the diligence of the antient Hebrews their Zeal in conserving the Text of Gods Word most ardent inimitable and without example in any other Nation of the whole World was their Labor No less to be admired is the providence of God shining forth toward the Gentiles who were to be called to the knowledge of him by the Scripture For here through East and West the Word of God is of one reading the Books do all consent with perfect Harmony a Happiness granted to no other Nation no other Books in the World That most antient Writer of the Christian Church Justin Martyr justly ascribs it to the singular care and providence of God that the Jews so studiously in their Synagogues kept safe and sound the holy Writings for our use and benefit Serm. ad Gentes And St. Austin stiles the Jews our Servitors to carry our books for us in Psal 41. Cap. 2. V. The Authors of Masora are named by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Schools the Masoreths from their handling the Masora or Critical Doctrine Who they were indeed where or when they lived is not easily to be determined Two opinions there are especially among the Rabbins the one that the Authors were the wise men of the City Tiberias the other that the Masora was written by the men of the Great Synagogue or the great Council called by the Prophet Ezra Cap. 3. VI. They of the first opinion do not only attribute the Masora to the wise men of Tiberias but will have them to be the first Inventors of the Points Vowels and Accents Among these the first is R. Aben Ezra he flourished in the year of Christ 1150 who in his
in the Letters is incorrupt and unchanged and that may be judge For the Vowels are the soul giving life to the distinct Words and the Word written with bare Consonants cannot be read nor understood without Vowels and especially in dark and difficult places one will adde these Vowels another those as every own shall attempt to draw forth the meaning Here is need of another Judge the Word written with naked Letters cannot speak for it self The Greek version of the lxx differs from the Hebrew Text not only in the reading of Vowels but Letters also so that it cannot be Judge Where will you seek another Shall the Servant give sentence upon the Lord the waiting Maid upon her Royal Lady or shall the living and most clear fountain be tryed by the Tast and Colour of the troubled and muddy stream Cap. 9. XXVIII The other Opinion of the Hebrews touching the Authors of the Masora is that the Masora was written by the Men of the great Synagogue whom they stile in their Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the great Council gathered by Ezra the Priest the President thereof after the Babylonian Captivity by whose help and assistance he restored the Church of Jerusalem and of all the Jews purging and reforming it from many corruptions errors and vices contracted in Babylon For this Office when he departed from Babylon to Jerusalem by the Grace of God and the Authority of King Artaxerxes was committed to him as appears by the Kings Letters Esr 7. Not long after him the King sent away Nehemias also as a most faithfull Colleague and zealous assistant who being armed with the Royal Commission and publick authority promoted the reformation of the City and the Church with great fervour of affection as the Book of Nehemiah shewes Cap. 10. XXIX Esra and Nehemiah associated to themselvs others of the prime Men of the people and the wisest so that the whole Council completed the number of 120. Men which Council is of most worthy memory frequently in the Writings of the Hebrews Hence in the Chronicle Juchasin fol. 13. It is read of this Counsell When Constitutions are named absolutely they are from Esra And the house of Judgement of Esra is that which is called the great Synagogue or the great Council which restored the Crown unto the antient estate The Hebrews had three Crowns of the Law the Priesthood and the Kingdome The Crown of the Law i. the Study of Wisdom and the knowledge of the Divine Law was the greatest of all according to that Prov. 8. 15. By me i. Wisdome Kings Raign This Crown Esra which his Colleagues reduced to the Primitive Condition i. e. He reformed the Ecclesiastical Common-wealth from the filth and pollutions of Babylon and reduced it to the old integrity and purged the Holy Scripture from the deceitfull Books of the false Prophets and from all corruptions Therefore in the Jerusalem Talmud in the Book Megilla c. 4. in fine When the men of the great Synagogue arose they restored magnificence i. The Crown of the Law then whose magnificence none is greater Don Isaac Abarbinel in the preface to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commemorates the principal men of this Council most of whom came from Babylon and Jerusalem with Zorobabel The Catalogue saith he of the men of the great Council are Hagaeus the Prophets Zacharias the Prophet Malachias the Prophet Zorobabel the son of Schealtiel Mordecai Bilsohan Ezra the Priest and Scribe Jehosua the Son of Johotzedek the Priest Seraja Realja Mispar Bigaeus Rachum Bana Nehemiah the Son of Chacilja These are the twelve prime Men c. The last man saith Rabbi Moses ben Mâ—jomen in whom the Council ended was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simeon the just he who went forth to meet the great Alexander in bis Priestly habit and inclined him to shew Clemency toward the City which story is famous among the Hebrews It happened according to their account in the fourth year after the building of the second Temple whence we gather that the men of this Synod supervived beyond forty years All this is to shew that the Hebrews esteemed this Synod of very great Authority Cap. 10. XXX The head and President of this Synod Ezra was above all the rest furnished with singular gifts of God for these affairs chiefly was he expert in the Divine Law in the interpretation and description of the Sacred Scripture most exercised for which he is commended Esr 7. 6. He was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scribe he is called not so much à Scribendo from writing as from declaring and explaining the things contained in the Holy Scriptures For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an interpreter of Books a Doctor a Scribe And by no Book was gotten greater praise then by the Book of the Law whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lawyer who taught and interpreted the Law of God So in the New Testament they are sometimes stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scribes who instructed the people sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Skilfull of the Law Yet properly was he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scribe who did write Letters Instruments Books Contracts and such like as in Psa 45. 2. My Tongue is the Pen of a ready Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Esra was excellent both-wayes being at once a Learned expounder of the Law and a ready Writer of it For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Judgments Ez. 7. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence also they compare him to Moses for the excellency of his Dignity as we may read in both Talmuds and he was justly named Ezra for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is help St. Jerom renders it Adjutor a Helper XXXI Ezra therefore being sollicitous to help a decayed Church and to reform it distributed Offices Ecclesiastical instituted Sacrifices consecrated Vessels appointed for Divine uses celebrated Solemn Feasts proclaimed Fasts and Repentance cleansed the people from the Wedlock of Strangers and endeavoured to order and compose all things after the Prescript of Divine Law but that the Law it self and the whole Sacred Scripture might be extant amongst the people of God in the genuine and pure Integrity and that there might be a difference between the Writings of many false Prophets and the Books of the true and whatsoever spot by reason of the incommodities of their long Captivity had blemished the holy Letters might be stripped off there was great need of mature Advice of the provident care of Learned men exercised perfectly in the reading of the Sacred Scripture and of the vigorous aid of many Assistants To this purpose he had with him Divine Collegues endued with a prophetick Spirit Haggaeus Malachias Nehemias whose fervent and most ardent affection is testified openly by their Holy Sermons He had with him that most
continuation of the History and the Lamentations to Jeremy for the same Authors sake According to this distinction the Books of the Bible in all were computed two and twenty agreeable to the number of the Hebrew Letters Cap. 11. XXXV After that they had defined and distributed the Canonica◠Books the Men of the great Synagogue further considered of the conformity of the Text and the verity and variety of the reading Here first of all the Text was distinguished into Verses Notes of distinction being added which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there was the end of every Verse For the Hebrews conceive that all the Scripture-text before was but as it were one Verse without any notes of distinction even as it is this day all their Books except very seldome and almost only in the greater Sections and Parts do not use distinctive Points but signifie a new Part Section or matter of discourse by larger Writing of the first Word And that till the time of this Council or great Synagogue the Text of Scripture was without Notes of distinction of the Verses the Jews prove out of the Sacred Book of the Law writen after the antient manner into a great form rouled up kept in their Synagogues in a Sacred Chest for publick solemn Readings on Sabbath dayes and other Festivals which is still to be seen without those Notes of Verses and without the Points of Vowels and Accents according to the form of the first exemplar written by Moses and given to the people of Israel as themselves affirm But that the whole Law was written without any distinction of words without any space interposed that the whole Text was as it were one Verse or one Word is a vain fiction of the Kabbalists Now if the Hebrew Text was distinguished into Verses by the Men of the great Synagogue why have not the lxx Greek Interpreters prudent Elders born Jews the chiefest learned Men most observant of their Law retained that distinction in their Traslation The Answer is that the difference of Verses as also of innumerous other places in that version is not from those first Interpreters but from the Transcribers who sometimes conjoyned sometimes divided the sentences as their Pen ran and their mind was either more or lesse intent which in great and long works usually happens Besides who can certainly affirm or believe that the present Greek version is altogether the same which those first interpreters with so great labour ftamed What made some of the most pious and most learned Fathers in the Primitive Christian Church so often to complain of that Translation What moved them to set forth so many new ones in the Greek Why did some so religiously embrace and so much commend the verity of the Hebrew Text Cap. 11. XXXVI After the distinction of the Verses by the men of the Great Synagogue they took into consideration the single Words and therein they had a double care one respected the writing of them by naked Consonants the other the reading of them and pronunciation by the Letters and Vowels jointly In the writing of the Words by the Letters they consulted with the Authentick Copies of the first Authors as many as were then extant in their hands or else followed the fidelity of other Copies most approved and most in number whether the Words were Written according to the Native propriety of their Origination what words with what quiescent Letters were written fully and what defectively what Letters and Words were written abundantly and not read or on the contrary what were read and not written in the Text or what were written in this manner and read in another as the Church had observed it continually from the time of Moses Of all which particulars the learned and skilfull then were able to give account and there were mystical reasons known to them but among the posterity through the most grievous calamities of after-times forgotten Now if this part of Critical learning belongs to the Masora and thence by all they are stiled Masoreths who were the Authors of it then none can deny but the first Masoreths were the Men of the great Synagogue Cap. 11. XXXVII A Second care of these Masoreths was about the reading and pronouncing of the Words together with the Vowels and Accents of them also particularly were written Masoretic Notes But whether the men of the great Synagogue here first invented the Points of Vowels and Accents or perfected them being invented by other or being neglected or disused restored them and took care that a Masora should be also written of them this cannot easily be said nor proved Lastly these men not content with all this numbred the Letters Words and Verses in every Book that it might be known what Letter what Word what Verse was in the midst of every one what Word did but once occur and therefore did easily admi◠some error or corruption what words more often and how many times they were read under this or that form and infinite other things of like nature touching the explication of the Holy Text did they deliver that so they might fence it about as it were and preserve it from corruption And from this part of their Office whith was employed in numbring of the Words they were also called Sopherim i. e. Numerators from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to number and to celebrate their Antiquity and their Excellency the Talmudists call them the Antients and the First using this of those admirable men The Elogy heart of the Antients was like the Gate of the Porch to the Temple but the heart of the Latter like the eye of a Needle Lib. 119. Eribbim Cap. 5. Cap. 11. XXXVIII As afore Num. 6. two Authorities of Aben Ezra and Elias Levita were alledged touching the Authors of the Masora so likewise here shall we bring in the Testimony of some famous Hebrews to confirm this which is the more current opinion R. Gedalia in his Catena Kabalae fol. 21. writes Behold the men of the great Synagogue have set forth many new Constitutions for the good of the whole Captivity as the distinction of Verses the diversity of reading and writing the full words and the defective the Sections close and open the Letters greater and less the Accents and Vowel points My mind gives me that all were given to Moses from Mount Sinai but posterity was forgetful of them or that they were given indeed to Moses not that they should be committed to writing but these Princes the men of the Great Synagogue wrote them all down and communicated them to all Israel Don Isaac Abarbinel in the Preface to his Nachale Abhoth writes Ezra likewise taught Israel the Points Accents and ends of the Verses whereby he directed them and freed them from all confusion and error Ephodi cap. 7. of his Grammer writes in this manner That most Holy man who was the Head of the Scribes Ezra the Priest and Scribe shook his Lap and strained all his