Nerves that he might bring into order what was perverted so did all the Scribes who followed him and corrected these Books with all possible care until they left them most perfect by numbring the Sections Verses Words and Letters the full and defective Words the irregular and regular and so forth whence they are also stiled Sophorim Numberers and made of these the Books of Masora Cap. 11. XXXIX This is the common Sentence of the Hebrews that the Masora proceeded from the men of the Great Synagogue and was not unknown to Elias as in his foresaid third Preface he acknowledgeth Lo it is the opinion of many that Ezra the Scribe and his Council namely the men of the great Synagogue made the Masora the Punctation and Accents upon the whole Bibles So it is and one shall scarce find any Hebrew or Jew giving his voice for Elias but on the contrary his reasons are refuted by the most Learned Rabbins Thence I say from Ezra had the Masora its beginning and rise and the Vowel-points either their Birth or Renovation but I confess the Masora as a matter of infinite Study was continued by their Successors many Ages untill it grew up into a great Book exceeding for its quantity the Bibles themselves as Elias writeth who saw many Books of the Masora Well might so great a Work and Study so infinite and vast a Labor require both a long time and many hands and those not vulgarly learned Now the circumstance of time and the holy care and most ardent Zeal of Ezra and the rest of his Colleagues toward the Reformation of the Church favour this work very much He knew by his Prophetick Spirit that the last of the Prophets in the Jewish Church then lived and therefore nothing was more necessary then that the Sacred Scripture should be conserved in it uncorrupted Their prudence and care it was to prevent the corruption by this Critical Labor whereby the true and constant writing and reading of all the words might remain for ever and indeed they have effected it as none can deny who is throughly acquainted with the Secrets of this Study Thus much of the Original and Authors of the Masora Cap. 11. XL. The Matter of the Masora of which it consisteth are the Critical or Censorious Annotations touching the Hebrew Text of Holy Scripture The Texts are reckoned according to the Verses Words and Letters the Verses are numbred first entire through the several Books of the Bible and in the Pentateuch of Moses according to the greater Sections too which are shewed by three greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And withall through the whole Scripture the middle Verse of every Book is named all which are set down after the Text at the end of every Book as for Example Genesis hath 1534 Verses and the middle Verse is And by thy Sword shalt thou live Chap. 27. 40. Exodus 1209. the middle Verse Speak not evil of the Magistrate Chap. 22. 28. Leviticus 859. the middle Verse He that toucheth the flesh of him that hath an Issue Chap. 15. 7. Numbers 1288. the middle Verse And it shall come to pass that the mans rod whom I shall choose shall blossom Chap. 17. 5. Deuteronomy 955. the middle And thou shalt do aecording to the Sentence Chap. 17. 10. The Sum of the Verses but mistaken in all the Books of the whole Pentateuch 5845. the middle Verse of the whole Law or Pentateuch And he put the Breast-Plate upon him Levit. 8. 8. The Verses of the greater Sections c. This Hedge the first Masorets set about the Holy Scripture that the Sacred Body thereof might not be maimed by the loss even of one Verse Cap. 12. XLI Again the Verses were considered according to their various affections in the Words and Letters One Verse is noted consisting of two and forty words which have in them Letters one hundred and sixty It is read Jer. 21. 7. Two Verses there are in which there is four times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 22. 7. 1 Reg. 20. 14. Three Verses there are which have each Eighty Letters one is Num. 36. 8. Three Verses in every one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four times as Num. 11. 19. Three have each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also thrice as Exod. 29. 5. Three begin and end with the Divine name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Memorial of Gods eternal essence as Deut. 31. 3. where the Masora cites the other two There are four Verses in every one whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is five times as Exod. 40. 18. Five Verses and in every one are five continued words of two Letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Reg. 3. 26. where the rest are cited Ten Verses wherein are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Reg. 7. 20. Ten in the Law whose first and last word is the same as Levit. 7. 9. Fourteen which consist only of three words as Gen. 5. 6. Exod. 28. 13. where the rest are alledged There are twenty six Verses in every of which are extant all the letters of the Alphabet as Ezek. 38. 13. where the rest are quoted among those there is one Verse which hath not only all the Alphabet simple but is enriched also with the five final Letters and that is Soph. 3. 8. But let them beware who have the Venice Editions lest-they weary themselves too much in seeking for the Verses for there are in them some false Verses cited which fault we have amended in our Edition Innumerous more of this kind have the Masoreths noted in the examination of the Verses in the Bible Cap. 12. XLII In the Words the Masoreths noted First the genuine writing and reading of them where any diversity did occur 2ly Where they were written fully with the quiescent Letters or defectively without them Thirdly Their seat and place in the beginning middle or end of the Verse and what form they had either by themselves or by reason of some accent Fourthly Their structure and conjunction with other words or composition with servile Letters Fifthly Their signification where was any ambiguity Sixthly They often noted words different in vowels and accents where any peculiar observation or difference seemed to require it And to all these they added both the number how often and the place where every one was exstant Cap. 13. XLIII The Writing and Reading is called by the Masoreths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a Word was otherwise Written in the Text by Letters and noted in the Margin to be otherwise read by Vowels or when a Word was Written abundantly in the Text and omitted in Reading or on the contrary was not written at all in the Text and yet was to be read whence arose many and various kinds of this head As sometimes a Letter was wanting in a
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
Masora were not the same persons but the Masoreths as they saw the use of the Accents in the Books afore pointed so wrote the Masora of them Gen. 30. 19. upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sixth Son the Masoreths note every Ben before Makkaph hath Pathach the little i. Saegol except four the other three are extant 1 Sam. 22. 20. 2 Sam. 9. 12. Ezek. 18. 20. Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Accent hath always Tzere except six which with an Accent have Saegol just as if they were before Makkaph The places are cited in the Masora Psal 27. 4. is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Masora It is not found elsewhere with Pathach and Athnach If these Masoreths were also the Printers why did they not point it as elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 104. 34. What they found in their Books that they noted Cap. 9. XX. There are infinite examples of the like kind and the whole Masora shews that the Masoreths were not the Authors of the Vowels and Accents but only noted what was before invented for otherwise why should they bring in so many Anomalies to perplex the Reader when they might easily have kept the Analogy of the Tongue but their office only was to note the Form of the sacred Text in the Verses Words and Letters exactly as they had it in their Copies and judged it to be Authentick to the end it might remain to all Posterity uncorrupted and unchanged or if any diversity should happen by mistake or negligence of Transcribers it might by those Notes be corrected and restored Cap. 9. p. 72. XXI Neither is it probable that the Inventors of the Points and the Authors of the Masora lived at the same time for then might they have enquired of them the reason of the more notable Anonymies and Diversities and set it down in writing that so Posterity might not have been perplexed with the common Accidents of Grammer in a Language otherwise plain But seeing we have great evidence that the principal parts of the Masora and consequently the first Masoreths were before the Jewish Talmud and that a long time for they are by the Talmudists called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antients we may conclude that this part also of the Masora touching the words arrayed with Vowel-points and Accents was composed by those Antiens and their Successors before the Talmud and not by the Tyberians many ages after when there was neither the same vigor of Studies nor the same Felicity of wits nor so great convenience and frequency of Schools all things being disturbed by Wars and cruel Persecutions Cap. 9. p. 73. XXII The Vowel points seem to be deduced from one single prick A prick below the Letter is Chireck in the midst Schurck above Cholem being doubled below the Letter and placed sidewise it is Tzere and by confluence Pathach being placed perpendicularly one above the other Sheva being tripled in the Form of a Triangle Saegol and by confluence Kamets c. Cap. 9. XXIII In the Talmudical Book Nedarim fol. 37. the Doctors dispute whether it be lawful to teach the Law for a Reward Some affirm others deny others distinguish Some said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reward of observation and inspection of Children that they may keep home repeat their Lessons not run about not be wanton is lawfully received Another R. Jochanan said It is also lawfull to take reward for teaching the pauses of the Accents The Gloss of R. Solomon for teaching the punctation and the Accents But how could they teach these if indeed no Punctation was then extant Cap. 9. XXIV That the Points came from Mount Sinai and were given to the people by Moses not a few of the Rabbins and those of no vulgar Authority have determined that the names of the points which are now used and are partly mentioned in the Masora were also given by Moses from the Mount they do not affirm but most of the Rabbins say these names had their beginning from the Men of the great Synagogue who had good Skill in both Tongues the Chaldee and the Hebrew And the Jews of the second Temple spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chaldee Language or the Syriac very many words also and names came new with them out of Babylon It s no wonder then that the men of the great Synagogue made use of the Chaldee in the tradition or delivery of the Points and the Masora Wherhfore what Elias objecteth from the Syriac and Babybolonic names of Zere Segol c. is of no force against us Cap. 9. XXV And as to what Elias saith that they had no need of Points who were so exercised and Skilled in the Hebrew Tongue that they could read without them it may be true of the Men of the great Synagogue amongst whom some Prophets were intermixed but of the Jews Universally and of their posterity when Prophecy ceased and the Heavenly Doctrin by God's just judgment was decay'd this can no wise be granted as all times do testifie and is confirmed by experience at this day And whereas he saith that by the Tradition and Protection of the Prophets they accurately kept in remembrance and could tell where a pause was to be made or the speech continued it may be granted of the Prophets immediately by God instructed but that the following people even to the Talmudists could do the same after so many calamities and persecutions is altogether impossible What humane wit what memory was able to retain so exactly the distinct pauses of many thousand Verses the distinct pronuntiation of so many thousand Words so that no error should be committed in any Member in any Voice or Vowell untill Elias's Tiberian Masoreths who can believe that those Tiberians Men never famous never mentioned with honour had a fuller measure and greater efficacy of the divine Spirit then the Men whose Counsells and designes were happily conducted by the direction of the Prophets Zachary Maelachy and Esra Cap. 9. XXVI Plainly if the Vowell-points and distinguishing Accents were added to the Holy Scripture by those Tiberians or such like Men of the Common sort then that sense which the Reading of the Vowell-Points and the distinguishing exhibites must necessarily be of humane authority and consequently uncertain not Divine and Propheticall and so Authentick then those Points in places doubtfull ambiguous and difficult may be changed by any other Learned Man and others substituted for them There will be contention who shall be the more Learned and more Skilfull in Correction Then everywhere will be great doubt the same Word by reason of but one Point changed passing into another sense Then the Text consisting of naked Letters will be like Wax mutable into divers forms Then in such debates will be no supream Judge and so no Canon of the Sacred Scripture of the Old Testament which may be the measure and the end of controverted interpretation Cap. 9. XXVII Nor is it enough to say the Text