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  • From: Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] spaces or no spaces
  • Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:03:47 -0400


I teach an Introduction to Biblical Studies course, and I've been trying to
find out what's the evidence for whether the earliest Hebrew Bible
manuscripts were written with or without spaces in between the words. Can
you help?...
Susan Jeffers




There are spaces in most preserved manuscripts- and even in inscriptions (like Tel Dan) there are spaces or "word dividers" which make it clear when words stop and start.

Greek, on the other hand, has tons of examples of scripta continua.

Ernst Wurthwein's introduction to OT Textual Criticism gives ample evidence and you will want to look there as well.

So far as using Wikipedia and other online sources, please beware that not everything is accurate there. It's called the world wide WEB because you can easily be ensnared by many of the spiders out there just looking for a juicy unsuspecting fly to eat.

Best

Jim


--
Jim West, ThD

Biblical Studies Resources - http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
Biblical Theology Weblog - http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com




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