Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Andrew Kulikovsky <anku AT CelsiusTech.com.au>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lewis Reich [mailto:LBR AT sprynet.com]
> 
> I am sure that others will have contributions to add, but perhaps I 
> can start by observing that without the vowel pointings, God's word 
> would consist only of consonants.  However, spoken Hebrew includes 
> vowels as well as consonants.

true.
 
> Jewish Torah scrolls to this day include only the consonantal text; 
> there are no vowels or punctuation marks, just as there are no vowels 
> in the DSS.  However, these texts were all read and understood by 
> their readers as carrying implicit vowels with them.  

But in the case of WaYeHiY ("and then there was") at the end of Gen 1:5, and
WiYHiY ("and let it be") in Gen 1:6, how would the reader determine between
these two options  by just looking at the consonants?

Now, I'm sure context plays a part but I am also sure that there are many
instances where both these options would make good sense.
 
> > When were these pointings added to the text and exactly by 
> who? On what basis did they decide which pointings to use?
> 
> Just as there were different textual variants, there were doubtless 
> different traditions about vowel pointing in some instances.  The 
> vowel pointing of the traditional Jewish text (the "Massoretic text") 
> was standardized (along with the consonantal text and the 
> accompanying musical chant) around a thousand years ago.  The 
> traditions (*masorah*) on which the work was based was considerably 
> older, of course.

I guess my question is: since there were undoubtedly different pointing
traditions, which one did the Masoretes use and why did they select that
particular one?

cheers,
Andrew
-- 
Andrew S. Kulikovsky B.App.Sc(Hons) MACS
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