Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polychroni <upb_moniodis AT ONLINE.EMICH.EDU>]

The English translation of the LXX Psalter widely used in the Orthodox 
Christian Church (_The Psalter, According to the Seventy_, Holy 
Transfiguration Monastery, Boston Massachusetts, 1974, p 13-14) has the 
following statement in its 'Translator's Introduction': 

----------- begin quote-------

   What is equally important is the fact that the present day Hebrew 
version (also know as the Massoretic text) is itself the result of a 
doctrinal upheaval which shook Judaism early in the ninth century A.D.  
During this time, a sharp controversy broke out between the Rabbinical 
scholars and the Karaite sect (the Hebrew from of the name is ~Beni 
Miqra~, "Sons of Reading," i.e., of the Scriptures).  As W. O. E. 
Oesterey notes in his work ~The Psalms:~

   The Karaites undertook a most minute and critical study of the
   Biblical text; and in order to oppose and refute the Karaite
   teaching, the Rabbis had to undertake a similar task.  This dual
   critical study developed into a very keen contest between the
   Rabbinical and Karaite champions; and there is no doubt that
   the bulk of the work . . . must be assigned to the heretical 
   Karaites.
                       (ibid. p. 114)

   As a result, in his critical edition of the Hebrew Psalter, 
Oesterley time and time again comes to the conclusion that, in a 
countless number of verses, the Massoretic text is, as he puts it, 
"hopelessly corrupt," and the Septuagint is repeatedly called upon in 
the author's effort to shed some light on what the original hebrew 
rendering may once have been.

---------end quote---------

My question is:  does this group consider this a "fair" statement.  
And, what might be a good reference source(s) that I could gather more 
on the question for myself.

Thanks.

Polychroni Moniodis