Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Joseph Brian Tucker" <music AT riverviewcog.org>]

Looking at Gen. 18:22 the MT in the text says, 'Abraham still stood before 
Yahweh.'versus the Tiq. soph. 'And Yahweh still stood before Abraham.'Why 
may have the MT as it stands been corrected?

'R. Simon said: "This is a correction of the scribes for the Shekhinah was 
actually waiting for Abraham." It is unlikely that the original text would 
have read "while the Lord remained standing before Abraham," as claimed by 
the Masorah.' (Tov, 66)

This explanation is not fully satisfying, does anyone have a clearer 
explanation as to why this proposed correction was offered?

Looking at 1 Sam 3:13 the MT in the text says, 'because his sons were 
blaspheming for themselves.' versus the Tiq. soph. 'because his sons were 
blaspheming God.' Tov argues that this may be an example of a change 
because of respect for God. (66) Do you agree with this, or is there 
another reason why the reading occurred?

Jim West wrote:

<<I think it is absolutely true. That scribes often changed texts is fairly 
self evident when one simply sets two texts side by side. The tiq. soph.   
are described by the Masoretes themselves. So why wouldnt we believe it    
when they themselves confess to changing the text? >>

Tov (65) writes: "For these verses the rabbis use two main terms, "the 
verse uses a euphemism," and "correction,"...The two terms may reflect 
ancient conflicting views of the phenomenon, that is, either euphemisms or 
ancient textual corrections. However, since the terms are used in lists of 
different dates, it is more likely that the differences in terminology 
reflect a development in conception. Probably the tradition originally 
referred to mere 'euphemisms' and only afterwards were they taken as 
corrections."

"Even though many scholars accept the tradition about the corrections made 
by the soferim as basically correct, in all probability these corrections 
were not carried out in reality, and the tradition actually reflects an 
exegetical Spielelement and a midrashic fancy..." Do you agree?


Thanks
Brian Tucker
Riverview, MI
music AT riverviewcog.org