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  • From: Cynthia Edenburg <cynthia AT oumail.openu.ac.il>
  • To: 'Biblical Hebrew digest' <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: BH: Genesis 33:4 (seven dots)
  • Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 09:24:43 +0200


To supplement Jonathan's comments:
You can find a summary of the discussion of superlinear dots in Kelly,
Mynatt, Crawford, *The Masorah of the BHS* 1998, pp 32-34. There is also a
brief discussion in Tov's book on textual criticism, but I have the Hebrew
version, so can't give the precise reference.
It appears that the superlinear dots are *pre-massoretic*, since they are
inscribed in Torah scrolls even though all massoretic marks (nikud and
ta'amim) are excluded. Also the fact that they are mentioned in early
midrashim seems to indicate that they are pre-massoretic. Superlinear dots
are used in the Qumran scrolls of biblical to indicate scribal errors -- it
seems that scribal practice did not allow erasing when copying scripture (in
contrast to profane lit.), and the dots clue the reader that the word or
letters below are incorrect. In some of the cases in which MT records
superlinear dots, other versions preserve variant readings, so it is not
unlikely that the dots originated as signals of suspect textual readings.
Later on, this scribal practice seems to have been forgotten, but he dots
preserved giving way to midrashic interpretation of the purpose of the dots.

Cynthia Edenburg

The Open University of Israel Tel. 972-3-6460500 fax.
972-3-460767
Dept. of History, Philosophy and Jewish Studies
POB 39328 Rehov Klausner 16
Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 61392 ISRAEL



  • BH: Genesis 33:4 (seven dots), Cynthia Edenburg, 05/24/2000

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