Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Fred Putnam" <fputnam AT biblical.edu>]

GfSomel wrote: "Maintaining the consonantal text is always preferable.  In 
the oldest 
manuscripts the letters were not always separated (in fact, as I recall, they 
usually 
weren't)."
        In fact, the epigraphic evidence is consistently against scripto 
continuo (for a 
well-researched popular discussion, see A. Millard in Bible Review (or BAR) a 
few 
years ago--I can dig out the bib. ref. if anyone wants it). This seems to 
raise questions 
about the validity of that step of Prof. Krahmolkov's method. The rest is 
compelling, 
Liz, and certainly to be preferred to the divisions in BHS, which seem to 
reflect 
Bardtke's views of Hebrew poetry more than anything else.
        Sorry to be so late chiming on this--our e-mail service and my health 
have not 
been conducive to quick replies. :-)

Best wishes,
Fred

Frederic Clarke Putnam, Ph.D.
"Dominus illuminatio mea."

Professor of Old Testament
Biblical Theological Seminary
fputnam AT biblical.edu
215-368-5000x150 (office & voice-mail)