To: "b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Vowel points - earliest history
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:26:29 +0000
On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 9:08 PM, Charles Grebe wrote:
> Sorry. I mean the graphical vowel point system to represent the
> vocalization. When did they start writing these points (other than the mater
> letters), who first started to write these, where was this first done, etc.
>
> Charles Grebe
> Briercrest College and Seminary
I would suggest you read the section in Emanuel Tov's "Textual Criticism of
the
Hebrew Bible" (2nd revised edition; Minneapolis, MI.: Augsburg Fortress,
2001).
He suggests (in the Hebrew first edition) that these were originally formed in
the years 500-700 CE. Four (perhaps five) different systems are known: the
Tiberian, the Eretz-Israel/Palestinian, the Babylonian, and the Samaritan. It
appears that all communities using some form of the Bible incorporated these
marks after they were innovated, to different degrees.