CHAPTER I.

The titndy of tb" M11sHorah neeCtOaouy to a rcconsion of the Hebrew Text. Negleat
of it on tho part of Biblical critics. Dt.finition of Mauo,....h and
text. Import, Fonu, 11nd Development of the Maasorah. Number of lo&ten
iu tho Jliblo. 8nsptouded L .. ttera. Peculiarly Pointed LeUera. The la7eorted
L"ttcJra. The IWtiqnity of this pan of tho Massorah.
Fon. the last seven years I have been engaged in a critical
recension of the text of the Hebrew Scriptures, attempting
to do, in a humble way, that for the Old Testament whieh
Griesbach, Scholz, Lachmann, and Tischendortf in Germany
and Bloomfield, Alford, and Tregelles in England, have done
for the New Testament. Soon after embarking in this pro-
digious task, I found that it was absolutely necessary, first of
all, to master an(l work out the lJittssoralt. Now, though
almost every Introduction to the Bible speaks about the
Massorah, and although the te.ctus receptus of the Hebrew
Scriptures is technically called "the MASSORETIO Text." yet
I venture to say, without intending to give offence, but with-
out fear of contradiction, that with the exception of a few
Jews, and one or two Christians, all those who have edited
the Hebrew text, or written upon its Massorah in their
respective Introductions, could neither master nor describe
the entire domain of this ancient critical apparatus.
You will understand this better after I laave described
succinctly the origin, import, and development of the Mas-
sorah, as well as the manner in which it has been written
and transmitted. Perhaps it will be better tlaat. I, at the
outset, explain the meaning of the name itself.
II
The expression, ltlrtslwmlt, n;ic9, ltlassoretlt, or
ltiftBRortlta, by which this critical upparatus is
altermttely called (from ,Ct>, to tlelicer, to transmit), literally
means tradition genemlly. It is so used in the Chaldee
versions of tho BiLle; in the Tu.lmud, and in the Midrashim.
Afterwards, however, it becume to denote the tradi.tioual
J>rommciatiou of the words iu the text.
1
Such an authori-
tative and traditional fixing of the pronunciation is of the
utmost importance, and was culled forth at the earliest
period of the Jewish commonwealth. For be it remembered
that tho Hebrew Scriptures were originally without vowel
points, and thut the same word somewhat differently pro-
I In Biblical Hebrew the root = occurs only twice, IUid denotes, '"
to in the sen..., o! falling away (Nom. xxxi. 16), and in tbu
Niphal, tube eparated, in thu sens<> of being ap....t or nnaJberCJd (Nom. xxxi. 5).
Ia Jlost Biblic11l Hubrew, howover, u wtlll "" in Aramaic, it is DS8d almost exclusively
in tho BtslltitJ of separating, in order to hand over, i.e. lrliveri"II-
Tbwo, "Mosos the Law (:pun;r') OTIOC') and lelivered it to Joshua. (.lbuth
i. 1), IUid the Chaldc., of Onkelos, on Gtln. xxxix. t!, renders the phrase be com.
mitted to my b11nl" ".Uiivered ("100) into my hand. Hence, tho noun
(according to tht> analOSY of J.,rt>m. ill. 7), traclitiull, lrudiliul<a/111 .Ji.u.L
will the gruiiiiTialicucriticul remurk tltereu,., It ia to Lo remarked that thid form
of the noun does not occur in the :ra1mud, bat rTJ'Dtil or "Jitn;l (Milma A bull iii.
IS), and that it has evidently been adopted in conformity to the Biblical form
(l!:zck. n. 27), which, indeed, Hashi, and the Authorised Venoion (Marginal
r .. ading), take to deaoto lrwlrliul4. Otherll, ag.1in, not only take the Biblical word
":0'0'? a11 a contraction of (from "Y;lll$tu bj,,J), but maintain that the Jlaaaoretic
tenu is frow the same root, und deaotes baml, lelve. {e14ct<, in harmony with the
stateaueut in th" :\lishna, than "the Mauruh u fe .. cefur Law"' (m1n'1l"D rnUJQ
Abatl iii. 13). Bot whate'l'er may be said in favour of deriving the Biblical term
from this root, it can certainly not be eastained with regard to thiJo elassical
ex11ression. Tb., term which Yery frequently oceurs in the priuted'Kaaso....b
itstllf, tbtl Cbaldee form; in addition to ita ordinary signification, it is also .....,d in
MaHsoretic luUj,'U&ge when a worl is repeated oucu or twic., with another word iator-
"'""ning. '!"huH. on (Ezuk. xlvi. 7) tho Mauorab remarkal,
M!',1001 M:JO Mn,1CO n 10"10, u"" uf eivll ne, bt"IJit"'i"ll wilh u
1ourJ whi,:J. i ,.ep,-ulel, wit/1 crauliler wurd brtween tltt:'fl, and
c-:q-:y (Zecb. i. 13); 00 which tho Massorah .. .,marks,""' IIC01 M:lO Mn-1'00 C'jl"ICD n
n;o, , .. tJ.C.l eil}ltl ue1e, the ume word i4 repealt:J twic4 withoNI Vao
cotirtllclite, a11i witlt OltJ UJord Comp. also M.u,orul 1-'i,e&IU.lelter J'av.
.Hubrica 1753, 17M, 1755. 'l"hu numbering of the Rabric:IJ ia ac:c:ordiDg to oar forth
edition of tho MllBoorab.
noonced yields several meanings. Hence, when the prescrip-
tions of the Law became the legal guide for praetice. the
exact and definite pronunciation of the vowelless words.
which is tantamount to the precise meaning, had to be fixed.
Thus, for instance, the law laid down in Exod. xxiii. 19,
when read without points, may either mean thou shalt
not seethe a kid in its mother's milk," or it may denote
"' thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's fat," as it
entirely depends upon the pointing of the same word,
:lf:,n:l, whether it is made (in the milk), or (in
tlte fat). Again, the injunction in Levit. xii. o,
points, may either mean, '' if she bear a maid-child, then
she shall be unclean two weeks," or, "if she bear a maid-
child she shall be unclean seventy days," inasmuch as it
entirely depends whether the word D'17:lll:' is pronounced
(two weeks), or (seventy).
To avoid the serious consequence which might arise from
such divergency, the ancient scribes, lawyers, and spiritual
guides of the people, upon whom it was incumbent to pro-
pound the import and enforce the observance of the divine
Law, fixed the pronunciation, and with it the meaning of
these and all other words. Bot as the present vowel-points
or signs, which indicate the pronunciation of each word,
did not then exist, the pronunciation fixed by the expo-
nents of the Law were for centuries transmitted in the
academies orally. Hence the name MaBBorak, i.e oral
transmission, tradition, traditimMl pronunciation.
Apart from fixing the pronunciation, however, they
extended their attention in the course of time to all the
phenomena of the text, such as to peculiarities of cali-
graphy and orthography, to grammar and exegesis, various
readings, etc., etc. Now the whole of this critical appa-
ratus, which developed itself during centuries of labour,
4
retains the name Massoralt, which was originally given to
a part of it. So that Massoretio text denotes o. recension
of the Hebrew Scriptures, according to the originally trans-
mitted, afterwards extended, and now written-down remarks
of the doctors of the Law, who are called ll-Iassorites, because
they devoted themselves to tho annotation and rubrication of
these textut1l peculiarities.
// As to the contents of the Massorah. it is not too much
to say that it embraces all the phenomena of the text, from
the simple letter to the peculiarities of each book. Thus,
(i.) it gives the number of times each letter of the entire
alphabet occurs throughout the Bible. (ii.) It registers the
Majuscular Letters. the Minuscular Letters, the Inverted Let-
ters, the Suspended Letters, the Peculiarly Pointed Letters.
(iii.) It enumerates forms of words. (iv.) It
marks fX1racE )1.;;-yop.evac, or wortls which are unique. (v.)
describes how many times certain words and phrases occur
in a particular book, or t,htoughout the Scriptures, and how
many verses each book has. (vi.) It notes parallel passages.
(vii.) It rubricates homonyms. (viii.) It registers the varia-
tions in words, and in construction of the same enactment
or statement or recorded in different parts of the
Bible. (ix.) It gives various readings. (x.) It specifies the
alterations in the text designedly made by the scribes. (xi.) It
catalogues conjectural readings, 1md thousands of other things.
The form in which these phenomena are recorded varies,
according to the magnitude and import of the peculiarities.
All the anomalies which are of the same kind are generally
catalogued in one register. And if the words coming under
one Rubric arc numerous, or will admit of it, they are
ranged alphabetically; and if they are too few, or not of
an alphabetical nature, they arc enumerated according to the
order of the books in the Bible. with different superscrip-
6
tions, stating the special import of the Rubric, and generally
also specifying the number of the words or phrases registered
in the Rubric. When the contents of the Rubric are alpha-
betically arranged, the superscription states it ; and if the
fllphabet is imperfeot,-that is, if two or three letters are
not represented,- it is, as a rule, likewise expressed in the
beading of the List. When the words are not alphabetically
ranged, and if the number of the Rubric exceeds ten
instances, it is either headed (JZ) nCE') "A List of so many,"
etc., or simply (J'te,n rl;lc -:\) '' T1oenty words are unique,"
etc. A few illustrations will explain both the import and
form of the Massorah.
Tile letters.-The Massoretic Poem on the letters of the
gives the following computation of the number of times
9ach letter occurs throughout the Bible.
" .-llrph. occurs 4:t,377 times. c Pinal Mem occurs 24,073 times.
::& lie tiL a"',:! t"'
l Nu11 32,077
l Uimel 20,637
1
Ilillttl Nuu
,
lJaletlt 112,lHJO 0 :Sttmeck IS,M!O ,.
"
HB -17,76-1
:p
A. gil& 20,176
,
VttU 711,02:! D p., 20,760
I z,,;,
22,H07
'1
Pimtl Pa 1,076
n Chetl 23,-147 S' 7'zmli Ul,060
The tit 11,05:! y I<'illttl Tzadi .. 4,872
.
Jutl (j(J,-120 p Kuph 22,1172
J Cup/ 37,:!72
..,
Reh 22,1.7
1
Pimtl Ott ph 10,0tll 111 32,1.&8
.,
Lumetl .. 41,617 A Tt1u with Da!Je.h 30,140
c lllttllt 52,805 n Tuu without ..
23,203
fc (_ I

Sum total of all the letters in the Bible, H1li,2"'0
Moreover, the Massorah on Levit. xi. 42 remarks that the
letter Vav in the word J1Ml (Levit. xi. 42) is the middle letter
in the Pentateuch, and on Ps. lxxx. 14, tho.t the letter Ayi11
in "W'D (Ps. lxxx. 14) is the middle letter in the Psalms.
On Gen. i. 1, and 1 Chron. i. 1, it gives an alphabetical list
of those words throughout the Bible which respectively have a
larger lettor; whilst, on Levit. i. 1, it gives an alphabetical
list of the words which, on the contrary, have severally a
smaller letter than the rest of the text. On Numb. iii. 89, it
gives fifteen words in the Bible which have letters with extra-
ordinary sibrns or marks. On Jud. xviii. SO, and Job xxxviii.
14, it enumerat-es four words which have a suspended letter.
On Numb. x. 85, it registers nine places in which an
inverted Nun occurs. On Isa. ix. 6, it is remarked that
has a final Mem in the middle of the word.
To many this portion of the Massorah at least will appear
trivial, and unworthy of serious minds. But be it remem-
bered that all these peculiarities are to be found in the
ordinary text, and that even the Bible Society, which boasts
of publishing the without note or
diffuses and perpetuates the Hebrew text with these
apparently fantastic phenomena. Hence, if thCJre were no
other reason, this fact alone demands a classification, under
separate heads, of these peculiarities, so that when the
student meets with a word which exhibits so strange
an appearance, be may at once ascertain how many
of, and where, these anomalies are to be found in the
text.
But apart from these considerations, the apparently
fantastic forms, and the seemingly arbitrary position of the
letters, in fact, exhibit, in a kind of kleptograpby, the
earliest results of textual criticisms and collation which have
been greatly neglected by Biblical scholars, and are there-
fore very difficult to be deciphered. The numbering of the
letters is of course an attempt to guard the Sacred Scriptures
against losing a single yod or tittle. But though this zeal is
more to be admired than imitated, and though the attempt
has failed in its object, yet it explains some of the phenomena
7
of the text. Thus, for instance, the fact that the l'av in
Jlnl (Levit. xi. 42,) is the middle letter in the entire
Pentuteuell, shows why it is written larger than the rest of
the letters, and why it is found in the liat of the .llajuscular
Letters. The same reacron explains tlle phenomenon in
,J7o (Ps. lxxx. 14), which has a suspended letter, booauae
the Ayin is the middle letter in the Psalter. Indeed, it
ought properly to be a majuseular letter, and should not be
among the list of suspended letters. The three words,
having suspended letters, which really constitute this Rubric,
exhibit various readings. Thus the suspended Nu11. in
Manasseh (.Judges xviii. SO), indicates that it is
wanted in MSS., and that it should be read .J-Ioses, as
in 1 Chron. xxvi. 24, which is really the reading of the Vul-
gate, and in the Syriac Hexapla. of .Judges and Ruth, edited
by Dr. Rordam, Copenhagen, 1861; whilst the suspended
Ayin, in in the two instances (.Job xxxviii. 13 and 15)
shows that it is likewise to be dropped, and that the word in
question should be read without it, i. e., C'V1 = cl::'an, in
the double sense of c/,iefs and poor.
The same is the ease with the letters which have extra-
ordinary marks in fifteen passages of the Bible. To make
the explanation more intelligible, we subjoin the list.
trlld bettceell the Gen. xvi.
tm<l Iter ri11i11!1
mul '' tcmth - N wn. xxix. 16.
...... L.! .,
"'t' ll;, tu Ulf a111l
up .. xix. a:1. to our okildrtJII
rmto him xvili. U.
u11til - Deut. xxix. 28.
v ,,d htJ ki.,ed
ltc weut uut
him - .. xxxiii. 4.
the ttJmjlle
accwmtivu
f
cllltl .dt.trnu
"OfP,.try,fir -
wltich
fIt I I 4
,. xx.xvli. 1:!. 'Y.Jrller
tAd!/
Num.iii. 311. , ,,.
tJ..IJt:ctp' ..
.. ix. 10.
xxi. 30.
:! Sam. xix. 20.
Ezek. :d. 20.
xlvi. 22.
laa.. xliv. D.
Ps. xx vii. l S.
a Thi.e fact ia pnoaa.-vecl in tho Talu>aol (S.,Irdrill lOS b) '::1, -
8
Tho mysterious marks over these expressions &rE
nothing else, and nothing less, than the signs which the
ancient scribes put over spurious letters or words, to indicate
that the letter or expression thus marked is not to be
regarded. They preforred this mode of cancelling, to
out it did not deface the appear-
lance of the Codex. 'I hat thts Is really the case, will be seen
from an analysis of the words in question. Thus the second
Jod in betweelt thee, is marked, because between.
with the singular suffix, it is ulways treated as a singular:
i. e., in pause (Comp. Gen. xviii. 9, xix. 33,
xxxiii. 4, xxxvii. 12, Num. iii. 39, ix. 10, xxi. 30, xxix. 15,
Dent. xxix. 28.) The second Vat' in awl Iter
1"l/Jlllfl up, is marked, because in other Codices it is defective,
as in \'Orse 35 of the same chapter. to /tim, is marked
because runny Codices had and in some the word was
absent altogethm. For the same reason the whole words in
Gen. xxxiii . .J, in xxxviii. 12, and in Nom. iii. 39, are marked,
not being found in the Codices. In Num. ix. 10, either
the lie alone wanting, Lecause uwy, is frequently
masculine, or the whole word muy have been wnntiug, as in
verse 13 of the sume chapter. Iu Num. xxi. 30, the
Reslt is maaked, becanso Codices llad }ire, which
is indicated in the 'l'ulmudic explanation of this passage,
(Baba !Jatltra 19 a) aud is uctually to be found in the
Septuagint (oriip eorl l\lc.c .. :19), etc. In Num. xxix. 15 the
second l'tH' in aml a tenth, is marked, hecause in
W f':t' :-rtl :E:C .,::l:'n ;'1-::,, :1:',11 C,lM :t'JC'l :1;1:n N'O 111';:>' p
pm ., .'l'::J ;'l':!n:JJ .. ;, .:Tn-c?o -.:n lTCl'J ;n:c?o 1Z1'l t:,M }'l::l l'1.,.,n
.,.;::l;'l p orcnJ 'nE n1:n t:l-.::'0 'lCM 'lnl ,, w ,,:n :cc ,CH '1Tl 'lll7'':M .,
R. Simull b. Lukiftl. tlke.l., 11"1111 hu (Job s:xs.viii. 16) a All;,,,
[Reply] Bccau,u, "'-It'll "'"" b,.tume a riHif upo11. l1e become puor II& heuue-".
But uAu ;. '1 ( l. t!., thu ..fvin] UJI'i'lt>ll at ull., Jl. Jucltal&al& 4UJIII,
llul to oJfr:ttd lle dipcilll ol David 1 whilt R. 1:.'/iezer aid. Bet:uu.e ,.ut to offend thd
tliJJIIitv of uti of Hecl.uliul. Com),. Ma.imonides, OD .-I boll i. 8; Jacob b.
Asher, Baal HaTurim on Nomb. i. 50; Ueiger, l 'rolcrift, I' 258.
9
many Codices it is defect.ive; whilst the words marked in Dent.
xxix. 28) show that ancient Codices had here a different
reading .. The marks on (2 Sam. xix. 20), show that it
is a euphemism for n'n, as the Chaldee version translates it.
C,:lnn the temple, which is marked at the end of verse 20
xli.), and is repeated again at the beginning of verse 21
is also recognised by the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, &c.,
as spurious, and hence is once omitted ; and there can be
no doubt that comers, (Ibid. xlvi. 22) is
wrong. That the pleonastic tlte!f (Isa. xliv. 9), indicates
a change in the text, is also evident, from the fact that the
Septuagint and Syriac deviate from the text us 'l"eceptus; whilst
the word e.1cept (Ps. xxvii. 18) is omitted in the
Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, &c.
5
Tho strange appearance of inverted Nulls in the nine
passages of the Bible, also exhibits the earliest etforts at
textual critici<tm. They are simply used as brackets, to
show that the passages enclosed in them are out of place.
Thus the inverted Nuns in Num. x. 85, 86, as the Siplll"i on
the passage, and the Talmud (Sabbath 115 b), show that
the passage is out of place and belongs elsewhere, and that
the time will come whea it will be restored to its proper
place. The uncertainty of the position of these two verses
is moreover to he seen from the f1tct, that the Septuagint
places verses 35 and 86 before 84. The idea, however. that
dislocations and transpositions should be found in the
Bible, was not at all agreeable to those Rabhins who looked
a That the extraordinary aigna are intended Co uulieate spariua worda ha.
already been recognill8d in .-lbuth d. II. Nalhu11, cap. s:uiY., where the liat of &heae
paaaages is given, IUld the following remark;., 111adu .., "1'0M"1 1mM K'\W "roM "P
n'11j)J ,,ln. runl l'1!l' .., "TO'IM l:-r'Jr n'lj'l_ "'D ,,., 'lM .,o'IM :p nlltJ l'TO 'lll'O
foT'vo E:ru re,.arJ.:,J Eliu .:ume (hula auppoa.,d to ..,tlle all doubta], a11d
a...l Pl4, hul wrillt!IC r seeiug that it. iocorrectj? I will UII#IWtlr
hi111, l J.ave ulrealll/ P"t pvittl uer llem [ t.u indicate &ho erroneona l'cs&diuga].
Bu.t if he hould nv, Tlwu hat writtell .:orre.:llv, lhet< I hall r<!uove 1/u poi11l froM
tl&ee ecord .. Camp. alao Geiser, au Jer p. 86. ole.; Urchrift .. t'!'tc.
p 257.
u
10
upon the Scriptures as miraculously stereotyped by Ezra; and
upon every mark as embodying a recondite meaning, rather
than the ir>clication of a textuul defect or clerical error. Hence
these inverted letters, or hmckcts, like the extraordinary
points, were misinterpreted. They were taken to show that the
two verses which they enclose form a book, so that the
single hook of Numbers was con \'crtetl into thtee books; hook
1 consisting of chnp. i. 1-x. 84; hook 2, of two verses,
i. e. chap. x. 35, 86; and hook 8, of chap xi. 1-xxxvi. 18.
Indeed in the 'l'ulmuJ 115 b), nud in some of the
Midrnshim, the Pentateuch is uctuutly denominated .,5JO r
n,,n = e>rrarwxo5, llt']Jfa cut'/1. The othm invmted Nuns,
which occur in cvii. 23-28 nud 40, 41, indicate the
same thing. Thcy show that the passnge describing tho sea
voyages (vv. 23-28) was originally inserted hefore verse 40.
That this is tho design. of the inverted Nuus is more-
over evident, ftom the fact that it was known to the later
scribes, and uctcll U})Oll by them, after the far fetched
intetprotations of some of the Tulruudists had ohtuined
currency. In some of tho 1\ISS. un<l printed editions of
the Bible, such an inverted lt.'ttn is to he found at the
cud of Gen. xi. The reason for this cannot be doubted.
As the text is ut present, thcrc is au irreconcilable difficulty.
In Gen. xi. 26, we reatl that Torah lived 70 yeurs and
bogat Abram ; and in xi. 31, S2, that he went with his
family to Haran, where he <lied, at the age of 205. Now iu
xii. 1 (comp. with AP.ts vii. 4) we arc told that, after 1.'erah's
death, God commande<l him to leave Haran and go to
Canaan, and that Abram was then 75 years old. Accordingly
Torah could ouly then have been 145, and must have lived 60
years in Haran after Ahram's departure. To obviate this
dfficulty, an inverted Nun is placed at the end of chap. xi.
to show that tho death of Torah, which is recorded in xi.
S2, does not precede chronologically chap. xii. 1, where the
11
call of Abraham is recorded, but must follow it, and that
there is simply a transposition.
Before leaving this part of the Massorah, it is necessary
to remark that the different Rubrics discussed therein are
'of very ancient date. They form the topic for discussion
and speculations in the earliest post-Biblical Hebrew writ-
ings, and even in these early documents their antiquity is
already acknowledged. 'l'hus the numbering of the letters
is adverted to in the Talmud (K,iclclltsltin SO a) ; the Sus-
pended lettets are mentioned in both the Talmuds (Jerusalem.
Beraclwtlt ix. 1; Jerusalem Sanhedrin i. 4 ; Baba Batltra,
109 b; Tosepltttt Scwltedrin cap. xiv.); and in the Midrashim
(Va yikra llablm, cap. xiii.; lt-Iiclrasltim on Psalm lxxx. 14;
Song of Songs iii. 4 ; Abotlt cl' R. Nat/tan, cap. xxxiv.) The
Peculiarly Pointed Letters are quoted in the Mishna (Pessa-
c-Jtim ix. 2) ; the Talmud (Nazir 28 a ; .Baba lt-Iezia 81 a;
Saultetl,.in 48 b; Horajoth 10 b; Jl-'Ie1utclwtlt 81 b; Bee/to-
roth 4 a); and in the Midrashim (ll:litlrash Rabbotlt, on the
respective passages; Sipltre on Numb. ix. 10). The Inverted
Letters are referred to in Sipltre on Numb. x. 95, 36 ; Sab-
bath 115 b, and the Midrashim on the respective passages.
Though tho MIUI&oretia Poem, giving tho number of times each letter OCCIIU'B
through.>Ut the Bible, was written towards the end of tho tweUth century (Comp.
1/a--AituMJrt:th, p. etc., ed. Ginribuq;, where it is printed with an
English commuutary), yot, from the above quoted passage, it is evitlent, tLat as early
as th" fourth century of the Christian ora, tho totters were already counted and
regititered. Indeed the T..tmud, ut SUJra, will httvu it that the titlu, Soplerin&
was given to the ancient doctors of the Law, he<>auo.e they numbered every
luttur of tho Scriptures (:rrtn:I.'ID nl'n"IMO't 'p c.,g10 ,,l"'''D C"""!nn C'l'111lM'l lM'Ipl -p'!h)
.butt duriviug the word -.c'o from "11:0, to COUll I, to t&Utllkr, and not from to eoritttJ ..
12
CHAPTER IT.
N111Dbor of llooks in the Hebrew Snripturea, according to the Paloliniaua
Bat.yloniauH, Josupbus, Melito, Ori11en, St. Jerome, tho Talmud, the Midra
shim, IUld tbe MuHBorah. The Threefold Di.-ision of tho Books, and the
Designation of th<> respective Groups. The Massoretic Oroupinga. Diver
sity of Opinion about the Sequence of the Books. Tabulated Order accord-
ing to the Talmud, St. Jerome, the Maasorab, the Spanish 1\ISS., the Germar,
antll''rench Codices, and tho \'ieuna Codex. Tho Diriaiou of tbe Pentateuch
into Si" Hundred anti Sixty Nine Open and CIOBed Sections. Table of theS
Sections. Their Origiu anti Import. Their Antiquity. How they are indi
catul iu th., MSS. and Printed Text. The llivision of tbe Te:d to secure
Pericol"'s for the Semi-Sat.batical Cycle, and for the Triennial Cycle. Table
of thu Triennial Divisions. The Antiquity of tho retipective Liturgical Divi-
sions. Tho P<"riCOJlal Division of the Prophet& and Hagiogn.pha. Tbe
Peculiar Diviion of tho Psalms. Breaks in the lliddlo of Vones. The
Division of the Pentateuch to obtain an Annual Cycle of Hebdomadal Lea-
sou&. Tahlo of the Annual Pcricopes. The Breaking up of the Ted i-.to
VtJrses. Tllblo, exhibiting the Number of Verses aud tbe Mid<'le Vene of
c;ach Book. Li.;t of Chapters and Verses in the Authorised Version.
In passing on from the Letters to the other external
peculiarities which arrest the eye when looking on any
page of the Hebrew text, we not only meet with the
same scrupulous care on the part of the Massorah ir"
the registering of each section and break, but discover
special reasons for every such division. Before, however,
we enter upon the discussion of the more minute divisions in
each book, it is necessary to describe the number, classifica-
tion, and order of the entire Old Testament, according to the
Massorah.
The of Books.-The ancient Hebrews had two
modes of numbering the books of the Bible. Tbe Palesti-
nians divided the Scriptures into twenty-two books, in order
to obtain the same number as the letters in the Hebrew
alphabet. The requisite number was acquired by the follow-
ing combination: 1-5, the books of Moses; 6, Joshua; 7,
18
Judges- Ruth ;
1
8, Samuel; 9, Kings; 10, Chronicles; 11,
Ezra- Nehemiah ; 12, Esther ; 13, Isaiah; 14, Jeremiah-
Lamentations; 15, Ezekiel ; 16, Daniel;. 17, the Minor
Prophets ; 18, Job ; 19, the Psalms ; 20, Proverbs; 21,
Ecclesiastes, and 22, the Song of Songs. The Babylonians,
on the other hand, divided the Bible into twenty-four books,
answering to the twenty-four letters of the Greek alphabet,
for which reason the Iliad and Odyssey are also respectively
1ivided into twenty-four books. The two additional books
to make up the two letters which the Greek alphabet has
more than the Hebrew, were obtained by separating Ruth
from Judges, and Lamentations from Jeremiah. That the
division into twenty-two books is the Palestinian, and hence
1
the older of the two, is evident from the following facts. 1.
This number is mentioned by Josephus (Contra i. 8).
2. Melito, bishop of Sardis, who travelled to Palestine in the
second century, in order to ascertain on the spot wLich were
the sacred hooks of the Hebrews, gives this numerical divi-
sion (Eusebius, .flist. Eccles. iv. 26). 3. Origen, who divides
the Hebrew canon into twenty-two books, appeals to the
tradition ol the Jews in support of his numbering (Eusebius,
i.bicl. iv. 25). And 4. St. Jerome, who adopted the general
arrangement of the Palestinian Jews in his days, gives this
number (Prologus Galeatus). Both Origen and St. Jerome
distinctly declare that this division was made in accordance
with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Indeed the latter
tells us that the five final letters were also represented in the
symholisution of the books of Scripture. "' The Hebrews,"
he remarks, "have five double letters, viz., Caph, Mem,,
Ntm, Pe, and 1'zadi, and hence there are five books which
1 Hence Bath was 110welimes w:&ually ealled t.he book of J adgee C"CDIDn 'IOIIID
from t.he initial words wit.h which it begine. This name ie giyen to it ia
CodeJ< of tho llrit.iah Ma...,am (No. 6118, Had.), and in a M118110rah of a Spulilrla
,Codex of t.he Bible, No. 8, by KOIUlico&t. Comp. Bnme, .Ad Kcruicotli zn-rc.
General., PP- 18, 19.
14
are double, viz., Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, and Jere-
miah, which contains in it. L11meutations. "" Still, the Alex-
andrian and Babylonian division into twenty-four was
already known aud ttdoptcd by some in Palestmo Ill St.
T t'tme anJ like manv other variations between the
.. erome s ,
Easterns and "\V csterns, the Babylonian usage
the Palestinian, and is adopted in tho 'l'almud,
shim, and the Massorah. Hence tho technical desagnatiOn,
jour aud twenty, for the Old Testament.a
The Classi ficatiou.- The twenty-four sacred books are
divided into three classes, viz., tho Law, the P1ophets,
the Hugiographa. Like tho numberiug tho books,
threefold division first obtained in Palm;tme. Hence 1ts
H b
c.:nn:n ctt::ll n,,J'l which is of frequent occur-
e row name ,
renee in tho Talmudic literature (Baba Batltra 14 h), and
which is adopted in the 1\lasBotah, both in tho full title and
in the abbreviation :un (comp. Massorah on Gen. iii. 11. x.
18) It is to be 1emu.rked that the Massorah frequently
cails the first division by the Lame Kn,,K, Law,
which it abbreviates into .,,K, or simply .,K (comp. Mas-
sorah on Gen. i. 1, ii. 22, vi. 5, 6, 16, xii. 14, 20, xiv. 9,
tc )
Hence the abbreviation of all the three divisions,
0
12
1'l"M = c::l,n::l cK:::J.l Kn,,tt (comp. Massorah on Gen. 1. ,
20 16
1
v 4 vi 2 x 13 xiv. 20). 'l'he second class,
11. , Ill. , , , ' - ..
.;, e. the Prophets, are subdivided into two rumor classes,
' , r (C'l,t:'tt, ctt:::J.l)
respectively denominated the .8arlur Propttets .
comprising Joshua, Judges, Samuel, und Kmgs; and .the
Later P.ropltds (C'll.,ntt ctt':::ll), embracing Isaiah, Jerem1ah,
15
Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets.
the Mnssorah calls
These two subdivisions
and
The Greek-speaking Jews, who 1dso adopted triple
division, had, up to the time of Christ, no technical expres-
sion fm the third class, i. c., the lltt[lioyraplur.
Hence it is nltetnately designated T<i A.o&'ll'tX Tw" f38}..lwv, T:i !AA.A.
raTpt.t f3/3Alat, o/t.tAfLol and ufLvo." The terms, o/<>eAfLo; and ';;p..,o,
are identical, aud have evidently been given to the third divi-
' As (tho Apbol of denotes tu cumJ.t.,te, tu mal:e perfcct,lu naal:.s
to nud7e Jlt!dCt!, iu S,)'ri1\0 au'l Ara.Lic, tu trc&usmit, tlt:!ilJt!r, s:reat difti ...
culty hllll been CX('Crienc<Jd in tho ro1LROU why tho 1111\ssoritea call tho
Prophets MnOWM. Luvitu, th ct>lubrat.ltl Mru.orite, honestly ""Y" " I do not
know by thu l'ropbcts aro calle<l so" lf,..J[,..-.,-eth, p. 261, cd.
Ginsburg). Jouph Eshve ""Y" n1o'lu1 :llo n,100:-t 'll::l C'M'::Iln 'fl O'M"i'l
C"'UU'l1'<:J ,1J.l1:1 CM1 .cnn::nn O.,::l'l::l O'mM C'O.,Il)OI%7 ,1::1l.'::l OM "'UU'lj) 0:-tl%7 On10::ll7
C'OID::I'C:l C01'::1N'l 'lN'\'ID' 01W tiM Prupluls '"'" "'"'""l "" b.'l the Jlasorittls
art! pe:.f"ection, bciuy lltritld life ..lfJat. l,litJh, either bt:CtiU.&e
tht!!J btt tht!i1 lcwtls t'J. ur bectlllllt! they JIUII.:tJ pt!tiCd
lrc4t'.l t&utl tl.eir .J.(d/u!'" in Coutp. Introduction to tbu Jlcb;, Oh;tluth, section
ii. tukes tho wortl to moau to cum..plele, pultir!J ..
und hc._nce tho expression HnoWM to denote the. c .. nlpft!ft! corp148 l',.''JiAeta ..
which n.re suLdivided into curpus l,,.,,u 1tnd JWlllt!riru.t (Comp. Lite.rtdllrblctt dell
OrieiiiB, v. p. l71). \Vhilst Dr. H.,iu .. mauu, who atlmits that thu word duuotes
t::'''l'letiug, maintains tb,,t the enciro of tlte Prophetic
waitiogs are cullutl because they complctu the hitory of Israel as a
pentle, as well "" the doctrines of )loses, aupplenumting. as it were, the Pentuteuoh
aud concluding tbu Prophut11. Hence, Malachi, the last Prophet, finishes with,
u l'emeolber the Law of aJoses nsy !IOCVant/" anti with &:bo u behold, I
will ""od you Elijah" (lbitl., pp. 57:!, ll). More prohubJ.,, bowev.,r, ld Herzf.,(d's vi"w
that the wort! eithllr dunoteH tnuliti .,, und that it simply tho Aramaic
for the weU-Hno\\u namu trutlit;u,, which ia constantly given iu the Mid ..
raabic and 'ralruudic literaturu to tht> Prophuts, heouuau they embody tho unudul
terat.Jd traditioulll history of tbu uation, and are, to .-tbutl i. I, tho
bearers of the tn&ditions of Mo8UII aud thu tlltlera (comp. :.!.'1 a, Sip/Ira
100 b, Jerwuleu& Kiluji11 ix. 1, Ol.allt1 i. 1, Bab!Jlo,. Ohagiya 10 b,
Il.,.h. Ilu Bha11a 1 a, 19 " 'l'<ltlltitl lli u, B<oba Kame& :! b, l>'utJhtJrill& xviii. 3).
Or that ia synonymous with ,'1:::1:11, tu cumplet.s (oomp. Jer114alena
i. 2), and "" tho 1/aphtaruth. were tuk.,n from the Prophets, hence they oht.ainod
the oamo wno'riDH; still tho designation "the firat" and "the auuml" MnO'riDH,
renders it more acceptable to take as a denomina&ivt> of ttnO'I'IDM (Ouchit:Ate
de Vull:u Iaruel vol. ii. p. 18).
" Comp. tho l'rologue to Ecoleaiastioua; Lnko dv . .U; Jooephaa, cmolra
Jlpio11., L 8. This, moreover, aeema to bu th*' re&tson for the deaignatiou, T4 TOU 4auia,
given to the C:11n::1, in 2 llfaco. ii. 13, and f"r the remark of Philo, who diotilltloiahes
.,O,..otrc cal .\Oy&a thcrwunUvra. 4&4 cml iif..-oUC .r.C. ...& -.u,. ofs h.....,..;,.... cal
cl.,ifJcoa. ..,.,. .. l.fo...-... -< nA<oii..., ... (Opp. ii. -t7li, ed. Abogey.)
16
JSion because in some
Codices the Hagiographu commenced
with the Psulms. The combinations
thirtl chu\s which are to Lc f(mnd under abbte\'iuted titles
of books in the
'- cKn -- c?iln Psalms,
in the Massoruh, sucu as -
J l d
v,, = K,Tll 'K'l, coi1 .,:J,, Cltrullicles,
o J au rore r a ;
I)
' l 1 E r
1 01
11 pn"t - tnTJ.T coi1 .,:J,, C h ro-
ll u.te , atu .z t ,
tticles, 'J.:cclesiastes, aud Ezra, are putely Massoretic goupings
together of volumes in order to show that they have,
or have not, a certain peculiarity which forms the 1mport
of a Rubric. That Looks of this division only Bhould be thus
technically grouped together is somewhat significant. .
The Order 0 ( the Buuks.-'l'here is hardly any pomt in
tho whole range .of work, and in the description
of the external form of the text, 1u1 tramsmitted to us in the
various MSS. inore puzzling than the order and sequence of
the Biblical books. The ancient sages, it is true, have most
minutely prescribed the order in which the volumes arc to
succeed each other. According to their rule, the sequence of
the twenty-four books is as follows: 1-5, the
6, Joshua; 7, Judges; 8, Hamuel; 9, Kings; 10, Jeremtuh;
11, Ezekiel; 12, Isaiah; 13, the Minor Prophets; 14, Ruth;
15, Psalms; 16, Job; 17, Ptoverbs; 18, Ecclesiastes; 19,
&ng of Songs; 20, Lamentations; 21, Daniel; 22, Esther;
23 Ezra- Nehemiah; and 24, Chronicles.
6
It must be
bo;ne in mind that Samuel, Kings, Ezta with Nehemiah, and
Chronicles, which are eight books in the modern editions of
the Bible are fom books in the MSS. and in the early
editions
0
; the Hebrew Scriptures. They were first divided
into two books euch, Ly R. lllu.ac Nathan (1437-14-!f) in hifl
Hebrew Concordance, and thus were introduced into the Scrip-
tures, together with the division into chapters, by Felix
17
Pr1'tensis (1516-1517).
7
The Minor Prophets, which are
called in the MQssorah "1DY .,n, 01 ,o,,n, tl'e twelve, are also
treated as one book, though the beginning and termination
of each are indicated by a small or large vacant space in thJ
MSS. The reason why these twelve Prophets are put
together that owing to their smallness they might be lost
if written separately.
From the definite rule laid down by the sages it would
naturally be concluded that the order of the books in the
MSS. and in the Massoretic text should be uniform. But a
greater diversity can hardly be conceived. Apart from the
Septuagint and Vulgate, which have neither the threefold
division nor follow the prescribed order, great variations are
to be found in the MSS., in the Massorah, and in the early
editions of the text. 'l'o render t.hese differences intelligible,
we subjoin the following table, in which, however, we do not
include the first of the three divisions, since the Pentateuch
uniformly occupies the same position and has the same
sequence in the books.
7 It. wa,; Felix Prat..neia, the editor of llomherg'a ftnt Rabhinio Bible (Veaic:e,
1516-17), and not R. Jacob b. Chajim Ibn Adouijah, the editor of the IIIICOIId
Rabbiuio Bible (Venice, 152-&-:!5), .. some aapatoae, who tint introduced this
cli-rision. At the end of what is now marked 1 816111. xxxi. IS, Pratensia pat the
wonlao c'J:rM EM'Io '711:1 = ..,, 'ilnD'ID 'l'ID -,a, c-un'm c.;.nnc JtO ,w,.., tire
6egi11 tAe eeamd buui: of St1111wl, tuAicA u by t/,ru, tle 11Uu11d buul.: tif
K i11gs. '1'heae words fonD a complete line in the column, and aa they are in theli&llle
"ize of type - thu text, they are only diatiDRUished fn>m it by the absence of the
,owel eigua. Thu division between the &rat and &eOOIId howe,er, ia siauply
indicated by an .. t..risk in the middle of a fnU liue, referring to the margin, where
it is remaa-ked Tl., "":)'nl ,lCD c'lln'nt c"rnnc 1" Acre tlul Roma, .. 6egi,. tile
fuurt4 6uol: of K Bostweeu Ezra aud N oshemiah, in the _,. liue oeeapied by the
tenDillation of tho oue aud the beginuing of the other, is remarked, noan: -,.., llul
Lluul; oJ Nclcemi<ll& ; whilst the aecoud of Chn>uicl .. a iJeRill a new Iiiia ; aud the
remark 'l"G' "1llD ecu11tl Buol:, is ill the margin. All these boob thaa divided have
auparate "hapteriDga, eo that Pratensie aleo the ftnt wb .. broke np the t..x& inlo
ehaptera.
a This, accordiug to Baehi, was done by Hapai, Zeubariah, an4 Malachi
1-,a, ..,... - DDft D'M'D:"I l:lUn:S tiJ n1)'1!:i' crrn'IMUl 1omD ,nc D'l'G
1"11:1ln C'l'nnM D'M':U C:"l '\'mD VlnDD 'IIMjln m, -.n1 >:3M'7D1 'ln 'IM:I1
m1ep ncnc 1"1l.M' tm11 .,,l "1llD c,_, cmr nll'Ci' n'IM1D "'lnln crrmMUl un:n
Comp. on Baba Batlrra 15 a.
18
TABLE I.
OnDER oF .ruE PnoPHE'l"::; AND HAGIOGRAPU.A..
I.
Tut: .\t:onJuusn
"l'O :ST. Jt:IIUllt:.
. r mila Utl.
J utlgcs- H nth.
Snmucl.
Kings
l!ininh.
JeLemiuh-Lnaucn
t.n tinus.
Ezokicl.
Hosen.
Joel.
Amns.
Obtulinh.
,Jonnh.
1\licah.
Nnhum.
llnl111klmk
Zcphnuitlla .
H111{gli.
Zcchnrinh.
l\I,Liacbi.
Job.
Psa1lms.
Paoverbs.
Ecclesiastes
Song of Soul:!'"
llau1iol.
Cbruniclcs.
Ezl"ll-Nelacauiuh.
l!;,;thtlr.
II.
'l'ut.: '1'.\l.llllU.
TilE PH.Ol'HETS.
")i!.\RI.It:R 1
1
1l<li'IIKTtl.
. r ... dana\ .

Sumucl.
1\:illl:l'S.
b LAn:n Pnuaut:r ...
Je.-tnuinh.
Ezekiel.
lsninh.
e l(INoll l'IIOI'IU:l"H.
llusuu.
.Jucl.
A1nns.
Ohuclinh.
Tnunh.
1\licnh.
Nuhnm.
t
Zephuniuh.
llnggni.
Zcchniuh.
l\lulnchi.
HAGIOG ltAi>HA.
Uuth.
Psnlms.
.rob.
l'roverbs.
Ecclc..itu;tc".
Song uf Songs.
Lnmcututi,ns.
Dllniol.
Etithcl".
i!:zln-Nehcllliu.b.
Chronicles.
III.
<it.:JtliAS ANU J.o'tUCSCtl
Cuntc..:s.
.Ju:;hun .
.r ulg-c:; .
Hnmucl.
KiuH"
.r ca-..nninh .
Ezokicl.
lsnia1h.
Hosea.
.Joel.
Atnos.
Obauliu.b.
.Jonah .
l\licuh.
Nnhum.
Hnhnkkuk.
Zcplumil1h.
Huggui.
Zcclutriula.
1\laluchi.
11salms.
Proverbs.
Job.
Song of Soug11.
Uuth.
I
Ecclesiastctl
E .. thc.
Daniel.
Ezra-Nclu:miu.b.
Chronicles.
19
TABLE
ORDER OF THE PRoPHETS AND IIAoiOORAPH.A..
IV.
Tau: MASSORAII.
Joshua.
Judges.
Samuel.
Kings.
Isaiah.
Jeremiah.
Ezekiel.
Hosea.
Joel.
Amos.
Obadiah.
Jonah.
.Micah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Zcphanirlh.
Hug-gai.
Zechariuh.
Malachi.
Chronicles.
Psalms.
Job.
Proverbs.
Ruth.
Song of Songs.
Ecclesiastes.
Lamenta.tiontl.
Esther.
Daniel
Ezra-Nehemiah.
v.
SaANISH ANu IT.,LIAN
CoDIOEtl.
THE PROPHETS.
.. EARLIJ::R PaoPU.t:Ts.
Joshua.
Judges .
Samuel.
Kings.
"LATER Pnoi'III':Ts.
Isaiah.
Jercmillh .
Ezekiel.
MINOR PROPHETS.
Hosea.
Joel.
A1nos.
Ob&diah.
Jonuh.
1\licah.
Nalmm.
Habakkuk
Zephaniah.
Hag-gt\i.
Zechariah.
Malachi.
HAGIOGRAPHA..
Chronicles.
Psalms.
Job.
Proverbs.
Ruth.
Song of
Ecclesiastes.
Lo.nlenta.tiotts.
Esther.
llaniel.
Ezra-N ehemiah.
VI.
Vu:NNA Con.t:x.
Joshua.
.Judges.
Stunuel.
Kings.
ltuliah.
J er<,mit\h,
Ezekiel.
l[oseo..
Amos.
Jonah.
Nt&IIIIJU.
Zeplumiah.
Malachi.
.Joel.
Obadiah.
1\liCilh.
Habakkuk.

Zechariah.
Chronicles.
Psalms.
Job.
Proverbs.
Ruth.
Song of Songs.
Ecclesiastetl.
Lamenbltious.
Esther.
Du.niel.
Ezra.-N ehemiah.
20
On u careful examiuution of the above Table, it will be
seen that the important rulu so often laid down - for
recognising Sprmish Codices from German and French 1\{SS ;
viz., that tho Sp1mish follow tho :\'fassoretic or1ler, whilst
t1te Gormu.n conform to the '1'1tl m uclic lll"nmgements, is n"t
quite cmrect. Fm though the German Codices, like the
Talmud, place ls11iah after Ezekiel; yet in the Hagio-
gmphu., they deviu.te f.-om the Talmud, by grouping the Five
Mcgilloth togethet (viz., Song of Songs, Uuth, Lumentu-
tiouR, Ecclesiustcs, und Esther). It will, motcovm, be seen
thut tho Vienna Codex, which is Spanish, entirely differs
in its arrangement of the Minor Prophets from that of the
Massomh.
As the Lnw of l\foses was from time immemoriul aeg1trded
by the .Jews as the most sucrod J>att of the Hebrew Scriptures,
uud as having u bighct degree of iuspimtion than the other
pmtions of the EiiJle; and, n1orcover, as the Pentateuch
alone continues to be divided into hebdoruadnl lessons;
greater cate has been bestowed upon, and a more diversified
division hatJ leen introduced into the of it, than into
that of the !"c!Ht of tho Hebrew Verity. Hence, in describing
the 1\Iassoretic phenomena of the text, it is necessary to
separate the Pentateuch from the lll"Ophets and Hagiographa .
The Pentateuch is divided in live different ways : (1)
Open Sectimts; (2) Clmwd SectimtH; (S) Triennial Pericopes;
(4) Pai,opes; und (5) J'erses. Of these divisions
two only, i. e., the thirtl and fifth, occur in the Prophets
and Hagiogmphu. The Psalter, from its being a com}lilation
of so many diHereut h,ymns, toaws an exception, as we shall
see hereafter. The division into sections in the Pentnteuch
is undoubtedly the oldest brCitkiug up of the text, and is
designed to wad,; difl';)rent topics, SOJitLl"ato enactments, etc.,
and possibly ulso doubts upon the sequence of paragrnph!i.
An open 1:1eotion begins a new liue like our paragraph',
21
whence it derives the name open section; whilst the closed
section begins a line partly occupied by the termination of
the lust section. It is only when the hebdomadal lesson of
the annual cycle begins with a closed section, that the latter
commences a new line. The vacant space in the line,
indicative of a closed section, must be sufficient to occupy
a triliteral word. There are in all two hundred and ninety
open sections, and three hundred and seventy-nine closed
sections, as follows:-
TABLE IT.
OPEN AND CLOSED SECTIONS.
OJ!GD SecUona. Cloded SecUooa. 1 Open SecUona.
1
a
8
4
6
6
7
..
9
10
11
12
Gt:NJ!:tUit.. I G&NICallll ..
I. S-H I
16
loA
xi. 1-9
D-18
J.l-19 :
211-:!U !
I
9-1--31 '
10 11
II. 1-8
Ill .
vi.
lx.
"
.,_UI. 16
1 Ill.
9
lv.
v.
16 i
17-a! '
1-!16 I 16
1-6 ; 1d
6-8 ; 17
&-n:
lll-1-& I
16-17 '
18-211
lill.
..
xiv.
l-It
10 18
1-IU
8
4
6
6
7
H
9
10 21-IU 18 xvlll. 1-xlx. 88
11
12
ali-27
118-81
18 11".&-vl. 4 lD xxl.
li-S lJO xxU.
9-Ia :a
18 au 1
1-1-&
14 vi. lB--vlll. 1-& all xaill.
lli viii. 16-lx. 7
1d IX. 8-17 26 XXV.
Ill
ali
I 17
j1s
"
16-110 i 116 XXVI.
l!1-8ll
all "'
1-19
-Ill
1-110
111
1:1-18
19-8-&
1-88
Closed 8eoUooa.
o ........
19
ao
1!1
11:.1
28
Ill
ali
116
:d.
""
1!8 xvl.
liD xvll.
80
81 XX.
IIi xxl.
88 xxlv.
1._15
16-l'l
18-19
90-lll
11:.1-28

a6-B:l
1-91
1-11
1-J.I
11i-ll7
1-18
1-91
1-a'J
Tbd 1o the Cbapter. aaut ,.e...._,.... accardla to "'"' Hb"w Bibl"- The ariadoa
be&weeo &be azad the Aatbod.Hd VuaiOD.,.. below.
Open Sections.
GEMElli H.
27 xxxll ._xxxl!i. 17
28 XXXV. 1-ll
29
80
81 xxxvl.
8:!
83 xxxvii.
IH XXX\"111.


1-19
81-411
1-au
1-llll
85
86
xl. 1-:!3
xll. 1-xliv. 17
87
Uti
8!l
411
41
4ll
xlvlll.
xJix.
1-2:1
1-4
f>--7
1!-1:!
111
1-l-15
I.
I) it.
3 ..
4 iv.
li ..
6 vi.
7 "
R
9
27-1. 20
Es:oDUH.
18--a&
27-vl. 1

18
vii. 1-7
8-18
I
22
TABLE II.-continued.
Cloded Suction.
OENE::iiK. 1
nt xxvi. ::
115 xxvll. 1-xx\ili. II 11
116 xxvlil. 6 i 1 10
87 xxxlll.
3H xxxiv.
18-:!0 1!
1-81
!In
I, 12
18
39 XXX'\"i.
H
1
R
4
1-:l:l
xllv. 18-xlvl. 7
xlvl. 8-:!7
,. :!8-xlvll. Ill
:dix. 16-11!
1a
llll
21
2:!-:.!6
15
lfl
II!
10
211
I :!1
25
!l'l
;!!d
ExonuR. 29
Ill. 1-lv. 11
81)
81
sa
vi. 2-9 88
14-28,
1!9-80 :
!
O(JCU SecUoos .. Closed 8ect.lon11.
ExuDU!i,
ExoDus ..
vii.
lx.
"
xi.
xll.
xlll.

xv.
xvi ..
xvii.
X\"111.
xis.
xx.
1-7
8-1:!
li vii.
6
1 viii.
s
2
1._18
19-26
1-11
12-11i
16-l!H
10 lx. 18--21

1-11
l!J-llU I
1-8
21-28
1-10
11-16
1-14
11>-25
26-81
1-19
11 x.
l:l xi.
13
H xll.
15
16
17 xlll.
lll!-l!1 I 18
i 19
I 20
!
X'\'.
xvl.
11-27 : 21
1-7
8-18
U-16
1-27
1-l!li
8-11

28

ali
ll6
127
IE
XX.
12-20
4-a
9-10
1-110
61
17-!!:!
11:.1-26
:n-xvl. 3
-l-10
1
ll-6
'1
l!l
18
H
IIi
16
11
!19
80
81
llll
88
a.
116
1111
28
. TABLE IT.-:--continrted.
Open Sections.
Ex.oous.
u:. 18-!ll
u:l. 1-3
87 l<XIi. IS-14
Oloecd :SeoUollS.
Exooutt.
81 sx.
II:! u:..l.
113
ll4
116
86
87
118
119
40
.u
7-11
19-18
H
15
16
17
16-19
21>-21
2:!-:.!.'i
26-27
4:l IJS...3l
4S lllHIII
87-xxU.B
46 xxll. 4
46 li
47 6-8
48 9-1:!
u-1:
15-17
1d

27-30
1-8
4
5
6-19
119 l<XIil.
611 u:..lll.
M
55
56
57
I-ll i
lltl xxtv.
41 ,.,.,._ 1-!1
59 XXV ..
1:1-18

60 xsvl. 1-U
44 lUtYI. 1:1-110
ll>tVW. 6-12
I
61
62: xxvll.
63
6&
116 :r.x viii.
66
fr1
1111
81-37
1-8
9--19
20-21
1-6
IS-1-i
15-30
81-86
Open Sootlona. Oloae4 Sectlona.
Exooua.
Iii xxxU.
62
63 XXS.lil.
M
55 xx.xtv.
56
1-10
u_:ul
17-lll
2:!-s.
19-17
7-H
llHIIi
19-16
17-211
1-l!&
27-35
Exooua.
IIIJ xxviiL
70 xxlx.
71
'12 xsx.
78 xsxl.
116-48
1-81
116-<iG
84-88
1-11
7-i . 19--xxxlL 6
75 xxxlil. 1-11
76 XXXV. 1-41
67 lll<XV. <i-29
li8 .. 80-x:xsvl. 7
li9 xxxvl.
60 xx:r.vll.
61
69
63
65
66
1111
sL
1-&-19
1-9
lD-16
17-:H
26-29
77 xxxvl. 8-16
7d
79 xxxvlll. 1-7
80 8
81
Ill
113
9-:Ml
lU-11:1
.. 2-1--xxxlx. 1
IH xxxb.
8-21'
22-:JIJI
_jE
1-16 I
I 88 xl.
189
!:
i
911
9i
Ill>
117-!19
110-81
a$
2
s
6
6
7
II
9
1ll
11
12
IS
14
15
16
17
Ill
19
20
21
l!2
26
29
Ill)
Ill
62
Open SecUona.
LEVlTlCUH.
I. 14-17
Ill.
:!
8
4
G
1-11 j
6
6-11
1:!-17
lv. J-1:!
JS-21
!!::!-20
27-111
:tJ-116
v. 1-10
,.I.
vii.
vill.
17-19

1-a I
7
8
I II
J:!-16 I
11-2:1 I
1-10
11-271
lkh'l<l
l-311 ;
IO
" 11-ll
12-:!tl
xi. 1-21!
11
1:!
"" 1-11 '
XIII. 111
ll.lv.
xv.
xvi.
11-17
1!1-211
1:1
H
15
i 16
1-oo 1
17
118-57 I
1-111 i
18
19-2.1 I
: 19
1-34 j
24
TABLE H.-continued
Closed Sections. Open SecUoos. Oloa&d SeoUoiUI.
LEVITIClltl. LEVITIOUtl. L&VITICUH..
I.
11.
,._
I.
"'
xlii.
x:, ..
11}-l:J 113 xvli.
1-a
4
5-3
7-18
H-16
11-13
8-1 XVIII.
xlx.
H-16 87 XX.
&4 xxL
7-11 80 xxll.
40
xxlh.
is 1-x.? 1
IU-33
-411
4!1
xxlv.
xxv.
50 xs.vi.
Iii
XV.
2fHI8 I
,I
1-16
1-6
20 :otvlll.
21
2:!
23
24
:l:i
2fl
27
28
,29
lllll
1 s1
1-2:! I
28-8-.l
; B:! xt-.:.
1-27
1-91
, 811 xxl.
IIH
1-16
17-2S !
! 86 xsil.
1-:J '
-!
9-1-11
loo
::187
1--&
IHII
ISH
ts-23 I
1-7 ! 1111
140
, ...
xxlll.
xxh.
6
7
8
!)
10
11
1:!
13
u.
15
16

11}-16
18-:H
10-12
8-2.1
21i-2d
29-34
85-.'Ji
-
47-xsvi. 11
xxvl. 2'; 1-46
141 I
I 46 xxvll. :11-31
1
ll
8

I>
8
'I
8
9
10
11
u
18
u
II>
16
17
18
19
110
Ill
2:!
211
'119
110
81
Ill!
113
Sf
811
1111
I.
II.
w.
lv.
v.
vi.
llll-113
U..116
ll6-27
!18-29
110-31
ti-88
M-85
M-417
118-811
40-11
-
-&7
tiHi4
1-9

1-16
17-110
91-28
1-i
li-10
11-81
1-lll
-
TABLE ll.-continued.
01o""d 8eoUoDB.
1
ll
8
4
6
8
7
I II
9
10
11
1!1
18
14
16
Nuxa&Ba.
I. lll}-21
II.
Ul.
h.
vi.
vii.
10--18
17
18-114
25-81
114
116
1!6
'n
1-11
w-l'l
-l7
48
49
liO
51
113
liS
5&
M
58
67
110
81
6:1
113
OpeD 8eotJoDB.
Nuaaaa.
vW.
lx.
x.
xi.
xU.
1-8
9-14
1-111
11-28
1-16
16-112
lll\-86
l-8
xiU. 1-xlv. 10
xlv. 11-25
96-tli
xv.
svi.
s:vll.
1-16
17-lll
61 .. vw.
:ds.
""
'lO ..U.
18
1'1
18
Ill
YIU.
b.
"
.. u.
.. v.
.......
xvll.
28 xvUI.
""
xx.l.
111-118
--
ll'Hil
9-11>
l-'1
1-11
26
TABLE II.-.:ontinued.
Open 8eot1one. I Clo- &ocUona.
NCMD&BB. NC .. BBB.
71 xxl. IU-xxll. 1 I xxL 17 :!0
xx.ll. B-xxlv. 116
1-8 7:!
78
74
:&XV.
75 """''
76
10-lli
16-19
1-10
77 .... vn. &-n
76 12-H
79 xxviU. 1-8
80 D-10
81 11-15
112 xxlx. 1-8
811 """"
S6
S7
88
89
40
41
42
4S
44
45
46
41 ,. u.
49 xxv!U.
liO
51 xxlx.
52
liS
5&
M
56
67
88
84
1:
sxz.
xxxt.
11-17 I
t-1!1 I
I
11-14
11>-18
19-22
23-:!li
liB-'n
28-84
81>-87
118-41
42-tS
44-41
-ls-61
67-85
1-6
16-26
26-81
7-11
12-16
17-19
2B-22
1!8-laS
ll6-28
29-81
112-84
81>-,.,.,.. 1
IE
xx:d. 18-110
xxxiL
811
S7 xxx.JU.
l-4
6S xxxil.
64
111-94
26-64
li-16
16-10
Open Seot!OIUI.
NCIIBZBB.
88 zx:&iv.
80
00 XXXV.
01
In uxvl.
1-lli
16-119
1-8
D-84
1-18
DZUTBilOICOKY.
1 lv.
9
8
4. v.
6 vi.
6 vii.
7 viii.
8
0 lx.
Ill x.
II
1:! xlll.
1-94
26-40
U-49
1-6
111-16
1-18
19-110
1-29
1-11
111-xl. 9
11-8

1 IL Il-liG
ll '81>-18
8. 17-ao
-l 81-UI. Ill!
6 w. liS-lit
8 ... 6-10
7 11
8 111-11>
9 18
10
11
1!1
18
14
16
18
17
18
19
110 .. u.
174
176
17o
17d.
184
186
19-vl. 8
10--11>
16-19
--
1-11
ll1 17-28
22 x.l. 19-1!
113 18-lll
lK -- 116 96-18
116 119-xll. 18
ll7 xU. ...
18 119-xUI. 1
'1-U
2'1
TABLE fl.-continued.
OpeD 8eoUOIUI. Ol"""d BecUoDa. Open SocUona. Oloaad 8eaUollL
DtJTJiac>KOJn'. D&ln'JIROKOIIY. D&UT&ac>KOIO.
110 xw. 18-19
'Ill xsJU.

81 ldv. 1-2 7
...,
82 IHI 7li 8-8
88 (}..10 78 11}-U
M 11-91 77 18-11
78 18-llt
U-97
'lit .....
18
"'" M-29 85
88 XV. 1-8
80 2S-H
87 7-U
81 ll6
118 1li-18 89 ..
H XV. 1&-1111 88 ltXlv. 1-t
15 llri. 1-8 sa li-8
89 xri. s..-1!! ' 85 7
16 18-1'1 ll8 8-8
40 18-llill 81 1(}..18
u 111-22 88 1-U
ti xvU. 1 81 18
4S ll--'1 90 1'1-18
91 19 1'1 xril. 8-18
I
911 20-U
"

93 XXV. 1-4 4S :o:vW. 1-11
IH 1>-10 4,8 8-6
96 11-H 4.7 8-6
191
ll8 18-U 4.11 9-22
4.9 xllL. 1-10 xsv. 11-91
11-18
!22 , ...... 1-11
l<Jtri. 19-lti
18 sbt.
9'1 liO 14.
Ill 11>-!U 98 18-111
1-8 i 611
""
1-9
128
XXVII.
91} s:o:vll. 9-10
68 1(}..18
I ::
11-14.
M 19-!10
16 Ill SJti. 1-9
lOll 18
116 xz.J. 1(}..14.
1118 1'1 118 15-17
: 104. 18
15'1
111-21
106 11J-IO
1158
2S-Illl
1118 21 59
"""
1-8
60 4. 10'1 II
61 5 108 ll8
!10 xxU. 6-'1 108 sa
Clr4 8-9 uo

68 )1}-Jl Ul

84. Ill 94. sxrill. 1-14.
65 18-19 25 11H18
ll8 20-IU 119 xxriU.

6'1 :Ill il6 llxbt. 1-8
68 118-24. 'II &-28

113
"""
1-10
'10 :118-29 114. U-16
'11 ....w. 1 116 u-
'Ill II ill lD<.d. 1-8
Open SecUons.

ll9 Sl:](f. 1-l-&1
80 11Xti. ;l-UI
81 4-!-(7
l!:l
811 sxxlil. 1-6
64 8-11
28
TABLE fl.-continued.
Closed Sections.
DEUTEROHOJIY.
116 """' 6-17 :
I
I
117 xxxW. 6-71
Open Sections.
DllTBRONOJIY.
/ Olo- Sectloaa.
1 DECTII!BOMOKY.
118 :uxill. 12
: 119 18-1'1
120 111-19
121 20-21
Ill:! llli-28
128 U--29
lU lt.l<Sty. 1-12
Acc01diugly
the respective number of open and closed
sections in each Look is us follows :-
OJM2n
Clo...,d Sectiona.

-13
+ 4H
01
Exodus
IIU
+ 9,5
16-,l
l.uviticus
a:!
+ 4U
9R
N uutbtn;

+ 611 158
l>cutctotwmy
:u
+ 124
l5b
200
+ 3711
-
660
On a closer examination of these two kinds of sections, it
will be seen thut they exhibit the esults of ancient criticism,
applied to the sequence and order of the text at large, as
much as the extraordinary marks on the letters, the sus-
pended, the iuvcrted letters, etc., indicate the criticism of
words. The Siphrtl cor1ectly the great or open sec-
tion (i'lnlnD) llti comllrisiug a complete paragra11h, whilst the
smull or closed Hectiou (i"'O,TIO) is simply au intervening sen-
tence between these paragraphs. But. before we can fully
cuter into the importance of all these breaks, and explain
the of their respective }losition in the text, it will be
necessary to ad,crt to the constitution of the text itself .
Thu.t the unrratiYes embodied in the Law, such
as those of the creation, the full, the different genealo-
gies, the flood, the towet of Babel, the call of Abraham, etc.,
flV/ rll' r:n mD"ID'l i':!t pun;,; m'"l 'jnry l'11DO., M'I'Qm'IDO M'lpelln 1'l'1 nD
Jl7cut '""" the tule of tlce ll<cliOI,.t ;,. the .. ttmc/, 1 To yirJe pace to th<:
;,tclliyc"t w re.Jfut betroee11 each ectitm a11d each Mmtellct: (SiJIAra i. 9, p. 3,
6, ed. \\'t:.i.sa, VicJWa, ltl62).
29
etc., existed before the compilation of the Pentateuch, is
readily granted. A careful perusal of the Books of Moses also
shows that many of the precepts existed among different
families, who described the same narrative and expressed the
same laws in diff'ment wmds. When these traditional narra-
tives came to be written down, each story and enactment was
inscribed upon a separate roll, and was circulated as a distinct
smoll. Thus the genealogy of Adam was written upon a
soparate scroll, and hence is called a book (Gen. v. 1). The
contents of Exod. xx. 19-xxiii. 33, are called in Exod. xxiv.
7 the Book of the Covenant (n,::li1 ,!lC). Even the small
formula of divorce is designatetl the Book of Divorce
,!DC), because it was written on a scroll (Dent. xxiv.
1, 3). A single precept, enactment, or statement is deno-
minated "the Law;" a term which was afterwards applied to
the whols Pentateuch, because it was written on a separate
scroll. Thus the Song of Moses (Deut. xxxii. 1-43) is
called a Law (Dent. xxxii. -16).
When all these different narratives and 'laws,' written on
separate scrolls, and circnlatetl an10ng various tribes, were
compiled into one scroil, not only were duplicate narratives
and laws recording the same thing in different words inserted,
but they were incorprated without regard to logicul sequence
or chronological order. We propound here no theories of
our own, but simply record the statements of the ancient
doctors and spiritual guides of the nation, who were the
.1stodians of the Hebrew Scriptures, and who copied and
transmitted to us the text in its present form.
Thus the Talmud distinctly declares that the Penta-
teuch is composed of separate pieces, which were originally
written upon separate scrolls, and at different times, with-
out any organic connection.
1
For instance, Exod. xxiv.
to rnnl mlc mJo m1n the Pe11tateuch was writtera on eparate croll. R.
Jochauan, who recorda thia fact in the DIUDe of B. Benaah, quotea the eapna
llioD "1EID n'll'O (Pa. :d. 8), aa deDoliDg a IM!GtioD in the Peutatawoh. B. Le9i,
30
1-11 ought to have been inserted before cap. xx., since the
events recorded therein happened prior to the promulgation
of the Decalogue on the fourth of Nisan." Now, in looking
at the Hebtew, it will be seen that this inversion, which is
duly indicated in the original by an open SCQ.tion (El) at the
beginning (xxiv. 1) and a closed section ('C) at the end (ver.
11), hegins with a verb without a subject, thus showing
that it has no antecedent in the section immediately pre-
ceding. Moreover, the Talmud tells us that E.xod . .x.x.xi. 18
-x.xxiv. 35, ought to precede x.xv. 1-xxxi. 17; since the
institution of the sacrificial service was in consequence of the
relapsing of the people into the worship of the Egyptian
Apis.12 Here, again, the section is not only marked at the
commencement (Exod. x.x.xi. 18), and the termination (xx.xiv.
35), as closed ('D), but it begins with a verb without a
subject; thus showing that it has no connection with the pre-
ceding section. Again, the record of the cities of refuge for
the land on the west of Jordan {Dent. xi.x. 1-10) is inserted
after Dent. xviii., instead of following immediately Dent. iv.
41-49, which speaks of the cities of refuge on the east of
wbo maintains the ...... ., riew, declare tbat eight sections (viz., Levit. x:d. 1-9,
Numb. viti. 6-:!S, Levit. xaii. 1-16, Numb. v. l-4, Lev. sri. l-SI, s. 8-11 ;
Numb. viii. 1-4, six. 1-22) were written upon separate seroUs at the erection of
the Tabernacle (Gitri" 6fl a--61 b). The same thing ia stated in the M.idraa!Wn
,"TOM 'nt m1n w iT'n1"a1D 1ml M'! the ectioM in the L'e11tatllllch not
arranged ;,. chrunulogical order. Comp. Mitlrah Tillim eap. iii.
u Ccmp. Mechilta Pericope IQ section iii. p. 4 a, ed. Weiao, Vienoa, 1865;
.Joma 4 a aud b; Sabbath 86 b, and Rasbi's remark on Esod. :axiv. 1, mzTUl
1'1 1T'1'0Hl 11'0l ,l n1"1lT.l m11n1 C'l'lj7 OTIDMl 1 thia (Esod. ll9 iY.
I-ll) IDaa Cl>n&municated before the a it WtU o,. 1M fourtl. oi
&ivan tlaat Muu 10a con"'aa nded to aund the mountain.
U Comp. Setkr Olam Rabba, cap. ri., and Raahi'a remark on Eaod. ax:ai.,. 8,
, mo rrn cl, = p'mn:IM roM'Ic .,,r, c,p 'lnm l'1"a:)ft) mvu "1mM'I:I1 tnp1'0 7'1'
lll,ll ,.,.,n., mnc'n 'lon'IZM :o-p;, mnru c,:11 n1m'ln TUn1Dl ncru .--
lD'.U '1111Q c;:n;n P'mn:IM tla<re ia >&0 chro .. ulogical .. rder ;,. the re .. tateucA; tA-
IDOralaip oft he golde11 cal_/ too.l: piau lo"o before the buildi11g of tlu: Tal>e.-..ack&.
-'nee tlae liDo tablu IDill"tJ brokf!ll Olt the eventeenth day of TaPauz, tlae Hoi""
One, blued be Ju:, hoiDtld himelf merciful to the I..-aelitu o>& tlae Day of
.&to11eme,t, and the followillg rraorning tlaey commenced 1M free-IDill contril>K
t&o,.., for tlae Tabernacle, IDhido was erected 011 tlae jirllt "f NiJia,..
81
Jordan. Here again two fragments are respectively JQ&rked
88 separate sections. Indeed the Talmud says that there
are confusion and transposition of sections throughout Exod.
xxi. 1-xxi.v. 18.,. Hence the ancient doctors and inte,;-
preters of the Scriptures felt themselves constra.il).ed to .y
down the exegetical canon, that .. there is t&O chrorwlogit;al
order in the sections of the Pentateuch."
Now whether or not we accept the .emphatio assertiDne of
these ancient custodians of the Law, that the js
compiled of different fragments, without regard fR logi.,..
seqoence or chronological order, the fact unq.,.estiollallly "1/J-
mains, that the sages made the marks in question to
the detached constituencies of the compilation. In ,(
this theory, however, is to he urged, that the open sectioJJe,
which indicate the separate scrolls from which each book Jl.,.a
been compiled, always comprise a complete narrative or b.w;
that the closed or enclosed sections which interveno always
contain new matter of a ditWrent impor1i, sl;ww tlaat they
were written upon the same scroll ; and that no of
tbe same narrative or law ever occurs in an open section; wh,LQh
fOOS far to show that each such section was originally .,ntten
uprin a separate scroll, and was comp'-'te i.o itself.
16
Moreover, it ill to be remarked that many W. AC-
tions have separate titles.L and are quoted in oldet
Biblical writings, where it is taken for granw.l tW..t t;Aey
were well known to all Madera of the Script.W,J:l
u pc :lZU "''1ITID ::1'M'll ir& tAe MoaaiD la- (C"'CClDD 'I)) tau.o-ta
GNS .U.plaMd ar&4i IAizul y ollter ptUMQ .. (cqmp. B....rudnA 6; Ha6a

Ll M'm'C "1mMD D"'II"'O which b t.be laat of t.be &hiriJ'&wo raJM of
ill&upntalion, ....Ueo&ecl aJWl .ya&ematiaecl h7 B. Elieaer h. JON &he GaliJeaD,
cme of &he principal oxpoaiton of tho PeD*-&each iA &he ......,..d .,.a'-J' of
t.be OhriatiaD ua. (Comp. Kil&o, of Biblical
lbDildll).
u Dr. HocluoU.d&er, who was the ftn& to point oat &hia fact, --*-for &be
hell&bomeroa baYing open ( 1:1) ....,tioaa iaa&ead of d.,..,. ('D), Oil tho bnootlaeeia
ibM MGh day a...o&ea epoch, .. fJrGID U.. adaen b;r .,,...,.. -
82
in. Genesis, Open Sections, i. I - 7 are quoted in the
Taanith iv. 3; iii. 6. In Exodus, Open
Sectwns, Nos. 29, 30, 47, are quoted Mishna 11-legilla iii. 4,
6; Closed Sections, Nos. 14, 22-31 are quoted Mishna
Megilla iii. 4, Taanith v. I. In Leviticus, Open Sections,
!'!_os. 32, 42, 50, are quoted Mishna Joma vii. I ; Megilla
m. 5, 6; Closed Sections, Nos. 37, 45; Mishna Joma vi. 1 .
Megilla iii. 6. In Numbers, Open Sections, Nos. 26, 29:
58, 66, 8I, are quoted 1\fishna Sota vii. I ; Megilla
m. 4- 6; Taanttlt v. 1; Berac/wtlt ii. 2; Closed Sections,
10-13, are quoted Mishna Taanitlt v. 1; 11-Iegilla
111. 6; Jada;un. m. 5. In Deuteronomy, Open Sections,
Nos. 5, 18, I9, 2I, 22, are quoted Mishna Taanitlt v. I .
Beracltotlt ii. 2; Sota, vii. 2 ; JIIegilut iii. 4, and
tions,. Nos. 23, 89, 44, 52, 94, 97, are quoted Mishna
Taamth v. I; Bcrachoth ii. 2; Aiegilla iii. 5 . 1
2 . a vu. ,
are respectively fixed for lessons on special
oecaswns, m accordance with their import.
It is upon this theory, moreover, that the following enact-
. of the. ancient. sages with respect to the Pericopes
1s explamed. They ordained that each one
who ts called to the public reading of the Law must read no
less three verses, and that in case these readings do
not hcgm and end such a section, they must at least com-
mence three verses after the section, and terminate three
verses before the section, in order that those who in the
eYolatioDII and that th - f
all e tl'l'en .. o eery day may probably "-e been writ&e
n y oa a &eparale Eawntia n Ongt-
tbere . oJr n pupynu. Jo"or aimilar reaaou, we finll here and
... __ other eectioua ("DI between cloaell oaea of a <li1ferent impo...
.....,anae the ongin.U materiala hi h ., a. e., I
ot .,. . on w " the recorda were WJ"itteu were not
. eq I lll.Ze. The preaence of an open ...,.,tiou ( ll) alter the third te
111
Decalogue (E1od. n:. 7). for which however' Oeut v 11 '---
eectiou ( "C) - d - d .._ a .,.._..
elllgDe to indicate how the ..,ntencea are to be d- trib --
on the Two T bl tb d" n._
lreg&rcb th a ea, BlDce e snaion thua marked is. more appropriate as
th e total number of worda and letten in tbe D_.ogu., than to le
" Lu.t fte abort aeutencea for tbe aecond Table utill ' 1 th &Yo
may ha be . " aome o e marb
ico 'I'B 8D _ lD&eraluusgecl or entirely omitted, in the of tim h
oraut Bt>n OAo.nanja 'rill. 688-690, 699-
708
e,
88
interim happen to leave or to come into the Synagogue
may not think that be who reads the Law before their going
out or coming in only read one or two verses (ltiegiUa 21 a-
22 b). The section therefore detennined the Pericope and
not the lesson the section. This importance of the Sections
led the ancients to decree that a. Scroll of the Law
wherein some open sections are by mistake marked as closed,
or vice versa, is useless, just as it is illegal to read in a. Codex
wherein the letters are interchanged, or the poetical portions
are written like prose (Sabbath 108 b). Indeed, according to
Maimonides, it is not even lawful to correct such a Codex
(Hilclwth Sep/ier Thora viii. 8).
We have only to add that in the Massoretic manuscripts
and editions the open sections are generally indicated by the
initial letter Pe ( o = open), and the closed sections are
marked by the initial letter Sameclt (C = closed). But
when these sections begin the hebdomadal lesson, the open
section bas t-hree Pes (D o D), and the closed section three
Samechs (C 0 C). In the Synagogal Scrolls, from which the
Pericopes are read, these letters are entirely absent, and
the sections are simply indicated by the prescribed vacant
space, whilst in some of the more carefully written MSS. the
mark, nn1no, Open Section, or Closecl Section, is
fully written out at each such break. This is the case in
Codex No. 5710 (Harleian) of t.be British Museum. In
Codex No. 1528 (Harleiao), on the contrary, the mark is
omitted, and a. vacant space alone indicates the sections.
_7'/re Semi-Sabbatical Year Next in point of anti-
quity is the division of the Pentateuch into one hundred
and seventy-five Pericopes. The design of this division is
1
tha.t the entire Law should be read through, publicly, once
in every three years and a half, or twice in every Sabbatical
year. It is beyond the scope of this essay to describe the
guild of Metlturgemanin, or Interpreters, to which the in&ti-
u
tution of the Pericopes gave rise or to h h 6'--
. , s ow ow aar the
anment versions, viz., the Greek of the Septua!rint Aq u
Theod t S c ' 01 a,
0
lQn, ymmachus, &c., the Syriac Peshito, the Chaldee
paraphrase<!, and the Midrashim emanated d. ti di
. Irec y or 1n _
dtrectly from this guild. We must simply ao. :-ert to the fi t
that the injunction to "read the Book of the L .., acall
I I " h F a. ore
srae , on. t e east Tabernacles of every Sabbatical year
(Dent. XXXI. 10-18 wtth Neb vii 2 8) t 1
. . . ' , no on y gave nse
to the dtVIston of the Pentateuch into hebdom dal 1
h h a essons.
w tc are read publicly to this day in the s
. . ynagognes or the
1nstructwn and edification of the Israelites, but to the belief
that Moses himself instituted the Pericopes (Acts xv. 2
1
.
Josephus, contra Apion., ii. 17 ; Jerusalem Megilla i
1

Babylon Megilla, 81. b; Baba Kama 82 a).
. it immaterial to our ipquiry who the author of this
mshtuhon ts, as we have simply to point out its eWe t
th a . . f h c s upon
e tvtston o t e text. There can hardly be any doubt that
at there were no fixed and measured hebdomadal lessons
assigned for the ordinary Sabbaths ; that the Feasts and
Fas_ts alone had their appropriate lessons, and that the par-
out of the entire Pentateuch into a certain number of
Pertcopes was a gradual development, and became genera}
two centuries before Ch.-ist. Ancient authorities
mentiOn. a cycle of three years and a half (Jerusalem. Sab-
:atiL 1; Suplte,.im xvi. 10), and the Hebrew text, as
to us, has a twofold pericopal division namely
a trtennia.J and 1
. an annua. eye e, and the question is which
IS the oldest of the three?
From the Bible itself we gather that the Law ".
read before the whole community every Sabbatical as
(Dent 10-
18
ye.ar
). After the return of the Jews from til
BabyloDian captivity, the readings in the Book of the L .,
of God , aw,
and . were undoubtedly more frequent (Neb. viii. 2, 8) \
specnal and appropriate lessons were appointed for solemn
and great occasions. It is therefore natural that as soon as
fixing of Pericopes for Feasts and Fasts gave rise to the first
division of the entire Pentateuch, it would be into one hundred
and seventy-five hebdomadal sections, so that the Law might
be read through in three years and a half, or twice in every
Sabbatical year, the first cycle terminating in the month of
Nisan, and the second in the month of Tiskri; so that the
end of the Pentateuch should coincide with the end of the
Year of Release, which appeared more in harmony with the
spirit of the original institution (Dent. xxxi. 10-13).
The Trienrtictl Pericopes. -The lax observance of the
Sabbatical year, however, and the ultimate total neglect
to celebrate it, brought this pericopal division of the text
-into one hundred and seventy-five sections-into disuse,
and gave rise to the trienni1Ll cycle, or the division of
the text into a hundred and fifty-four sections ( D.,"1D ).
According to this division, the reading of the Law was as
follows :-Gen. i. 1-Exodus xiii. 16, comprising ll.istorg,
i. e., from the Creation of the world to the Exodus, was read
in the first year; Exod. xiii. 17-Num. vi. 27, embracing
the laws of both Sinai and the Tabernacle, formed the
hebdomadal lessons for the second year; and Numbers vii.
1-Deut. xxxiv. 12, containing both history (i.e., the account
of the thirty-nine years' wanderings in the wilderness), and
law (i.e., the repetition of the Mosaic precepts), constituted
the Sabbatical lessons for the third year. Whether the Semi-
Sabbatical Year Cycle had a division of the text into a
hundred and seventy five sections entirely different from the
division of the Triennial one into a hundred and fifty-
four sections ; or whether these two divisions are identical,
and the additional .number of lessons for the half year was
obtained by the special Pericopes for the Feasts and Fasts,
will be discussed in the sequel. We subjoin a Table of the
Triennial Division.
36
TABLE III.
THE TRIENNIAL CYCLE.
GENESIS.
Gen. i. I ... ii. 8.
.. ii. 4 ... iii. 21.
4
/}
" iii. 22 ... iv. 28.
" v. l. .. vi. 8.
" vi. 0 . viii. u.
fl
1
H
!}
10
11
1:!
l:l
1-l
15
Ill
17
IH
1!1

'.!1
,iii. 15 ... ix. 17 .
" ix. IIL.xi. :12.
. xii. 1 11.
. xii. IO . xiii. lB.
" xiv. I . 2-l..
XV. 1. .. :.!1.
" xvi. I ... In.
.. xvii. 1. .. :!7.
X\jjj_ 1. .. ':13.
. xix. 1. .. :lA.
XX. I lfl.
xxi. 1. .. :14 .
xxii. L .. xxjji.
20
_
.. xxiv. 1. 4 1.
xxiv. 42 ... 67.
xxv. I. .. HI.
xxv. lll ... xxvi. 36.
xxvii. 1. .. 27_
xxvii. :m ... xx,iii.
0
xx.viii. IO xxix. so:
xxrx. :n ... xxx. l.
.. xxx. :.?:.! xxxi >
xxx!: 3 .. xxxii." ;:
., XXXII. 4 ... XXxiii. 17
xxxiii. lH . xxxv. a."
" xxxv. u ... xxx,i.

xxx,;;. l. .. ;Jo.
2t'i

:I,)
;11

ll;J
:II
a.)
au
;J;
xxxviii. l. .. ao.
.. xxxix. l. .. xl.
23
xli. l. .. a7. .
" xli. .xJii. 17
xlii. ll!l ... xlijj_ IS
GENESIS.
Gen. xliii. H . xliv. 17
xliv. 18 ... xlvi. 27."
.. xhi. 28 . :xlvii. 31.
xlviii. 1. ..
xlix. 1. .. 1.
40
.u
l
2
:1
4
5
ll
7
H
!}
10
11
12
l:J
IS
15
16
17
IIi
19
20
2l
23
2-l.
?.5
20
27
21!1
20
Exonus.
Exod. i. I ... ii. :.!IS.
iii. l. .. iv. 17.
iv. 18 vi. l.
vi. 2 ... vii. 7.
vii. 15.
viii. 111 . ix. 35.
X. 1. .. 20.
xi. l. .. xii. 28.
xii. :.!U . 5 1.
xiii. l ... xh. 14.
xiv. l:, ... xvi. 8.
xvi. 4 :.!7.
xvi. 28 . x,'ii.
16
_
x '"iii. I xix. 6.
xix. ll . xx. 2ll.
xxi. I . xxii. 23
xxii. 2-t xxiv.
xxv. 1. .. -to.
xxvi. 1 ... 3u.
xxvi. IJI. xxvii. 21.
XX\'Ui. 1. .. -!3.
Xxix. I -!6.
xxx. 1. .. 88.
xxxi. l . xxxii. 14.
xxxii. 16 . xxxiv. 26
xxxiv. 27 ... xxxvi. 38
xxxv!!: I ... xxxvili. 20:
xxx_nu. 21 ... xxxix. B.a.
xx.xu:. 33 ... xJ. 38.
1
2
s
4
I)
6
s
9
10
11
12
13
14
u
16
17
IIi
19
20
21
22
23
1
3
4
6
II
7
H
D
10
J.1
1:!
13
u.
87
TABLE m.-continued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYoLE.
LEVITIOOS.
Levit. i. 1 . iii. 11.
iv. 1 . vi. 11.
vi. 12 ... vii. 38.
'\'iii. l. .. x. 7.
X. 8 . 20.
xi. 1. .. 47.
xii. l. .. xiii. 28.
xiii. 2U 51J.
xiv. 1. .. 32.
xiv. sa .. 57.
XV. 1. .. 24.
xv. 2r. . xvi. 34.
xvii. 1. .. 16.
xviii. l. .. ao.
xix. 1 . 22.
xix. 23 xx. 27.
xxi. 1 ... xxii. 16.
xxii. 17 .. xxiii. 14.
xxiii. lli xxv. 13.
XXV. 14 ~ .
xxv. 3\J xxvi. 2.
xxvi. 3 .. 46.
xxvii. 1. . 3-t..
NUMBERS.
Num. i. 1 64.
ii. 1...3-l.
iii. 1.. iv. 16.
iv. 17 . v. 10.
v. 11 vi. 21.
vi. :!2 YU 47.
vii. -tt:S o .
viii. l. .. ix. 23.
X. l ... xi. 16.
xi. 16 .. 22.
xi. 23 ... xii. 16.
xili. l. .. xiv. 10.
xiv. 11 . 46.
xv. 1 41.
16
16
17
18 *
Ill
20
21
22
23
2-i
2{)
26
27
28
2\J
30
31
82
NuMBERS.
Num. xvi. l. .. xvii. 16.
xvii. 16 . xviii. 24.
xviii. 2{) xx. 18.
xx. u ... xxii. 1.
xxii. 2 . xxiii. 9.
xxili. IO xxiv. 26.
XXV. 1 . 9.
XXV. 10 xxvi 61.
xxvi. l)2 xxvii. 14
xxvii. 16 .. xxviii. 26.
xxviii. 20 .. xxx. 1.
XXX. 2 17.
xxxi. 1. . 24.
xxxi. 2{) 6-1
xxxii. 1. .. 42.
xxxiii. 1. .. 66.
xxxiv. 1 . xxxv. 8.
XXXV. 9 . xxxvi. 13.
DEUTERONOMY.
1 Deut. i. l. . ii. 1.
2 ii. 2 . 80.
3 ii. 8I. iii. 22.
4. iii. 23 iv. 40.
6 iv . ..ll. vi. 8.
6 vi. 4 . vii. 11.
7 vii. l: viii. 20.
8 ix. 1. .. 29.
9 x. l. .. xi. 9.
10 xi. IO xii. 19.
11 xii. 20 xiii. 19.
12 xiv. l. .. xv. 6.
13 xv. 7 xvi. 17.
l..l xvi. lti . xvii. 13.
16 xvii. 1-t xx. 9.
16 xx. IO xxii. 6.
17 xxii 6 xxili. 9.
1tl xx.ili. 10 ... 21.
19 xxiii. 22 xxiv. 18.
38
TABLE III.-continued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYOLE.
Dt:UTERONOAIY.
23 xxiv. 1U . xxv. IIJ.
21 xxvi. l. .. xxvii. 26.
2:.! xxvili. l. .. xxix. H.
23 xxix. O xxx. 10.
2-1 xxx. 1l. . xxxi. 13.
:.!5 xxxi. 14 30.
26 xxxii. 1. .. 62.
27 xxxili I . xxxiv. 12.
JosJtUA
1 .Josh. i. l. .. iii. fl.
!! iii. 7 uiV. 23.
:l iv. 2-l vi. 2ti.
-1 vi. :.!7 viii. :12.
[) ,.iii. :13 ...... x. 7.
ti l.:. t! ..tl.
7 x. -1:.! xii. :.!4.
H xiii. l. .. xiv. 14.
0 xiv. 16 .. xvii. :l.
In x\'ii. 4 . xvili. 27.
11 xviii. :.!H xix. 60.
1:.! xix. IH xxi. 4:.!.
13 xxi. -ta xxii. :J:t.
1-t xxii. ;1-j xxiv. 33.
1
a
4
/)
II
1
"'
fl
10
11
12
13
14.
Jumn:s.
.rudg. i. 1. .ii. 11.
ii. 7 iii. :w.
iii. :JI ... \. 30.
\". :11 vi. :Ill.
\'i. "'''viii. ~
viii. a .. ix. 11.
ix. 7 1'17.
x. i ... >:.i :n.
xi. :1:! . xiii 2:1.
xiii. ~ , l . xvi. :!.
xvi. a ... xviH. : .
xviii. tl xix. 111.
xix. :W ... xx. :.!fl.
xx. :n ... xxi, 2-&.
1
2
3
4
lj
II
7
ti
!)
10
11
12
18
14
1.')
1fl
17
lH
w
:!0
21
22
:!;I
::-t
:.!5
:.!11
l
2
3
SAAIOEL.
1 Sam. i. I. .. ii. 9.
ii. 10 ... iii. 19.
iii. 20 vi. 13.
vi. 14 .. ix. 1.
i:x. 2 :x. 23.
IF X. 24 ... xU. 21.
xii. 22 . xiv. 22.
xiv 23 :xv. 16.
XV. 17 .. :X\-i. 17.
:xvi. 18 :xvii. 3ft
:xvii. 3 7 xviii. 13.
:xviii. 14 ... xx. 3.
XX. 4 41.
xx. 42 ... xxiii. 3.
xxili. 4 . xxiv. 20.
xxiv. 21 ... xxv. 8:!.
XXV. 1\:J xxvi. 24.
xxvi. 25 .. xxviii. 28.
xxvili. 24 ... xxx. 24.
xxx. 26 .. 2 Sam. ii. u.
:! Sam. ii. 7 iii. 20.
*
*
iii. 21. v. 0.
v. IO . vii. 15.
vii. l6 x. 11.
x. 1:! xii. 12.
xii. 13 xiv. 17.
xiv. ll:l xv. 24.
xv. 26 .. xvi. 15.
xvi. lli . xvii. Ill.
:xvii. :!O xviii. :w.
xviii. 27 .. xix. au.
xix. 40 xxi. 11.
xxi. 7 xxii. lW.
xxii. Ol . xxiv. 25.
KINGS.
I Kings. i. 1. . 4 7.
i. 41i ii. 4-1.
ii. 46 iv. 19
89
TABLE m.-continued.
Tux TIUBNNIAL CYcLE.
KJNOB.
4 1 Kings iv. 20 vi. 12.
6
6
7
8
g
10
11
13
14
16
16
vi. 18 .. vii. 20.
vii. 21. viii. 10.
viii. 11 67.
viii. x. 8.
x. o .. xi. 27.
xi. 28 xii. 28.
xii. 2-1 xiii. 22.
xiii. 23 xv. '1.
xv. s ... xvi. 1.4.
1b xvii. 23.
xvii. :U . xviii. 38.
xviii. 3o xx. 12.
XX. 13 xxi. 16.
la.uAB.
6 Isaiah xiv. 2 xvi. 4.
7
8
9
10
11
12
18
14
16
16
17
19
19
xvi. 6 xix. :t4.
xix. 26 . xxii. 22.
xxii. 23 . xxiv. 22.
xxiv. 23 xxvii. ll.
xxvii. u ... xxix. 22.
xxix. 23 xxxii. 17.
xxxii. 13 xxxv. 9.
XXXV. lO xxxvii. 19.
xxxvii. 20 xxxix. 8.
xi. l. .. xli.
xli. 27 ... xliv. 6.
xliv. 6 . xlv. 16.
17
113
xxi. 17 xxii. 42. 20
xlv. l'l .. xlviii. I.
xlviii. 2 xlix. 26.
xlix. 26 lli. 6.
19
,. xxii. 43 2 Kings. ii. 14. 21
Iii. 1 .. lv. 12.
20 2 Kings. ii. lli iv. 26.
21
22
:l3
26
26
27
28
29
30
:n
32
33
M
*
iv. 26 vi. 22.
vi. 23 vii. 16.
vii. J6 ix. 12.
ix. 13 x. xiv.
x. 16 xii. 2.
xii. 3 xiii. 22.
xiii. 23 xv. 6.
xv. 7 xvi. 10.
xvi. 20 xviii. 6.
xviii. 6 ... xix. 18.
xix. IO xx. 7.
XX. 8 ... xxU. 1.
xxii. 2 ... xxiii. 24.
xxiii. 26 ... xxiv. 17.
x.xiv. 18 xxv. SO.
IsAIAH.
1 Isaiah i. 1 ... iv. 2.
2
s *
4 *
0
iv. s ... vi. 2.
vi. :i ix. 6.
ix. 6 xi. 1.
:U. 2 xiv. 1.
22
23
24
26
26
lv. 13 lviii. 13.
lviii. 14 ... lxi. 8.
lxi. o ... lxv. 8.
lxv. o ... lxvi. 2-l.
JEREMIAH.
1 Jeremiah i. 1 ... iii. 3.
2 iii . .& iv. l.
s v. l ... vi. 1.
4 vi. 2 vii. 22.
6 vii. 2S ... ix. 22.
6 ix. 23 xii. 14.
7 xii. 16 ... -Dv. 21.
8
0
10
11
12
13
14
16
16
xiv. 22 xvii. 6.
xvii. 7 . x.vili. 18.
xviii. Ut ... xx. 12.
XX. 13 .. -xxiii. 6.
xxiii. 6 . x.xiv. 6.
xxiv. 7 ... xxv. 38.
xxvi. 1 xxvii. 4.
xxvii. 6 xxix. 6.
ssis. 7 XXX. 8.
40
TABLE m.-continued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYCLE.
EzEKJJ::L.
17 Jerowiuh xxx. u ... xxxi. 112. 211 Ezekiel xxxvii. 28 XJCrix. 21.
HI xxxi. :Ja xxxii. 21. 24 xxxix 22 x1. 44.
111 xxxii. 2:! xxxili. 1/:i 2:'> xi. 46 xlii. 12.
20 xxxiii. lfl xxxv. 9. 2fl xlii. 18 xlili. 26.
21 xxxv. 10 ... xxxvi. 25. 27 xlili 27 .. xlv. 14.
2:.! xxxvi. 2ll .. xxxvili. 7. 28 xlv. 1o xlvii. 11.
23 xxxvili. IL. xx...Ux. 17. 2U xlvii. J 2 xlviii. 36.
xxxix. 18 xlii. 11.
2:'>
:.!11
27
2H
;.:U
an
:II
7
10
11
1:.!
1a
1-l
11'>
16
17
1H
1U
:w
21
22
xlii. 12 xliv. LU.
xliv. 20 ... xlvi. w.
xlvi. 27 ... xlviii 11.
xlviii. 1:! ... 1. 4.
J. 6 .. li. 9.
li. 10 . 6!i.
li. liU lli. 34.
Ez..:KrEL.
Ezokiol i. 1 ... iii. 11.
iii. 12 . v. 17.
vi. 1 .. vii. 27.
viii. l. .. x. H.
X. ll xi. 10.
xi. 2o ... xiii. 2:1.
xiv. 1 ... xvi. 1:1.
xvi. 1-l :m.
xvi. IIO xviii. li.
xvili. U xix. 14.
XX. 1 .. 40.
XX. 41. xxii. 15.
xxii. lU ... xxiii. 26.
xxiii. :!7 ... xxiv. 2:1. ;
2-l ...
1
1
,
XXVI. 20 ... XXXVIU. 1:...
xxvili. 1a ... xx.ix. :!0.
1
xxix. :!l xxxi. 18. 1
xxxii. J ... xxxiii. 16. I
16 ... xxxiv: 25.1
XXXJV. 2U XXXV1. :U.
xxxvi. 26 xxxvii. :n.
PRoPHETs.
1 Hosea. i. l. .. vi. 1.
2 vi. 2 x. 11.
a x. 12 xiv. o.
4 xiv. fi Joel. ii. 26.
5 Joel. ii. 27 ... Anlos. ii. 9.
'II Anlos. ii. 10 ... v. lli.
v. 1-! ... vii. 14.
H vii. 15 ... 0bad. i. 20.
u Obad. i. 21 . Jonah iv. 11.
I 10
11
I:J
14
la
111
li
11'1
1!1
:!0
21
1
:!
a
4
5
tl
7
Micah. i. l. .. iv. 4.
iv. 6 ... vii. 19.
vii. :.!O Nah. iii. 1U.
Hab. i. l. .. iii. IU.
Zoph. i. l. .. ili. 10.
iii. 20 Hag. ii. 22.
ii. :!3 Zeoh. iv. 1.
iv. 2 . vi. 13
vi. 14 ... viii. 3.
viii. -1 xi. 17.
xii. l. .. xiv. 20.
xiv. :!1 . Mal. ill. U.
C IUION ICLJ::S.
1 Chron. i. l. .. iv. u.
iv. lO ... vi. 38.
vi. :J4 ... viii. ao.
viii. 40 ... xi. 8,
xi. 4 ... xii. an.
xii. 40 ... xvi. 86.
xvi. Sll xix. 1:!.
41
TABLE m.-continued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYCLE.
8 1 Chron. xix. 13 xxii. 19.
I)
10
11
xxili. 1 ... xxvi 4..
xxvi. 6 xxvili. 10.
xxvili. 11. . 2 Chron.
ii. 1.
12 2 Chron. ii. 2 .. v. 14.
13 vi. l. vii. 10.
u
16
10
17
18
111
20
21
2:!
24
:.!5
1
2
a
-l
6
II
7
1'1
u
10
11
12
13
14
II)
JG
17
18
vii. ll .. ix. 21.
ix. 22 xii. 12.
xii. 13 xv. 14.
XV. 16 xvili. 17.
xvili. Hl xx. 30.
XX. Sl. .. xxili. 11.
xxiii. 12 xxvi. 2.
xxvi. 3 . xxix. 10.
x.x.ix. 1l. xxxi. 10.
xxxi. ll xxxiv. 2.
xxxiv. S xxxv. tl.
XXXV. 10 . mvi. 23.
PSALMS.
P.mlm i. l xi. 6.
xi. 7 xx. 10.
xxi. 1 .. xxix. 11.
xxx. 1 . xxxv. 28.
xxxvi. 1 xli. 1-1
xlii. 1 . xlix. 21.
I. J lvii. 12.
lviii. 1 lxvii. H.
lxviii. 1 lxxii. 20.
lxxiii. 1 . lxxviii. 37.
lxxviii. 3H lxxxiv.13.
lxxxv. l. .. xc. 17
xci. 1 ... c. r,.
ci. l. . cv. 46.
cvi. l cxix. 72.
cxix. 7S cxxviii. o
oxxix. 1 cxl. 14.
cxli. 1 . cL 0.
1
2
:l
-1
fj
(I
Job
Jos.
i. 1 .. v. 27.
vi. 1 xi. 20.
xii. l ... xvii. 8.
xvii. o ... xxii. 30.
xxiii. 1 . xxix. 13.
xxix. u ... xxxiii. 33.
xxxiv. l xxxvili. 34
mviii. 36 xlii. 17.
Paovsass.
1 Prov. i. 1 v. 1U.
v. 20 ... ix .. 10 ..
a ix. ll . xiv. 3.
4 xiv. 4 xvili. tl.
a xviii. IO xxii. 21.
6
7
R
xxii. 22 xxv. 12.
XXV. 18 xxvili. lfl.
xxviii. 17 xxxi. 31.
EcoLESlABTES.
2
Eccles. i. l iii. 12.
iii. l3 vi. 12.
vii. l . ix. 6.
ix. 7 xii. 14.
:I
EsTHI!:B.
1 Esther i. l. ii. 4.
2 ii. 6 iii. 7.
:t iii. 8 vi. 10.
4 vi. 1l. vili. 14.
6 viii. lli x. 3.
DANIEL.
1 Daniel i. l. ii. 34.
2 ii. 31i iii. SO.
a iii. 31 v. 12.
"
v. 13 vi. 10.
li vi. u ... ix. 3.
40
TABLE m.-continued.
'l'HE TRIENNIAL CYCLE.
Jt:Rt:liiAH. EZEKIEL.
17 Jeremiah XXX. IJ . xxxi. 32. 2:1
24
Ezekiel xxxvii. . xxxix. 21.
xxxix 22 x1. 44. 18
111
20
21

28
24

:w
27
2H
:tU
tlll
:II
a
4
r.
II
7
1"1
II
10
11
l:!
I: I
1-l
1f)
16
17
11-1
1U
:.!0
:H
22
xxxi. aa ... xxxii. 21.
xxxii. :!:! ... xxxiii. 15
xxxiii. lfl xxxv. 9. 21l
XXXV. 10 . XXXVi. 25. 27
.. 7.
1
28
XXXVW. H .. XXXlX. 17. :!IJ
xxxix. Hl xlii. 11.
xlii. l:! ... xliv. HI.
xi. 45 xlii. 12.
xlii. 13 . xliii. 26.
xliii 27 .. xlv. 14.
xlv. 1o ... xlvii. 11.
xlvii. I 2 xlviii. 36.
MINOR PRoPHETs.
xliv. :w ... xlvi. 211.
1 Hosea. i. I. .. vi. 1.
xlvi. 27 .. xlviii. 11.
xlviii. 1:! ... 1. 4.
:.! vi .. 2 x. 11.
:l x. 12 xiv. 6.
I. 5 ... li. u.
-t xiv. fi Joel. ii. 26.
li. 10 Cll'l.
6 Joel. ii. 27 . Amos. ii. U.
li. b!J . Iii. 34.
fl Amos. ii. 10 v. 1:i.
EzJ::KIEL.
Ezekiel i. l. .. iii. 11.
iii. 1:.!- v. 17.
vi. 1.. vii. 27.
viii. 1. .. X. H.
X. ll ... xi. 10.
xi. 20 xiii. :.!:l.
xiv. 1 .. xvi. W.
xvi. 1-l l>ll.
xvi. flll xviii. 8.
xviii. ll ... xix. 14.
XX. 1. . 40.
XX. 4l. xxii. 15.
xxii. 111 xxiii. :W.
xxiii. 27 xxiv. :!:1.
xxiv. 2-t ... xxvi. 11).
7
H
I 10
11
l:!
a a
14
li>
111
1'i
1H
HI
20
:21
xxvi :!ll ... xxxviii. i 1
xxviii. 1:J ... xxix. :!0. :.!
xxix. :!l ... xxxi. 11-1. :1
xxxii. l xxxiii. 1l'l. 4
xxxiii. 1U xxxiv. 5
2U :l-1. tl
XXXVI. 25 XXXVU. 27. 7
v. 14 .. vii. 1-t.
vii. 15 .. 0bad. i. 211.
Obad. i. 21. Jonah iv. 11.
1\Iicab. i. 1 .. iv. 4.
iv. 5 ... vii. lU.
vii. 20 Nab. iii. ltl.
Hab. i. l. .. iii. 111.
Zopb. i. l. .. iii. l!J.
iii. :.!O . Hag. ii.
ii. Zoch. iv. 1.
iv. 2 .. vi. 13
vi. 14 .. viii. 8.
viii. 4 xi. l7.
xii. l. .. xiv.
xiv. :!1 1\Ial. iii. :.!4.
CunoNICLEs.
1 Chrou. i. l. iv. II.
iv. 10 ... vi. aa.
vi. 34. ... viii. :m.
viii. .J.U xi. 3.
xi. 4. .. xii. 811.
xii. 4.0 xvi. 36.
xvi. 311 ... xix. 12.
41
TABLE m.-contiJ&ued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYcLE.
81Chron.
9
10
11
xix. 1S xxii. 19.
xxili. 1 ... xxvi ..l.
xxvi. a ... xxviii. 10.
xxviii. 11 ... 2 Chron.
ii. 1.
12 2 Cbron. ii. 2 .. v. U.
13 vi. l. .. vii. 10.
1-l
11)
16
17
18
lit
:!0
:.H

23
2.&
:!5
1
a
4
5
fl
7
8
It
10
11
12
13
14
16
IG
17
18
vii. 11. . ix. 2 l.
ix. 22 ... xii. 12.
xii. 13 ... xv. 14.
xv. 11) ... xviii. 17.
xviii. 18 ... xx. 30.
xx. 3l. .. xxiii. 11.
xxili. 12 ... xxvi. 2.
xxvi. ;J ... xxix. 10.
xxix. 11 ... xxxi. 10.
xxxi. 11. .. xxxiv. 2.
xxxiv. S ... xxxv. II.
XXXV. 10 ... xxxvi. :!3.
PsALMS.
Pz1alm i. l ... xi. 0.
xi. 7 ... xx. 10.
xxi. 1. .. xxix. 11.
xxx. l ... xxxv. 28.
xxxvi. l ... xli. 1-l
xlii. 1 ... xlix. 21.
l. t ... lvii. 12.
lviii. 1 ... lxvii. 8.
lx'l.iii. 1 ... lxxii. 20.
lxxili. 1 .. lxxviii. 37.
lxxviii. 3H ... lxxxiv.13.
lxxxv. 1 ... xc. 17
xci. 1 ... c. :.
ci. 1 .. cv. 45.
cvi. 1 ... cxix. 72.
cxix. 73 ... cxxviii. II
cxxix. l. .. cxl. 14.
cxli. 1 ... cL o.
1
2
5
II
7
li
1
6
7
R
1
2
a
..l
ti
1
2
a
"'
6
Job
Prov.
..
Joa.
i. 1 ... v. 27.
vi. l ... xi. 20.
xii. l. .. xvii. 8.
xvii. 9 ... xxii. 30.
xxiii. l. .. xxix. 13.
xxix. 14 ... xxxili. 33.
xxxiv. 1 ... xxxviii. 34
xxxviii. Sl) ... xlii. 1'7.
Paov&aas.
i. 1 ... v. 111.
v. 20 ... ix. 10.
ix. n ... xiv. 3.
xiv. 4 ... xviii. n.
xviii. lO ... xxii. 21.
xxii. 22 ... xxv. 12.
XXV. 13 ... xxviii. 16.
xxviii. 17 ... xxxi. 31.
EcoLESlA&TEB.
Eccles. i. l ... iii. 12.
iii. 1S ... vi. 12.
vii. l. .. ix. 6.
ix. 7 ... xii. 14.

Jo!sther
i. 1 ... ii. -i.
ii. 6 ... iii. 7.
iii. 8 ... vi. 10.
..
vi . 11 ... viii. 14..
viii. 16 ... x. a.
..
Daniel
i. 1 ii. 3-l.
ii. 36 ... iii. so.
iii. 31 ... v. 12.
v. 1S ... vi. 10.
n. u ... ix. 3.
42
TABLE m.-continued.
THE TRIENNIAL CYCLE.
EzRA -NEHEMIAH.
6 Daniel ix. 4. ... x. 21.
4 Ezra viii. 31'io ... Neh. i. 10.
7 xi. 1 ... xii. 13.
li Neb. i. n ... ii. ltl.
6 ii. 1U ... vi. 16.
EzRA.-N t:HEliiAII. 7 vi. 16 ... viii. D.
1 Ezra i. l. .. iii. 1:J.
H viii. lO ... ix. 37.
2 iv. l. .. vi. 1H.
II X. ) ... xii. 26.
3 vi. 1U ... viii. 3-l.
10 xii. 27 ... xiii. 31.
Before proceeding to discuss the antiquity of this cycle,
I must make a few remarks upon the textual condition
of the List itself. As none of the MSS. that I have hitherto
collated give it fotmally, I have been obliged to work it out
according to the printed e4ition of Jacob b. Chajim Ibn
Adonijah, which, as we shall presently see, is both defective
and incorrect in several instances. The oldest MS. in the
British Museum (No. 5,720, Ha.rl.), which is of about the
eleventh century, and which is unfortunately imperfect, gives
at the end of each book both the number of verses and
Sedarim (C'"l,C), or triennial sections therein contained.
But us thi1:1 MS. is simply a fragment, beginning witlt
Joshua vii. 22, and breaking off at Ezek. xlv. 19, we have
the sum total of the Sedarim in six books only. They are
n.s follows-
Joshua
:l Judges
a Samuel
1-l
14
34
4 Kings
r. lsaish
o Jeremiah
35
211
3:!
It \vill be seen that in five out of the six books the
sum total of this MS. agrees with the printed text, and
that in the sixth book, i.. e., Jeremiah, the Codex gives
one more than the List. As it does not, however, give the
commencing words of the respective Sedari.m, it is impos-
siule to say whether the mistake rests with the MS. or
48
with the printed List, which not only gives the sum total
of each book, but also the words wherewith every section
begins.
As to the omissions and errors in the published
text, which admit of no doubt, we have to remark that
it omits one section in Genesis. This is evident from
the distinct declaration of the superscription that Genesis
(!1"0 ,,,,0) "has forty-tltree sectio11B," and moreover is placed
beyond the possibility of a doubt by the Massoretic
remark at the end of Genesis, which not only gives this
number in letters, but also expresses it in the following
mnemonical sign toc l'l, .. ,,,, l"O ,,,c,, "Genesis ltas forty-
three Sedarim, ancl tlte sifl'' thereof is Jsmnuu; which
name is numerically forty-three. Heidenheim has actually
found the omitted section (Gen. viii. 1-14) in a MS.
10
In-
deed there is another section omitted from the Pentateuch,
since no less an authority than Rab (i. e., Abba Areka),
the President of the College at Babylon (A. D. 200), who
came from Palestine, where the cycle obtained, distinctly
gives illP, pure/laser [ = 155] as the mnemonical sign for
the number of the Sedarim.
17
Besides these omissions, there are the following blunders.
In Numbers, section 18 ought to be and
MosEs messengers, instead of and he sent
messengers (xx. 14). In Samuel, section 6 should be
Dl1i'1 C,ac )tc\t:IB' aml Samuel saicl To all the people
(x. 24), and not Dlln '>actr:x=r ,oact, ancl Samuel saitl
10 Finding that the Liat gives only forty-two inatance11 in Genellia, Hus&Drf, in
his edition of th" Rabbinic Bible, altered the aapeneriptioa into forty-two, bat over
looked the fact that the number forty-three i11 gien still more distinctly at the ead
of Genesis, aucl thaa, by hia ..W.takea correction, made the .... two atatementa to con-
tradict each other. He rightly conected section 6 in Samuel, bat left ..U the other

,.,go 11D!!ln -u., l'D'i7 >c C:l::& '!'"" 11"Uo"'Y ""1::&., cn'ljln Wm >''lJ "'n:lM :a., 17
lfidrruA, 011 Eather, at the or -t. 116. l'Dp 'hD "::rQ
44
all the people. Section 27, 'IIO":ltc 'ac 1?t:li'1 OM'\, and tlte
king said to Abislwi, is a mistake for ',ac ,t:lact 1':10i'1 Ill'\
and the king answered, and saicl to tlte woman,
(2 Sam. xiv. 18). Section 28, 1'>cn '>ac :1M\' ,etc\, aud Joab
said to the killfJ, should be 1.,t:ln ,t:ltct, aud the kiug
said to Zadok (xv. 25), because this is the section in the MSS.,
and because the former passage only occurs once, and that at
the end of the book (xxiv. S), where there is no break.
Section 29 ,, i'1P, ,cac,, and Husltai, David's f,.ieucl,
said, is evidently a mistake, since these words occur nowhere,
and it ought to be ,,, mn '::l,tcl'l 'C"'n tc:::1. nt, a
1
ul
it ccww to pass when Husltai the A1chite, David's frientl,
was come (xvi. 16). In Kings, section 24, np\ nnct, mul
tl.ey hasteuecl autl he took, is a mistake for \np'\ ,,l"lt:l'\
and tltey haste1ted awl they took (2 Kings ix. 13). In Isaiah:
again, sect10ns S and 4 are transposed. It will moreover
be seen that Ruth, the Song of Songs, and Lamentations are
entirely omitted in Jacob b. Chajim's List of Sedarim.
A more serious difficulty connected with this List is the
filet that the verse ending the previous section or the second
in the Sedar is frequently given as the sign for the new divi-
sion. Should this be doubted, I refer to the Table of Chap-
ters throughout. the Bible. which Jacob b. Chajim also gives
with the List of the Sedarim. The signs for the chapters,
which arc divided according to the Vulgate, instead of being
the commencing words of the new chapter, are frequently the
termination of the previous one. Thus, for instance, the
sign for Exod. xxix. is ,ll,r':l1 ,c, np,n, it shall be a
for eter 1tnto him aud his seed, which is the concluding verse
of cap. xxviii. For Numb. xiii. the sign is \liC!I ,ntc,, and
_the people J"enwtecl, which is the last verse of cap.
xu. The stgn for Numb. xxi. is n,pn \tc,t, and when all
tlte eouure!fatiou. saw, which is the concluding verse of cap.
xx. The sign for 1 Sam. x. is 1.:1'lD) ,,::11"1 "'\PlC, ,,etc, bid
45
the servant pass on before u.s, which is 27. The for
1 S VU

1
"s ,,, so Davtd went on Ius way,
am. xx
hi h constitutes the middle of 1 Sam. xxvi. 5. These few
:s::uces, which might easily be multiplied, will to
substantiate the correctness of my remark. If other eVldence
d I simply refer to the divisions of the Psalms
1s reqwre , . . . .
the original of the Trienmal L1st Itself, Hence, m
::ducing the signs to chapter and verse, I not
to correct the references, a.ccording to the sectiOnal diVISions
in the MSS. Still the difference between the List and my
corrections rarely amounts to more than a single verse.
As the triennial division has been overlooked in Intro-
ductions to and Dissertations on the text of the Old Testa-
ment where the annual division is alone spoken of, it will
be to demonstrate the greater antiquity of the
former. The design and nature of these Pericopes presup-
pose the shorter, i.e. the triennial, rather than the longer,
or the annual, cycle. Every hebdomadal lesson was divided
into seven sections, corresponding to the seven days of the
week and seven individuals were called in succession up to
the desk to read respectively one of those sections (Mishna
JI-Iegilla iv. 2.). The honour to be prmlector of the
Divine Law was deemed so great, that an order of prece-
dence had to be fixed (Mishna Gitti11, v. 8). With a due
regard for the feelings of all juvenile members of the
gregation, and to stimulate them to the study of Holy W nt,
children had a full right to be among the seven prrelectors ;
and that each child might be able to read his respective
portion of the Perieope with fluency and intelligence, it was
allowed him, by way of exemption, to prepare the lesson by
the oil lamp on Sabbath eve, a practice forbidden to all grown
up persons." . The law that each one of the seven called up to
46
the lectern should personally read his part of the seven por-
tions of the Sabbatic lesson, was still observed as late as the
twelfth century.
18
When it is borne in mind that the Syna-
gogal Scrolls of the Law from which the Pericopes are read
have neither the vowel points, nor the accents, it will be seen
u.t once that it would have been very difficult for the ordinary
people, and more especially for children, to read such long
sections as are contained in the annual cycle. To obviate
this difficulty, a rule was laid down, "the shorter the lesson
the better.so Hence, if there were no other evidence, we
should conclude, from this fact alone, that the triennial
cycle was the older.
Moreover, we are distinctly told that the minimum of the
Sabbatic lesson is to be twenty-one verses, and the maxi-
mum thirty-five verses; that even the ordinary cycle of Peri-
copes is to be interrupted if a festival or New Moon happens
to occur on a Sabbath when a special lesson appropriate to the
occasion is read; and that after the interruption the ordinary
J>ropare the l'cricope, and tho pormiuion that they might do it by tho oil
lamp on Sabbath eYe, like all other laws, were afterwards extended &o aU,
IUld it """ Waisted upon that every one 10honld read ov"r the Ieason two
or three times, though none but children wore &o do 110 by the lamp on
&bbatb eve. Midrruh Poricopo Jet/m, p. !:12 b.
ID 'l'bo.., who conld not read were debarred from the pririlege of being
called &o tho lectern. AB such ignonwce of the sacred tongue oecuned only
in thu cougrugations oat of Pal .... Uue, it was ouacted that, in "'""" thoro is
only one student in the 1188ombly, he is &o read the whole l'ericopo n,nnm
om:> nH '"'i' llW"':11 nH "1m :vn mn n'n:> l11!7'1m ')) M"\1p "1m """ 'P 'lnl tth
"lj) ,,m ""i' l:l'j71Cil l P'n' "111M pn'n:J fi"'il "l flM'' nPJ.'CII Jeru&aleu
Jlo:villa iv. S. As late as tho tenth century ... ., find that Suadia would only
111low, by WilY of e:.cuption, an ignorant priest or Lerite to be called &o tho
re,.dinlf tnl'TID c'7 :P'n' U'M'CII 117'1m i1t) f:J""lS Cl"' CM'CII ., 310,
mCM'7 P,,, M'l:l:l n'J!l ,., M"'j)"Cl CM n ?lzl m'm -.nM C'CD rMl .,; '1M Jl'1:::l
n'lP'o .,.; ,.,.., CM1 n,"1pi 'n:l> R. Suudiu. declarc<l, if the ma" rolao anmot read
u abaulutcly roa11te<l becaruc 1ae ill a prit:t or Leoite, ""'I tlae,.t: u 110 otlur
011e beilu lair, tlae Jclcyate of tlae cu,urevatiu" '"'"'' """ rolaether lie """
repeat aftu lairr, word by rvurd; u11d if 11ut, lae II.U<Jt 110t be called up. (Comp.
Abndrihaw, aection Tephila Slrel Clrul; 1\laimouides, HilciUJtlt. Teplrila, ill. 6;
and li111etz, xriii. p. St19.)
C'jrnXl 'JQ nvm N':lll l'"''"CilD ]'M lc n,nD ln'lln r'P ]'M :10
(Comp. To&ephta Megilla, iii.) m 'Wj'Dn
47
course is to be resumed!
1
Now, if twenty-one verses are
allowed for each lesson, we obtain a far greater number of
ordinary Pericopes than there are weeks in the year ; and if
we add to this the number of extraordinary Pericopes for
the Feasts and New Moons which occur on the Sabbath,
it will be seen at once that the triennial cycle alone ia
spoken of in the Mishna.
H any other evidence is required to show the. priority in
age of the triennial cycle, we quote the testimony of the
Babylonian Talmud, which most explicitly declares that .. the
Palesti,,iaus read througll. the in tl&ree year
(Megilla 29 b).'"" As the reading of the Law is a Palestinian
institution of pre-Christian date, no one will question that
this Babylonian post-Christian record assigns the priority to
rn11m mm '1n m:nc::a M mm "nTTZl .,,.. 'I'ITin an
'IIT1m1 ol"'D1'1M mD o"\1:11 n':nD:l .mme rn'flh fi"C'l01
D'I"\'\113.1 .n:mu D"'''TTn J'I"CClD 'r.h T""'I:)., r:mn r1'1D'Dn:l .m., mn
D"'UEE::In D,.:l, nnft:l:l, " JVAe" tlae New Noo11 of .dclar lw.ppe11 "" a Ba6batA,
tAe Seetior& S&BK.&LUI' [Esod. lll<ll. 11-16) u to h read; if it lkr.ppcru Or&
" -.t day, thu t!ctio11 "''"' be read o tlus prcudi11g Sabbatl&, ar11l tlacs
rtJf!Ular order U. ir&terruptecl for tlae otht!r Sabbath. 011 the tAe
ti- RzMBIIBBR' [Deut. 1'7-19] u to 6e rdGtl; t.W tlur<l, t1oc KdiON
of tAe UKD Haa:.aa' [Numb. xi1<. 1...22); or tlus fourtla, tiles at!l:tum 'Tau
l\loMTD [E1<od. xii. 1-20); on tlae jiftl& tlul rt!f!Ular order u re ... D&ctl. 0Ho
all Feat. tl&e regular order u i11terruptecl; 011 New Moou, ol& tAe
of Dccli<:ation, ON Puri1n, 011 Faata, or Reprue11tatir:e Day, ar&tl ON tlacs Day
of .dtom:me11t (lliabiJA Megilla iii.')" Then ia a diaeuuion ill &he Talmud
aa to wbat. ia meaat. by &he onler. R. Ammi maiataiua &hat. &he ordcsr of
tho Perioopea of &he Law ia meaa&, whilat. R. Jeremiah will ba'l'e it. &hat.
it. ia &he order of the Haplitarotla, or Pericopea &om &he l'lophet.e ; 'Ma "\'10'1
-mn M'll"' A1"\1!:Ell"' .,-,c., 'TOM 'I'I'D"I' .., .-mn .nn ,..,.,., "\'1c'> 'TOM "l::M .., au4
&he coaeluaion of the debate ia "'"" M'll'1 n'MI:I"D 'nD'I M'W1DD 'DM .,, rrnt:l
i. " rake tloe Sabbatll u of e:euptiouat iuaporta11u, or if a or a
Aalf Fe4 tif111l Aappe,.. oil a Babbatl&, tAe order of tl&e Perieopu ill inter-
rupted, tAo PcriJpe appropriate to tAt! clay i iruerted, urul tu reuulur eye_le
u ,,_,,.,d or& "'" follorDi"U &66a.tla. (Comp. Megilla SO 6; Graetz., MORat44t!Arif&
305.) Tbia, howe'l'er, u - ahaU - benaft.er, applie &o &he time wh-
be Semi-Sabbatical Year Cycle obtaiued; b11& aft.al"Warda, whoa the TrieaDial
waa adopted, &he Perieopea fn>m &he Propbet.a were ialel'l'llpled. Heooe,
both R. Ammi IUid R. Jenmiah are right, aia- t.he t.wo praaticoa nfer
lo &wo periocla.
Megilla :l9 6. pat n'lrU ..,.,_,; opeD, 'l:l
48
the triennial cycle. We have dwelt thus much upon this
question, because the annual cycle, which, as we shall pre-
sently see, became universal at a very late date, has been the
cause of the introduction of fresh divisions, as well as new
names of sections in the Hebrew MSS., and printed text,
and because this fact has been ignored by paleographists,
and is entirely omitted from the Introductions to the Old
Testament.
Indeed the neglect of these ancient divisions in more
modern MSS. became so great, that even .Jacob b. Chajim,
Ibn Adonijah, the first editor of the Massorah, could not
procure a list of them whilst editing his recension of the text
till he had almost finished his gigantic work. He was there-
fore compelled to follow the example of Felix Pratensis
(vide supra p. 17, note 7); and introduce into the text of
the Old Testament the Christian division into chapters,
which was adopted for the first time, for anti-Christian
purposes, by R. Isaac Nathan, in his Concordance, (1487-
1446), printed in Venice, 1628, and which, as we shall see
hereafter, frequently disturbs both the connection and the
sense. Jacob b. Chajim's words are, ''Had I at that time
[when beginning to print the Hebrew Bible] found the
division into sections which was made by the Massorites
throughout the whole Scriptures, I would have preferred
it to that which was introduced by Isaac Nathan. But
since it came into my hand after I had almost finished my
work, I determined to print it as well, so that it may not be
forgotten, and lost to Israel." a It is therefore surpasaiog
strange that Dr. Davidson should ascribe the authorship of
these divisions to Jacob b. Chajim himself. "Jacob ben
Chajim," says this learned critic, "editor of Bomberg's secor d
Rabbinical Bible, divided the entire Old Testament into Setk -
Jaaob b. Cbajim Ibn AdODijah, INtr-oduetion to tlul Ral16inic Bible,
Uebnsw lllld Easliah, by Christian D. Oi:J11bnrg, LL.D., p. 82, ed., LollfiiD&Il8,
1867.
49
rim (D.,,D), which are numbered and appended to each book,
along with the parshiot/t, and verses. He made four hundred
and forty-seven divisions of this kind."
We now come to the question whether the hundred and
seventy-five divisions of the Semi-Sabbatical Year Cycle were
different from those we now possess,-and if so, lost,-or
whether they are identical with the divisions of the
cycle. The well known tenacity with which
nation clang to tradition, and the faithful manner m wh1ch
they have conserved and transmitted even the words and
signs of the Bible which the scribes distinctly marked as
spurious, would of themselves prove that they not allow
such an important thing as a list of Pericopo.l diVIsions to be
entirely lost. We are therefore driven to enquire whether the
more ancient cycle of three and a half years could not be
converted into the Triennial cycle, with the retention of the
time-honoured liturgical division of the text which was already
in existence. Assuming that the division of the Penta-
teuch into a hundred and fifty-five sections was the authorised
one for the Pericopes, we shall see that it equally suited both
cycles, and that, in fact, it waM the for. at the
period of the transition from the Sem1-Sabbat1cal lllto the
Triennial.
Now we are told in the Mishna that the Pericopes were
interrupted on New Moon, the of Dedication, on
Purim, on the Fasts, on the Representative Days,Sii and on
,.. A TreatO.e 0 ,. JJiblicat Crieicim, c:z:hibiei"U a Sqatenw.tic View of tliat
Sciellce, P 69, Loogmana, lSDt.. be reMeut in
so Tho fact that every individual who brought a oacnfice had to P
tho 'l'emple when it was oft'erod gave rise to the opinion that the
ought to be represented in the Temple at the offerrng of tho daily auf
rifice which were broosht fur tho benefit of tho whole oommuwty o
U.o n11tional a&crifioe. To ellcct this, :-
twenty-four diviaiooa or onion, corresponding to the :.,!:') ODe of
EY diYiaion ch...., a number of represen.. "'""
Lentea. ery_ ..... chief (-;,) and in taro Mnt ap aome of them - a depata
whom was appom.-. --
50
the Day of Atonement, in order that the special lessons
referring to those occasions might be read (Megilla iii. 4).
As lessons both from the Law and the Prophets were read
on the Sabbath, the question naturally arises, Which of these
two fell out of its course? Was it the hebdomadal lesson from
the Pentateuch, which gave way to the special Pericope for
the Feast or Fast in question, or was it the lesson from the
Prophets ? In the 'l'ahnud, where this question is discussed,
R. Ammi says that the lesson from the Pentateuch was inter-
rupted, whilst R. Jeremiah maintains thut it is the lesson from
the Prophets which was interrupted (Megill,, SO b). As
both Rabbins were Palestinians, they must have been cor-
rectly informed about the usages of the country in past days,
and there can therefore be no doubt that both the modes of
regulating the lectionary arc correct, only that they prevailed
at difterent periods. During the period when the Semi-
Sabbatical year cycle wus in vogue, the special lesson for
the Feast or Fast which happened on a Sabbath was read
on the festival Sabbath, und the hebdomadal lesson, which
would otherwise have been read on that day, was postponed
to, and resumed on, the following Sabbath. Hence, it was
the addition of the special lessons for the Feasts and Fasts
to the ordinary hebdomadal which increased it from a hundred
and fifty-five to a hundred and seventy-five, thus yielding the
Semi-Sabbatical year cycle.
There cun, however, hardly be any doubt that the provi-
sion of a hundred and seventy-five Pericopes for the Semi-
lion Jerusalem to l"OJ>re...,nt the nation at the daily sacrifices in tho Temple, and
to _rectle tho prayors and blossingo iu behalf of tho people whilst the sacrifices were
beang offered. They had also to fJ&St four days (i. " thu oecond, third, fourth, and
fifth)_ dnriug tho eck of th.,ir roJ>rcscntatiou. Those of the representatives who
home Allllombled in a aynagosue to pray during the time of a&orilice. H
ts tha whach i11 meant by "Uep...,.entative Days." Comp. Kitto, Oyclopttdia of
.llibliall Literature, v. H.t.l.I.KL.
"" ,l,'or the Mialwa and the cliac1111siou,- above, p. 47, uote 21.
51
Sabbatical order, already marks the transition period from
this system to the Triennial system, and that originally there
were a hundred and eighty-five Pericopes, since there may be
two interealarieH in three years and a half. As the maxi-
mum number was always provided for, thirty additional Peri-
copes must have been added to the hundred and fifty-five
regular hebdomadal lessons, for the possible thirty festival
Sabbaths which might oecnr in this space of time; viz., twelve
Sabbaths of the so-called four Parsltijotlt, sjx New Moons
which may fall on the Sabbath; three Sabbaths on which a day
of Feast of the Dedication falls, and seven Sabbaths on which
days of the Feasts of Passover and Tabernacles fall. To these
must be a&dded two days more, because the Feast of Pentecost,
the Day of Atonement, and the eighth day of Tabernacles, or
of the Feast of Dedication, may also fall on the Sabbath, thus
making in all thirty additional Pericopes. The fact that a
hundred and seventy-five Pericopes only are mentioned in
Sop/te,.im. (xvi. 10), instead of a hundred and eighty-five,
shows that ten Festival Pericopes were then substituted for
the regular hebdomadal lessons, viz., on the six Sabbaths
which coincided with New Moon, on the three Sabbaths
whereon a day of the Feast of Dedication falls, and on the
one Sabbath whereon the Day of Atonement occurred. This
explains the otherwise unintelligible statement in the Mishna
(Megilla iii. 4), that on the New Moons, the Feast of Dedica-
tion, ete., and the Day of Atonement the Pericopes were
interrupted, whilst it says nothing about those of the other
festivals.n
When the celebration of the Sabbatic year ceased, and
with it the arrangement of the Pericopes in a. Semi-Sabbatical
year cycle was gradually discarded, the festival lessons which
21 Comp. Daechak, GucAicAtliclte du JudiMJIe" Oultu, p. 253
IIU>heim, 1H66.
52
interrupted the hebdomadal readings and extended tb
I . e
to threo yeats and a half, were substituted for, the
Pertcopes from tha l'rophets. The reading, therefore, of the
extra Perico}>es immediately after the ordinary Sabbatic lesson
reduced _the cycle into a triennial. In the one cycle, therefore,
the PerJCopes from the Pentateuch were interrupted b th
F l Y e
esbva lessons, as is declared by R. Ammi ; and in the
cycle the Pericopes from the Prophets were interrupted,
as 1s stated by R. Jeremiah; whilst in both cycles a
hundred and fifty-five sections constituted the division of
the Law.
tLo above Table it wiJI be seen that the Prophets
and Hagwgrapha were ulso divided into a triennial cycle, and
there can hardly be a doubt that they too were read through
in hebdomadal lessons. The Prophets were read in connec-
tion with the Mussnph Prayer,"" and certain Benedictiona
wore ordainod to be recited before and after the reading of
these Prophetic Pericopes. These Benedictions, with few
modifications, are used to this day by the Jews, at thE
1
reading of the lessons from the Prophets, only that the pre-
PeriCO}lOS from the Prophets cm,OEH'l) are simply a selec-
tiOn ftom the ancient triennial cycle. Equally certain it is
that the Hagiographa were also read as hebdomadal lessons.
Pericopes were read at ll1iuclw or Evening Prayer.
_Thts 1s not only evident from the fact that they are included
1n the ancient triennial cycle, but from the express declara-
tion of the Talmud that .. at Nehardea lessons from the
Hagiographa were read at Evening Prayer on the Sabbath."""
"" Honco tho remark in tho 1\lihtm, Ml:'n ,rt)IZ) nw c-,,
0
--Ml ,
n.ln:-r l :-r w "l'l!:E!C:"t
,311)' tc tolw ,.ewL. I I.e le4o11 frum llu1 Pro}'lu!lll r.:cale tlu: SB&X.A (
tb: Section altout thu unity of tho Duity, Dont. vi. 4-9], ,.,,J t/O< up ';:;
ur , ' t!. lo ti&y the Ku.r/1!4/, 11nd B"rec/,., fur thottu wbo firdt come into tho Syna ...
gogo., to Mu""'"I>h l'rayor (Jf<:Ji/1" iv. 5). ComJ>. Toapl.otl, aud Jomtob Holl..,r
111 locv.
Mr11illa :!1 " ,'t,.bbutlt 116 b. NTI.l'CD"I Ml'lnlC.l
1
C I i'Cil HlM"nl.l "" 0
DlJl. a so 161(f. :!.J a, llaahi, aud Toaapboth ;, luco.
58
Indeed the .Benediction recited at the reading of these lessons
is still preserved. .. He who reads in the Hagiographa," says
the Masseclretll. Sopite rim, (xii. 4) "must say, Blessed be
Jehovah, our God, King of the Universe, who hast sanctified
us with Thy comn1andments and enjoined us to read in the
Hagiographa. ''
10
Tile .Am&ual Oycle.-The next division of the Pentateuchal
text in point of antiquity is into fifty-four hebdomadal lessons,
to provide a special section for every Sabbath of those years
which have fifty-four Sabbaths. It is here to be remarked
that the maximum number of Sabbaths in the year is fifty-
four, whilst the minimum is forty-seven, and that in dividing
the Law into Pericopes provision had to be made for the
maximum number. 'l'he fifty-four lessons are required in
the intercalary year in which the Feast of New Year falls on
Thursday, aud the months CltellltValt and Ki11lev ('.,C:::S)
have respectively twenty-nine days. The years which have
only forty-seven Sabbaths are those in which New Year falls
on a Monday, and the months Cltesltvall. and K-i11lev have
respectively thirty days, or in which New Year falls on a
Saturday, and the months in question are regular, that is,
Cites/wart has twenty-nine days, and Kislev thirty. To pro-
vide for the maximum number of weeks, it bas been ordained
that fourteen of the fifty-four Pericopes are to be read in
pairs. They are as follows, Nos. 22 and 28, 27 and 28, 29
and SO, 82 and SS, 89 and 40, 42 and 48, 50 and 51. H the
year has neither of these extremes, only so many of the four-
teen are read in pairs as will supply Pericopes for the varying
number of Sabbaths. The first Pericope is read on the Sab-
bath after the Feast of Tabernacles, and the last on the con-
cluding day of the following Feast of Tabernacles, so that
the whole Pentateuch is read through in a year.
"WM D'11n -po uon'IM mrr nnM ,-u -m1'1 ,-w C>:lln::l3 1M"117oW
'ID"IlP '3l1:D nT 1l'nn l'lrnnn
54
TABLE IV.
TDE Alni'U4L 0YCLI!!l0 OB PEBICOP4L DIYIBIO!f.111
lCam.e or eaab Pedaope.
-...,. or v- ....
III.Demoalcal illcri.
l1'1DM'U B"ruAitllo Oeu. J.l-'ri.B lM = ll"''jnn'o Jolla-
.wah. rMr'!IM A-l<llo.
2 9 m NotU:IIo vJ. 9-:ld. 89
168 1D1'1 moo 'lM ""'
fallwrof .la:allo u Lot,
'M':::a BuaiMl.
8 s -p -p .rA .. ra.r..ella xll. 1-x'riJ. D'1
1la8 = 'l."D:JD --
ddal, 1'1Dl ""' o,l.
.. .. ..,.,
x'rill. 1-x:ldJ. sa U7 = JllCMAIIO._
II li l'T"'1D
""
CllagtiBArah :xxW. 1-xzv .. 18 lOll = lM"U1' .Telloo,.,.._,
II 6
,,,.,,
Tuldulh xxv. 19-xx\"iU. 9 106 = 'wH1:f' JeltaLoLol.
'I 'I M:r1 Vall""" xxvW. 19-x:sxU. 8 148 = D'lnt:) .llaltaMI-,
n'l1zM
';"Jn H"Urai.
8 H
v .. ,,.,, .. .,,.
liJ:xil. 4-xxxvl. 48 1M - :m.r,p Kdlla.
9. 8
::111:'1 Va11uheb XXXVII. 1-Jd.llll 112 = p:::a Ja66ok.
10 Ill
ji'C
.llibt .. xU. 1-xU.-. 17 146 = ,J:P
...,
n-.r ..
half 6<t !t ...,..,.,,

.............
11 11
IIU"
VCIJIItltuh xllv. 19-xlvU. D'1
.,,.jllll' Jeltulldala.
106 = 'IM'r.r ,.,...,.,.,_
19 19
'""'
YnJtecld xlvil. 29-1. 96 85 ;1100 riJD ZlaA.
IS l111!JII) llloemoth Exod. I. 1-1. 1 lSI = '"UUl:: .lraodal.
... !a Yaeirn
,., ........ loek.
H'1M1 1. 9-Jx. 811 1:n = .,._.,. ,.,.,, m:::a'
ealiz.
15 8 N:l Bo x. 1-xlil. 18 1G5 = mo JIOiala.
18 .. n'1'11):::a Behalaeh xiU. 17-xvU. 16 118 = nMlD &rcaal&
m1CM ,. A faiUojiAI
........
17 II 1"V1' Ylthro :s:vW. 1-xx: .. 2H 77=:::&,l1l"r Jello.....tob.
lR 6 C'".:D'Il!l Mihl"'tltl"' xxl. 1-xxlv. B ll8
-
'""

'7Nouo Uulel.
19 'I x:sv. 10 INl = 1':D SaUu,
''""'
"' "-"'
so 8 m!ln TAet.rnPt'll .l<l<Vii. 20-XJ<J<. 10 101 = 'ltooo .lrieltael.
!II 9 N'll)l1 '::l Kl Tltl.a 11-xxxlv. IIi 189 = 'lMllM Ha,...OICGI.
2:1 Ill 'mp'1 va,akltel sxxv. 1-sxx.'\rlli. Ski 1:1:9=mnlc-...."'-
2S 11 ..,j)D Pelrudai sxxviil. 21-xl. 28 81 = 06adlalt.
sa I N"ljl., Y1111lkra Levit. I. 1-v. 2G 111 Jaalalt.
211 2 Tzau vi. 1-viU. 118
rn = Nl'Jo Salu.
20 8 Bltemi11l lx. 1-xl. 47 81 = n.,J:P 06adlall.
D'1 4

xll. 1-:slll. 59 67 = l"rl3 Blflaiall.
28 6 Metzurala xlv. 1-xv. s:J 110 = ,,., r.u..
at All the uamben with the mnemonical signs, which aa-.. marked wi&h aa&eriak
throughout this Table, are wanting in the printed editions of the Rabbinieal Biblo
with the 1\luorah, I have aappliad them fi'Om varioaa 1188. A more det..u.; ,:
eriticl.om of ita tex&aal oooditiou ill given r. .. low, pagea 'IS, 74.
55
TABLE IV.-continued.
lllwa-orv- aa4
Ku-Gical &&cu. 111-ot-l"ul<lope.
11 me ""V1M .4ahra' Mot.\
Levi&. x'VL 1-llVill. 110 80 = 'W .Cddo, In '3
80 7
81 8
a 9
118 10
sa 1
86 9
811 8
87
118 6
89 6
40 7
.1 8
'9 D
43 10
. ., .
.a 6
6
60 7
'"'i"ln &chukoUcd
"O"TO::J. .Bcuoldbar
MIUl N..-
lm'nr.U BchaloUt<:ha
1" n'ra:J 8/u/culo Luha
""'i' Kora<:h
npn OfuM:otlo
O""U, Dcl>arl ..
pnnoo """'""'""'""
::J.j'l) Ebb
illn Beela
C'l!:lD''ID Bllophtlm
-n ::t Kl. TMtu
tiOn '::t Kl Thabo
151 8 NIU..bl
6:.1 9 ""(M YaJiolcw:lll
68 10 u-IM:1 HfiiUi,.-.
154 11 ;'0"\::J.., nMn J'U"oflll Habracha
for all.
:dL 1-u. 117 6l = :lo"11 't:l .., .. of
goU, a...& M
pU4/ud.
xsl. 1-xslv. 28 = '1Uf7M Elouai.
uv. 1-xxvl. 9 67 = llTIMN'l for ""
'Jo1::n HatU.
uvt. Buvll. 8& 'lll = Ml17 U.ua.
Numb. I. 1-lv. 20
tv. !U-vU. 89
vill. 1-xU. 111
xUI. 1-xv. -t1
xvl. 1-xviU. 11:J
xix. l-ull. 1
xllll. IS-xxv. D
xxv. 16-xxx. 1
xxx. 9-xxxU. 4!1
xx:dU. 1 xxxvl. 13
Deu&. I. 1-W. 29
Ui. :!3--vll. ll
vii. 12-d. !!5
:d. 26-xvl. 17
xvl. 18-xxl. 9
xsl. 1U-xxv.1D
xxvl. 1-xxlx. 8
J<lllx.9-J<J<X.00
J<XXi.1-80
ullll. 1-69
xJ<lllU. 1-xxxlv.19
1159 = m'p'ln HW.I.alll.
118 = ::J.,l"''P ............ .
''"" [)103) ... -.
ll!8 = ,...,.,l"'C MahaiA-
k<ll.
uo = m'lo Pkt.
05 = 'lM'n Dartl<ll.
ff1 = 117 Uul, 'rM'Io
J ........ ,, to
Medcba.
10& = mlo McaiiO<Ilil.
188 = ...
El<lplll<fl<r, '(f1rn for "
_,Ia ...
119 = ;:D Et>ol, :lj7' "
IDiM-17(1l, "f'l JiliN ..
139 = "'"" .mno
dtu<ucr,..a/adJI.
106 = ll'::t'lo Mal<rllll.alll.
lltl = JCHJ1411
111 = M"fvo J....,...,
p>M All<.
126 = rrM'lD Pel.alalll.
97 = M'l;c .Sa&u.
110 = "n7 Ell.
1:.12 = ,.,m to lllu
-.nra.U.
40 = U::J.., lllu M<art.
30 = ::J.''IQ'lM Abltul>.
6<1 = ;m::aM .dibUal.
u = ..,.. .. ., ao.A.
.,.,.., Octll.
Though the exact data when the annual cycle obta.ined
cannot be fixed, yet there can hardly be n doubt that it
gradually developed itself in Palestine, and more especially in
Babylon, about the time of Christ, and that it had not entirely
suppl11.nted the triennial cycle, as late - the thirteenth
56
century, A. D. Ancient authorities inform us that, side by
side with the triennial cycle, there existed in some districts
another mode for fixing the Pericopes. As the lessons were
read, not only on the Sabbaths and Festivals, but also on
Mondays and Thursdays, it was so arranged that the Pericope
on Sabbath afternoon should begin where the morning lesson
left off, uod that the readings on Monday and Thursday
should continue from where the Saturday afternoon Pericope
ended.a: According to this system, therefore, 3 X 9 = 27
verses more were read each week, or more than twice as
many as wore 1ead correspondingly in the triennia) cycle,
thus 1educing the latter very ncal"ly to the annual cycle. But
ns this syRtem was in f11ct no system at all, since it was
neither an unoual, nor a biennial, nor a triennial cycle, it
was soon reduced to the fifty-four hebdomadal lessons which
ure to be found in the present recensions of the Hebrew
text. Hence we find R. Simeon b. Eleasar, who was a
strong advocate of the annual system, declaring that Ezra
instituted the ending of Levit. xxvi. 2-xxvii. 34 before the
Feast of Pentecost, anc1 Deut. xxviii. before New Year
(.Ut'[Jilla 31 h)," which not only presupposes at that time the
annual division into fifty-four sections, but, in a hyperbolical
manner, ascribes its institution to the second Lawgiver.
Still, ns we have already remarked, the annual cycle was
hy no menus universal. Even in Maimonides' days there
were congregations who refused to adopt it, and tenaciously
clung to the old system (llilclwtlt 'Ptphila xiii. 1), whilst
the celebrated Benjamin of Tudela tells us that when he was
at l\femphis (circa A. D. 1160) there were there "two syna-
gogues ; one of the congregation of Palestine, called the
l"''i' t:n:1 :1MJO::J. .:-mlO::J. l"''i' C'ID ""'"'ID n::J.'I%l::l fi"l::llt:l'ID p:1"1 'Jn as
"'M1!:l ':1"1 "1:1"1 MM::I:"' C'CD "'D'OM::J. '111"tlM::J. rnp C'ID 'l'CD::J. 'l'lln::J.
.Mer1illa Sl b.
m'nj> rlj> ,"ll'lt! :_,., C:-0 wn M'"ln> "ICH "'nfJM p p:VC'ID ':::1, M'JM 1111
.Meuill" sl b. l'1J1Zr.1 'IDM"\ c,p ;,,n l"fl'CDC::J.'ID' mu CI"Tii' l:l'll"D mln:l.'ID
57
Syrian, the other of Babylonian Jews. They followed diffe-
rent customs regarding the division of the Pentateuch i!lto
Parasltioth and Sedari1n. The Babylonians read one Parsha
every week, as is the custom throughout Spain, and finished
the whole Pentateuch every year, whereas the Syrians have
the custom of dividing every Parslta into three Sedarim., and
concluding the reading of the whole once in i.hree years ...
(The Itinerary, i. 147, etc., ed. Asher.) All the 1\ISS,
however, as far as our examination of them has hitherto
extended, give the annual division as exhibited in the
Table.
The Divisions of tlte Psalter.- Besides the triennial
cycle, in which the Psalter, in common with the other
Hebrew Scriptures, is divided, this Book of Hymns, owing
to the peculiar nature of its composition, has a divi-
sion of its own, into separate Psalms, which, in some
respects, are ano.logous to the open and closed sections
in the Pentateuch. But as this division is different
in the Massorah and in the correct 1\ISS, from that
of the present Hebrew text, it is desirable to point out
in what it consists. According to ancient tradition,
followed by the Massomh and many Codices, the Psalter
consists of one hundred and forty-seven Psalms, and not
of one hundred and fifty, as in the present printed text
and versions. Ten of our Psalms, viz., i. and ii., xlii.
and xliii., lxx. and lxxi., civ. and cv., cvi. and cvii., are
five in the original, each of these pairs baing joined together
as one composition, whilst two Psalms are divided into four,
viz., a lxxviii. 1-87, b 88-72, t.: cxviii. 1-4, tl 5-9. The
following table will show the variations.
Hebrew.
Psalms i.
ii.-xL
xli.
Hebrew Edition aad ED(IIi&h Venion.
Psalms i. and ii.
iii.-xli.
xlii.-xliii.
Hebrew.
Psalms xlii.-lxvii.
lxviii.
lx.ix.-lxxh.
lx.x.v.
lxxvi.
lxxvii.-cxi.
cxii.
cxiii.
cxiv.
Cl\.V.
ex vi.
cxvii.-cxlvii.
58
Hebrew Edition and Eugliah Venima.
Psalms xliv.-lxix.
lxx.-lxxi.
lxxii.-lx.xvii.
lxxviii. 1--87.
31:1-72.
lxxix.-cxiii.
cxiv.-cxv.
cx,.i.-cxvii.
cxviii. 1-2.&.
25-:!11.
cxix.
cxx.-cl.
It is however to be remarked that all these variations
are be found together only in the editio princeps
(Salomca, 1521), of that catena of traditional expositions
of the Old Testament called Jalkut collectiou) which
was compiled in the eleventh century by the celebrated
Simeon Cura.
114
Now, immaterial as it may whether
this book is divided into a hundred and forty-seven or a
hundred and fifty Psalms, yet this apparently trite matter
like many of the smuJler phenomena in the Massomh,
shows how the text has been tampered with to produce
harmony when the traditional import of a passage has
been misunderstood.
The Talmud distinctly tells us that Psalms i. and ii. are
one Psalm, with "hlessetl, (Ps. i. 1) and
ending with "blessed" (Ps. ii.l2), and that such a
beginning and ending were designedly mRde by David in
his fuvourite Psalms."" As if to add more distinctiveness

"' au account of H. Simeon Cara and tbi& Midratih Jallmt, a1ao e&lled
a.ftur tho comtti).,r'll name S/,imu,, titw Kitto, Cuclupedia ttl
Btbll,ul Literature, #, '' C.&RA.
"" ThuB it iB tillid ;,.,t:l'ID ., ,I!:IM, M'1'l m%TID onn C'1l 1wn l'TC'n "''1DM
nne. ...,-.r.,J. i"1:l C"m ... nnD ,,, i'l:t,:ln rtn'i"'lV mE7"'D 'o ,;t
l:l. '0'" 'r.J :'U::M :l.'l'l:l, ""'U::M:l. C''Ol 'ID'M:'1 .,...,.. :l'l'l:l, ..,v:ou i
"'"" [=Pa. I.J, and IVIov du tloe loeutlom '"II" [=PM. ii.J aro 0114 Pulm,fur,,..
69
we are told in another place that from the beginning of
the Psalter to the words, "the Lord hear thee in the day
of thy trouble '' (Ps. xx. in the present recensions) are
eighteen Psalms since Beatus vir qu.i non. abiit, etc., and
Quare fre71merunt geutes are one Psalm.
110
Hence, in the
ancient Hebrew MSS and the Codices of the Septuagint
Psalms i. and ii. are one, and in harmony with this the quota-
tion uir5S' p.ou el IT;,, iy.U ITe, thou art "'Y
so1t, this day ltave I begotteu, thee (Acts xiii. 33) is said
to be ell Tcf 7:pWTtf .J,tz11.p.<f yeyptzrrcu, written in the first
Psalm. When many of the Jews afterwards divided this and
the other two Psalms into two, so as to obtain the round
number of a hundred and fifty, not only was this division
of the first Psalm into two introduced into many Codices
of the Septuagint, but the passage in the New Testament
was aitered into Elf Tcf o/JI.p.cp Tcf 8.iu-rp'f, m tltt: tsecond
Psalm.
Some of the ancient sages also regarded Psalms ix.
and x. as one, for which reason they are joined together
in the Septuagint and Vulgate, and in a few Codices. But
the general tradition in Palestine was against it, and hence
this junction only obtained currency in Alexandria. In
R. Samuel b. Na.clmuni evecy wliclt wa hit fauourilo DcuJid began
will' 'blt:44ed.' rnul ended wit/& 'ble4eJ: He bega11 will& for it i writltua
i'! tlu1 mara I Ps. i. I] a11d ewled will& bleed,' becauc it i wriltcta, Blu-
el be ull wJ.o trut ira J.in.' Btau.ouoTD 9 b-10 a.
Btl To tho question, \Vhy there am Bdtlt:di.Jtiou in the Morning
l'rayer c;.n 7ul ''lrM'ltl l'nJ'ID nn,oro ...,1Zll7 mow ,JJJ ,,., Jl :171ml'1" ., -,oM
n.., lW,-. ;r.:,; 17 "'l'ro.M F' "'l'lll:P =wn C"TM ,., "'10M' CM .m::r 01'l i'11l'1" -pP' W
1'J"C 'i1 R. Juleua 6. Le11i am11Dt1re,l, Tl&t:JI tu t!.G wlich ,,.tl
fi"UII& tlce curnme,.cemer.t u./ tl.e to lle wurJ.., 'tl Lord har lhf!d " [Ps. xx.J
/f ""II u"e lordd tell tire# there ure ,.,j,.df!t!ll 1 !rim, Ju tl1tJ lrealhe11
rnve r = Pa. ii.] ;;. .. ut a lleparale l'aluc (JKR"JII.I.LEJI T .I..I.IUTD ii. 2). Chriatiaa
authorities confirm this fa<:t. A Scholiou, from Origcn and Ewoebias ... ya that
Paalm11 i. IUld ii. iv -r.;> 'EII,..A<(i .,.,.,.,,.,..__ tho sama oJrect ia tho lfeDl&l"k of
A pollinaria,
E..-yPG+iic ;, 1{1..;..,.0.. .;,,.-.., llix.
u,_,.._ 4i ap'
Comp. D..lituch. Commtmt on P. i.
60
harmony with the notion of the sages Psalm xlii. and
xliii. are joined together as one composition, and though
this tradition does not seem to have found its way to
Alexandria, as is evident from the fact that in the Sep-
tuagint and Vulgate they form distinct Psalms, and that
they have even supplied a title to Psalm xliii., which has
none in the Hebrew, yet it was known to Eusebius, who
distinctly remarks that "this Psalm (xliii.) has no snper-
scnJ>tion by the Hebrews, for which reason it has also no
titlo among other interpreters, and that it indeed a con-
tinuation of the former Psalm (xlii.) is evident from the
similarity of diction and affinity of sentiments which are
common to both."
07
Hence in many Codices these two
Psalms form one.
Ps. lxxi. also exhibits a vo."riation between the Palestinian
tradition and the Alexandrian. According to the Pales-
tinians, Psalms lxx. and lxxi. are one composition, and
Psalm lxxi. of the present Hebrew text has therefore no
superscription. Hence, in harmony with the above junc-
tures, Psalms lxx.-lxxi. are Psalm xlviii. in the Midrash
Jalkut. In tho Septuagint, however, which the Vulgate
follows, the two Psalms are not only distinct, but Psalm
lxxi. has the following lengthy title, "By David, sung by
tho sons of Jonadab, and the former captives."
118
l'sulm lxxviii. was divided into two compositions, viz.,
1-37, and 38-72, and although this division again exhibits a
variation between the Palestinians and the Alexandrians,
inasmuch as it is not adopted in the Septuagint, and although
it is not to bo found in the present Hebrew Codices, yet
87 ,ap EiJpo.iol{ 0 +cack, a&.O .. apA A.o,W'Oll"
... .... C)(c.." 4..\.,\Q. .. ai. On ,.,flO'S ioc ., ctvcu. Toii ... pa airTGU itc
Of'ooiwv iv O"+oTipoltf AOyw... '" ic "" Eo.aeluus. lD OrJ8eD 8
/Jczal'l", Pa. .dii. [ rliii. l
Rl T ui..N., "I .... va&ill .ral .,_;,-rw., ..a6Crr-v, and tho Va.Jsato,
1'11alnuu Dauid, llt priorum captiuo"'"'
61
there can be no doubt about the fact. In the Massoretio
Triennial List it is still divided, and the Ta.lmud (Kidllu,!Jitin
SO a) uses this division, viz., the first verse of the second
part, or verse S8, according to the present arrangement,
to indicate the tota.l number of verses in the Psalter. That
verses 38-72 formed a distinct Psa.lm, is moreover evident from
the fact that it was recited with Dent. xxviii. 58-59, xxix. 8,
during the administration, upon delinquents, of the forty
stripes save one (Mishna Maccoth iii. 14), to which the Apostle
was subjected five times (2 Cor. xi. 24). Hence Psalm
lxxviii. 1-S7 of the present text is Psalm lxxv., Psalm lxxviii.
38-72 is Psalm lxxvi., whilst Psalm lxxix. is lxxvii. Hence
too Psalm civ. of the present text is distinctly called in
the Ta.lmud and Midrashim cii., where it is remarked that
it is the one hundred and third Psalm, viz., civ. of the
present division, where the expression Hallelujah occurs for
the first time as an ejaculation of praise.
88
Psalms cxiv. and cxv. were joined together as one com-
position. This Pa.lestinian practice found its way into
Alexandria, and hence the two Psa.lms are also one com-
position in the Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, and lEthiopio.
Accordingly, Psalms cxiv. and cxv. of the present text con-
stituted Psalm cxii., and what is now Psalm cxvi. was,
according to the traditional division, cxiii.
Psalm cxviii. was divided into two compositions, viz.,
1-4 was one Psalm, and 5 - 29 was another Psalm,
a division still preserved in the Vienna Codex. Accord-
ingly, the first part of Psalm cxviii. of the present num-
bering was. according to tradition, Psalm cxiv., and the
second part Psalm cxv. Hence, what is now Psalm exix.
should be Psalm cxvi., and the last Psalm, i. e., cl., is cxlvii.
"" rM'fr.l ,ON M'n ,, "ION n'I"''ZT11J C'l'1171 TfM!:l Damd one huudrt:d
and ttoo P ... tnUJ before he uttered t4e wonl Hallelujah. Comp. Beradlot4 9 b.
MidraJ. oo LowiL cap. iw., Midnula 011 &bo Paabwl cap. cis., Midnula Jallcut on Pa.
civ.
62
The Rabbins, who a.lways endeavoured to find a mnemonical
sign for every important number, have therefore
that .. the Psalter consists of one hundred and forty-seven
hymns, according to the years of our fatuer Jacob."..,
It is necestuuy to remark that, owing to liturgical arrange-
ments, two portions of the Psalter are quoted in the Massorah
by distinct titles. During the second Temple, when the ser-
vice was reorgunised, the Psalter, or the National Hymn Book,
as it may properly be designated, was largely used in the
worship of tho Sanctuary. Passing over as beyond the scope
of this Essay, the several portions which were used on diffe-
rent occasions we have to notice the group of Psalms called
HaUel <"'m). The ordinary Hallel, or Uf-LVO>, as it is called
in the New Testament (Matt. xxvi. SO), consists of Psa.lms
cx111 - cxVIu. It was chanted twenty times in the year,
during the sac:rifice, viz., on the first and second day of the
Feast of Passover (nO!:l), on the Feast of Pentecost
the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles (J'\1::110), and
eight days of the Feast of Dedication (l'1::1lll'1).' On twelve
days out of the twenty, viz., at the sacrifice of the first
and second J>esach, of the first day of Pesach, of the
Feast of Pentecost, and of the eight days of Tabernacles,
the flute was played before the altar when the liallel was
chanted ; whilst, after the morning sacrifice, during the
eight days of the Feast of Dedication, it waR chanted
without this accompaniment. From t.he fact that this 1-Ial-
lel recounts the Exodus from Egypt, it is sometimes ca.lled
the Egyptian Jiallel ('.,'Dl'1 """), in contradistinction to
the Jiallel (.,1.,ll'1 "'"), which consists of Psa.lm
oo 'l':lH Ji'l7' 'Teo ''"'liD ,ll:J c-'r.lru nn,oro l"'l':J1!11 c'?':J"Vn rniD <:omp.
Sabbath cap. xvi., To:teJillla Otl Baby/011 Pt!llllacTun 111 a,
Tillin cat civ., Midru&h Julkut on p,., :nii., xri. 11, and see alBO Furs&,
Der Ka"o" du Alter Teatamentea, p. 71, etc., Leipzig, 1868.
o Comp. Mi1hna Puacl&im v. 7, S.Uca iv. R, Taanitl& iY. 4, Eroclt.in ii. 8.
68
cxxxvi., and is so called beoa.use it greatly abounds with
responses of praise, repeating no le:is than twenty-six times
the same ejaculation. Some, however, add to the latter the
Pilgrim Psalms (Pesacltim. 118 a). It is the ordinary .fiallel
which was sung by Christ and his disciples at the conclusion
of the Passover supper, and is chanted by the Israelites on
the same occasion to the present day: which the Massorah
quotes by the Chaldee name N",':m. Thus, on 2 Sam. xxii.
5, the Massorah remarks that .. the word sttrroruuled
me, occurs three times, viz., 2 Sam. xxii. 5, Ps. xviii. 5,
and the parallel passage in the Hallel," i. e., Ps. oxvi. S."
Another portion of the Psalter which has a separate title
is Ps. cxix. This Psalm is quoted by the title "Great
Alphabet " because the hundred and seventy-
six verses contained therein are divided into twenty-two
groups; and the groups not only answer to the number,
and .espectively begin with one of tho letters of the Hebrew
alphabet, but every verse in each group conforms to it.
Thus the eight verses of the first group begin each with
A leplt, the first letter ; all the eight verses of the second
group beh.riu with Beth, the second letter; and so all through
the twenty-two groups.
Piska. - Returning to the breaks in the text of the
Hebrew Scriptures, we have to notice the Piska. In no less
than thirty-one passages, there are, in the acceptable
editions, breaks or vacant spaces in the middle of the verses,
with a little circle occupying the centre of the vacancy.
They are as follows-
u Dean Alford, in his Greek New Testament (lla&t. :uri. SO), not only eonfoiiDcla
the Eyyptia,. Jf,.[kl chanted by the Jews at the Pa..,hal supper with tha Oreal
/allt:l, but enoneoualy aaya that tha latter consists of Pa. Cl<Y.-c:uiii.
oa It ia remarkable that Bu..torf should haye miMblken the meiUling of '"'.lnl
M'7o;m and applied the lllaaaoretio el<presaion tirr.1 to the whok. Psalter. Comp.
Tiberiaa, cap. ri. J....,ph EahYe baa copied he ......., error into his .Uehia 0/&idolh.
.ection ii.
64
1 Gen. xxxv. 22. u 1 Sam. xvii. 87.
2 Nwnb. xxv. 1U. 13 1 Sum. xxi. 10.
:1 Dent. ii. 8. u 1 Sam. xxiii. 2.
-! Josh. iv. 1. 16 1 Som. xxiii. ll.
6 Josh. viii. 24. 10 2 Sam. v. 2.
fl Judges ii. 1. 17 2 Sum. v. 10.
7 1 Sum. x. 2:!. H! 2 Sam. vi. :!0.
ti 1 Sum. xiv. Ill. lU 2 Sam. vii. -!.
II l Sam. xiv. Sfl. :W 2 Sam. xii. 13.
10 1 Sam. xvi. 2. 21 2 Sam. xvi. IS.
ll I Sam. xvi. 12. 2:.! 2 Sam. xvii. 14,
23
24o
26
26
27
28
2D
so
Sl
2 Sam. xviii. 2.
2 Sam. xxi. I.
2 Sam. xxi. 6.
2 Sam. xxiv. 10.
2 Sam. xxiv. 11.
2 Sum. xxiv. IS.
I Kings xili 20.
Jer. xxxviii. 28.
Ezekiel ill. 16.
In the foot notes to each of these passages we find the
remark, .. a hiatus, or section, in the middle of tho verse."
Before entering into an investigation as to the meaning
of tho word Piska, and its critical importance, it is necessary
to remark that I do not know where the modern editors of the
Hebrew Scriptures obtained tho List of Piskas. It is nowhere
given in the Massorah Magna. Even the Massorah Parva,
which alone mentions in two places a sum total of tho
instances, marks seven passages only as belonging to this
Rubric." Indeed ouo of tho seven of the passages distinctly
marked in the Massorah Parva, as included in this category
(viz., Gen. iv. 8), is rejected by modern critics, and is not
contained in the above List. Nor have I been able to find an
authoritative List of these Piskas in any of the MSS. which
I have hitherto collated. It is true that in some Codices I have
" The &eYen pa"""SCB noted by the Maaaorah Magna in which Pida oee....,. in
u.., middlu of a verse arc, Uen. iv. H, l<u:v. 22; Josh. iv. 1; Jude. ii. 1; I Sam.
l<xiii. :.!, 11 ; Ezek. iii. 16. The two places in which the sum total ia meDtioned are
Gen. tl, wh?r" it ia remarked j71CD IU':IC:l ;rpoD j7lCD n ..::l twt:"l!lt:ight versa,
wherct1: tlf.t!re u a breta/.; i1t tl,e nu.ddle uf the verse, whilac Gen. xsxv. 22. where il
is remartu.d, j71CD "VV:ttl "PPD "j71CD n ':I twc,.ty:five llt:rau ;,. rohich there a
bret<l: ;,. the middle of tle vere, which is uvid61ltly a misprint for n'-:1 tweuty-eigllt.
'l'ho11e who hne had thu slightest Ol<perience in tho collation of MSS., or in printing,
kuow how frequently tho lutWra :t,.ftve, tLDd n,. are cxcha.Dged, and it bs the.re-
foru perfectly surprising that Kennicott aholllcl adduce this aa one of the two
in which tha :\lasHOrah contradicta itself, in order to ahow how very
COiltrat.lictorv, it U... The tattJ of' tA.e
Pn,.letllfebrew Tr.I:t of tM Oltl Tutarmmt. Diuertatiou the aucond, pp. 27.5, ete.,
Ul<ford, 17.59.
found a vacant space, but the passages with the vacant space are
very few, and have not even the remark, "here is a Piska in
the middle of the verse " (i"OD J1'lr!Jtc::l tcpOD), which is to be
found as o. gloss in the margin of our modern editions in
every one of the thirty-one passo.ges. Thus, for instance,
in the MSS. of the British Museum, Codex No. 1528 (Harl.)
a vacant space of about two letters, without any marginal
remark whatever, is to be found in ten passages only, viz.,
1 Gen. xxxv. 22.
2 Numb. xxv. 10.
S Deut. ii. t-1.
4 Josh. iv. 1.
c 1 Sam x. 22.
6 1 Sam. x.iv. 36.
7 1 Sam. xvi. 12.
2 SIWl. xxiv. 10
U 1 Kings xiii. 20.
1tl Ezek. iii. 10.
In Codex No. 5710-11 (Harl.), which is most carefully
written, with a very elaborate Massorah, both Magna and
Parva, there o.re seven instances only, viz.,
1 Gen. xxxv. 22.
Numb. xxv. 10.
S Deut. ii. R
I
4 Josh. iv. i.
I) 1 SIWl. X. 22.
0 1 SIWl. xvi. 12.
1 Kings xiii. 211.
In this Codex what are marked as Nos. 1 and 3,
i. e., in Gen. xxx.v. 22, Numb. xxv. 19, the space is
occupied by the word nmnD, Open Section, written out
fully. No. 3, i. e., in Dent. ii. 8, the space is occupied
by the word Closed Section, also written out
fully. Against No. 6, i. e., 1 Sam. xvi. 12, is placed in
the margin n:l, which evidently indicates that there are
twenty-eight such instances; whilst in Nos. 4, 5, and 7, i.e.,
Josh. iv. 1, 1 Sam. x. 22, 1 Kings xiii. 20, there is simply
a vacant space, without any marginal remark whatever.
In Codex No. 9403 (Add.) there are three instances only
given, viz., Gen. xxxv. 22, ago.inst which is written in tho
margin, 1nc JN::::I, tltere is ltere au open 11ectio1&;
Numb. xxv. 19, where the space is oeoupied by 'D, the usual
abbreviation of nnmD, mo.rking it as Opel& Sectio11.; and
Dent. ii. 8, where the space is oeonpied by c, the abbrevia-
66
tion of ncmo, marking it as an Open SectioJt. In Codex.
No.l0455 (Add.) Numb. xxv. 19 has alone vacant space. But
none of these MSS. includes Gen. iv. 8 in the List of Piskas
nor even takes any notice of it. The only Codex which
notices it is No. 9401-2 (Add.) Here it is remarked in
the margin, against the passage in question C!I'"ID Th
. e
Im!'ort of this expression we shall immediately explain.
With_ facts before us, we. have no difficulty in
ex_pl_a.mmg the meaning of the word Pisktt, nor in ascer-
tammg its critical significance. We see, in the first place
that very little importance w&.s attached to these p k
LS as.
Hence, while the Lists of the Majuscular and Minuscular
Letters, of the Inverted and Suspended Letters of th
Peculiarly Pointed Letters, and of a thousand
matters connected with the text, have been minutely registered
and carefully conserved, a catalogue of the Pi.skas is nowhere
and the MSS. followed no rule in the adoption or
omission of Piskas. In the few places wherein they are
to be found m the MSS., they indicate, beyond the shadow
of a doubt, a division of sections which obtained in olden
times, prior to the division of the text into verses as we
now have it, and wl.ich was afterwards neglected because
the circumstances which necessitated the Piskas ceased to
exist.
. According to the Aramaic the term tcpOD, from I'OD, to cttt
t!/J, to leave off, simply denotes pause, paragraph, section;
and. the_ Massoretic phrase, P10D tcpOD, signifies a
sectwn tit wltat is now tlte middle of a verse. And if the
passages in which these sections are marked in the middle
of the verse are examined, it will be seen that the two hemi-
stiches which this mark is placed are respectively
Ill themselves. Tho only exception to this is Gen.
8. But it must be borne in mind that this is not included
m the List of PiskCUJ in tlte middle of verses in any of
67
the MSS. I have examined ; and that the solitary Codex
which notices it remarks against it in the margin O!I,D,
which is an abbreviation of tcOl',!l, and is either the Greek
a shutting-up, a paragraph, l break, or more pro-
bably the Latin FRAGMEN, a fracture, a piece broke,, off, a
hiatus . .,. It is therefore surprising that Kennicott, following
the example of Leusden and others, should have argued
from Gen. iv. 8, which is not included in the List of Piskas,
and which is marked quite differently, that tcpO!l denotes
a hiatus, a11. omission; and that wherever the Massorites
left such a vacant space, aud made the remark in the
margin, "ltere is a Pi.ska i.tt. tlte middle of the verse," they
intended to indicate thereby a. deficiency, or that some word
or words had dropped out of the text.
ChapterL..-The Massoretic chapters must not be con-
founded with those which are to be found in the ordinary
editions, and which were first introduced into the Rubbinio
Bible (Venice, 1516-17), together with the divisions of the
four books into eight (i. e., Samuel, Kings, Ezra and
Chronicles), by Felix Pratensis, who copied it from the
Hebrew Concordance of R. Isaac Nathan.
44
'I'he chaptral
division of the Massorah, like the Pericopal cycle, is purely
liturgical. As seven persons read the hebdomadal lessons,
each Pericope was divided into seven chapters, so that every
prmlector had a separate portion to read. The discon-
tinuance of the 'I'riennial cycle renders it now impossible to
give this more ancient chaptral division. If the List of the
.a Tb .. ugh Jacob b. Chajim Ibn Adollijah, the first editor of the Hassorah, and
perhaps also some of the Codices from whioh he compiled his edition, Gen.
iv. S as one of the PU.laa, and although Lovita eeponiiGd the BalDO optntoo (,U,....
IJUrct/1. ffa.Jfaaaorctll., p. 26:!, od. Uiuaburg), yet it i now certllin that this paeaago
does not belong to the category. Indeed n. Non:i, tho Dilllio11l oritiu,
w >ady pointed out the mistake of iuclutliug Oeu. iv. 8 in thi11 Li.at, at th.e
of the aeventeenth century, in his Miru:luu Sll.ai, and hta aurpnseat Lev1&a
falling into this bJODdor .
..S Comp. ltUJtra. p. 259, note 7.
68
two hundred and eighty-nine Pericopes into which the Pro-
phets and Hagiographa are divided be correct, and if the
mode of reading these lessons was the same as the manner
in which the Law was read, these two groups of the Hebrew
Scriptures consisted of two thousand and twenty-three chap-
ters (289 X 7 = 2023) ;
07
whilst the .hundred and fifty-five
Pericopes of the Law had one thousand and eighty-five
chapters (155 x 7 = 1085). Hence the Old Testament had
anciently three thousand one hundred and eight chapters.
Through the discarding, however, of the Triennial system,
and the discontinuance of parceling out the Prophets and
Hugiographa into hebdomadal lessons, all marks of the chap-
tral divisions iu these books have entirely disappeared, so
that the chapters of the Annual cycle of the Pentateuch alone
have been preserved. According to this system, Genesis,
which, as wo have seen, yields twelve Pericopes, has, there-
fore, eighty-four chapters ; Exo<lus, eleven Peticopes, and
seventy-seven chapters ; Leviticus, ten Pericopes, and seventy
chupters ; Numbers, ten PoricO})es, and seventy chapters ;
ancl Deuteronomy, eleven Pericopes, and seventy-seven chap-
tms ; making in all three hundred and seventy-eight chapters,
us t'ollows : -
TABLE v.
Tuz CUAPTI!lBS 01' TUB PENTATEUCH
ACCORDING TO TUB PBBICOI'Ea.
GE:HE81H.
0ENB8J8.
0ENE&I8.
0JUfB818.
I. 1-18 11 viii. 11>-lx. 7 21 I<vii. 81 xxiv. UHIII
:.1 19 lx, 8-17 2:! xvUI. 1-H 89 ln-69
8 24-11. II IS :r.! :!II lliIIS 88 158-67 .. u. 4-111. 21 H :d. 1-B:! :H llb:. 1-1!0 114 li:JtY. 1-11
5 IH. 11'-l-lv. 26 15 xll. 1-1:1 :!li 111-xxl. 4 8li 1S-18
6 v. 1-:H 16 14-xiil. 4 96 xl<l. 5-21 86 .. 19-l<ni.li
7 211-vl. 8 , 17 xlll. 5-111 :n In xxvt. 6-19
8 vi.
9-:l:l /ttl ldv. 1-20 211 I<XU. 1-28 88 16-29
0 vii. 1-ltl 1 1U 111-xv, 6 20 u.w. 1-16 so 28-29
10
.. 17-vlll. H 1 :.10 XV 7-xvll. 7 80 17-xxlv. 0 40 .. 00-xxvU. 117
47
Tbid compulation does not includo lloth, tho Song of Songs, and Lamenta-
tions, aa boob arc entirely omitted in tho printed Triennial List. Vid"
16Upra, p. 82-i.
0&KB81B.
u s.svtl. IJ8-xxrill. -&
42 xx viii. 1>-0
43 10-2:1
" :&Jdx. 1-17
46 ..
46 """ .,....:n
47 23-x:ui. 16
46 XXJ<I. 17-4:.1
49 .. 43--XXJ<Ii. :J
60 xxxll. 8-lla
51 18-00
5a . 81-s.sxW.fi
6a xxxl.il. 6-20
M xxxtv. 1-xxxv. II
fill XXXV. lla-xxxvt.l9
56 xxxvi. ll(l-.43
57 xxxdi. 1-11
56
li9 118-86
60 xxxrill. 1..W
61 xxxtx. 1-6
6a 7-:&1
68 x.l. 1-113
6'i xU. 1-H
66 JlHII!
66 119-fiil
67 68-xllL 18
68 xW. 19-xWL 16
60 x.liil. 16-29
70
71
7lJ
73
H
ll()...xltv. 11
xliv. 1IHIO
Sl-xiv. 7
xiv.
76 .. 118--x.lvl.
76 xlvL lld-x.lvll. Iii
11 x.lvll.
IJ8-x.lviil. 9
'l9 xivliL 16-16
80
til
..
L
17 :19
1-Jll
IIJ-.26

lJl-a6
Exonus.
86 l. l-17
86 111-ll10
In u. 11 26
88 w. 1-111
89 16-iv. 1'1
110 tv.
69
TABLE V.-continued.
EXODUII.
91 v. 1-vl. 1
oa vi. ll-18
98 1,._116
9{ 119-viL 7
llli vll. 6-vlll. 6
96 vW. 7-18
9'1 19-ix. 16
98 lx. 17-86
99 " 1-11
100
101 IW-xi. 8
11l'J xi. 4-xll. 00
108 xli. lll-116
la'i liiJ-.61
106 xtU. 1-16
106 1'1-xiv. 8
10'1 xtv. 9-1"
108 15-26
109 .. -..xv. 116
110 xv. ll'l-xvt. 10
111 :ni. 11-86
11a xvll. 1-16
113 xrill. 1-12
lH 18-211
116
116 xlx. 1-6
117 7-19
118 .. 00-s.s. 14
119 XX. 15-28
100 :uJ. 1-19
121 .. 00-:uil. 8
Jail :u:ll. 4-116
1:.13 .. 27-xxtU. 6
xxiU. 6-10
126 IJ0.-26
1116 ..... .,.,,. 111
1lJ'l :u:v. 1-16
128 17-40
Clll xxvi. 1-H
180 16-410
181 81-81
l8lJ xxvtJ.
188 .. 9-19
1M .. :w-xx viii. Ill
186 xxviU. 18-80
186 81-46
13'1 :&Jdx. 1-18
IIIII 19-3'1
1118 111!--ta
l'ia """ 1-10
141 .. 11-xxxL 17
142 xxxt. lfl.xxxlli.ll
148 xxxili. lll-16
Exooua.
144 xxxlll.
146 XXJ<Iy.
148
H7
146 xxsv.
17-:13
1-9
IlK
195
16-26 1116
9'l-a5 197
1-116 1118
H9 91-W 109
l.avttl<lUB.
......
""
1110 .. 80-xxxvi 7 1100 xvli.
61-xv. 15
16-98
IIIHIII
1-l'l
1&-H
15-M
1-7
161 xxxvt. 6-19 201 6->trill. 6
Ifill .. OO-:u>tvll.l6 llO'J >tvliL 6-91
1118 xxxvli. 17-99 1108 lli-4!0
1M xxxviiL 1-liO :IlK xlx. 1-14
166 .. ill->t>txlx. 1 llOii 15-911
156 ltXXlx. ll-:U li06 liiHI:J
167 llO'l 8S-8'1
156 as..a. ll08 Xlt. 1-7
160 xl. 1-16 209 6-lli
160 17-27 lJ10 18-ll'l
161 ll8 81 911 xxi. 1-18
16ll
168
1M
166
166
16'1
168
ure
170
111
172
178
1'1'
176
176
117
178
1'19
1110
181
18:l
188

186
186
1n7
188
180
190
191
19ll
1118
lllla .. 17-xxll. 16
L&VlTlOOS. 919 xxlt. 17-88
L
u.
w.
lv.
v.
vi.
vU.
vtJI.
"'
lt.
xU.
xili.
xtv.
lll4 xxiiL 1-ti
1-18 1116
14-11.6 216
7-16 !11'1
1-11 lll8
1-28 210
ll'l-v. 10 lt
11-26 1121
1-11 121
1il-vU. 10 228
ll94
1-18 ll:l6
14-lll l!ll6
l!ll-11:1 'kn
xxlv.
sav.
XS:YL
118-U
88-M
lll-8
1-18
14-18
19-2-&
15-98
SIHI8
1111-48
47-xxvl.ll
-
6-8
10-aD
8066 2lll:l xxvu. 1-111
16-111
all-*'I
li9-M
1-10
17-28
114-x. 11
1:&-16
16-00
1-3:1
118-47
1-:I<IIL 6
6-17
16-23

1!9-811
46-M
liiHi9
1-1:.1
18-00
111-Ba
118-1111
NUJIB&BII.
l.
u.
Ul.
lv.
v.
vU.
1-19
00-M
1-IU
1-18
1-l-88
---
1-liO
111-6'1
88-49
1-10
11-Yl. 9'l
1-41
70
TABLE V.-continued
NUJIBERB.
vii. ia-71
au
2-16 viii. 1-H
lU7 16-26
lll8 lx. 1-H
lUll 15-x. 10
260 x. ll..:U
261 35-xi. 29
xi. II()...Jtil. 15
263 xUI. 1-20
2M 21-xlv. '1
266 xiv. 8-25
266 26-xv. 7
267 XV. 6-J6
2611 17-26
269
26o X\'(. J-JIJ
261 H-ID
26:! .. !10-xvll. 8
268 XVII. 11-16
26J 16--:!-1
26S .. !!&-xvili. !!0
206 X\JU.
267 xu. 1--17
lt>-:u. 6
2119 xx. 7-13
270 H--:Jl
2'11 2:1-xxi. 0
27:! xxl. IU-:!1.1
273 21-nii. 1
ll74 Xxil. :.ll:l
2'16 J:l-20
276 21-&1
277 . W..x:dil. 1:!
2'18 xxUI. l:J..26
NUIIBEBS. DBUTEftOKOJIY. I DEU'rJIBOICOIIT.
2'19 xx.IU. 27--xxlv. 13 811 lv. fl....U 846 xxvl. 16-19
280 xxlv. H-xxv. 0 81!1 v. 1-18 IU7 xxvll. 1-10
281 xxv. 10-xxvl. 4 813 111-vl. 8 318 .. 11-xxvlll. 6
289 xxvi. 5-:n 814 vi. ..J-25 319 xx.vi.U.. 7-69
283 5a-xxvll. 6 8lli vii. 1-ll 860 xxlx.
28t xxvll. 6-23 HIO , 1a-v111. 10 1161 9-U
28S xxvtJI. >15 317 viiL 11-h:. 8 852 12-U
a86 .. 16-:ulx. 11 818 lx. 4-29 853 15-28
287 xxlx. 1 !-xxx. 1 810 x. 1-11 8M x:u. 1-6
21!8 XXX. ll-J'l 8:JO Jl!-!19 8.'55 7-10
2811 xxxl. 1-1:1 8lJl xi. 1-9 836 11-14
liDO 1122 10-:!6 861 15-llO
2111 !'5-41 8:!3 .. 116-xil. 10 85lf """' 1-8
29'.! 4:1-54 B!!t xU. 11-28 859 -1-6
200 XXXII. 1-11 8:!6 ., 29-xW. 10 660 7-9
2lU !l0--!:1 / 8:!6 xlv. 1-!11 661 J0-18
:!:15 xxxlll. 1-lll 8:7 2:!-211 36:! U-19
:!00 ll-4o I s-.!8 xv. 1-1s oou 20-9.4
!.'117 .. 60-xxxh. 16 .. 10-xvl. 17 26--30
!!Oil xxxh. 16-:!9111311 xvl. 111-xll. 18 865 xxxii. 1-0
:!11'.1 XXXV. 1-'8 831 XVII. U-:!1.1 666 7-lil
800 0-31 11:1:! :nil!. 1-6 867 l:J..JS
801 xxxvl. 1-13 ' 11H3 6-18 3&1 19-28
l
ll:H 14-xix. 18 800 !!!1-89
DEUTERONOMY. xix. 14-xx. II 870 40-48
uuv xx. 11}-xxl. 9 871 44-6:1
110-..l J. I-ll 8:17 xxl. 10-:.11 872 x:uJII. 1-'1
1108 1:!-:ll 8:11! 2:!-xxli. 7 , 3'18 11-13
:J04 2:!-&1 IJH!l xxil. H-xxlll. 7
1
; 874 13-11
806 110-11. 1 IUO xxlll. 8-:!-1 876 1<>-!11
:106 II. 2-H<.t IHJ .. :l:i-xxlv. "1870 22-:16
IJ07 " HI-Iii. 14 IU:! xxlv. li-13 877 21-20
:JOd Ill. 15-:!:! IHS .. 1-&-xxv. Ill 878 xxxlv. 1-la
110'.1 :l:i-h. 4 8t4 xxvl. 1-11
1110 lv. 6-40 lUI) .. 12-15
These chapters are indicated in every Pericope of some
editions of the Pentateuch, especiully those containing the
ChuJdeo Puraphrases and Rushi's Commentary, etc., by the
numbers two three .four ('ll'.:l.,), five six
('t!IW), and seven ('ll'.:lW), fully written out. The lust three or
four verses of the seventll chai>ter in each hebdomadal lesson
are now assigned to the one caJled up to the lectern to the
reading of the IIaplttara (i,CEli'l), or the lesson from the Pro-
phets. Hence the expression (.,'C!lO), which is to
be found before these verses. That these chapters are omitted
71
in the ordinary editions, and especially in those published by
the Bible Society, only shows the inconsistency of the editors,
since these chaptral divisions are an essential part of the
hebdomadal lessons, which are indicated at the top of every
page'!, in these very editions. Surely the insertion of one part
of the lectionary demands the insertion of the other. It
must here be remarked that there is a variation in these
chaptral divisions between the Sepltartlim. or the
Portuguese, and the Ashkenazim (C'tl::II:'K), or the :Polish,
German, French, etc., communities, who may be regarded to
represent the ancient Palestinian and Babylonian, or VI estern
and Eastern usage. But the diiference is very slight.
As to the present chaptral division, which was introduced
into Romberg's Hebrew Scriptures by Felix Pto.tensis, though
it is no part of the Mo.ssorah, yet as Ibn Adonijah, tho first
editor of this critical apparatus, has incorporated it into the
Massorotie numberings ut the end of each book of the Bible,
some notice must be taken of it. For, whatever may be said as
to tho theory about tho origin of tho sections, there can be no
doubt that they never interrupt the sense. It would therefore
be only reasonable to expect that wherever there is o. chu.ptral
breo.k it should coincide with the sectional division. But
this is so fo.r from being the case, that a more unfortuno.te and
senseless splitting up of the text could hardly have been
devised by an intelligent student of the original.
(-In corroboration of our remark, we shall simply give the
from the Pentateuch. Gen. ii. begins three verses
too soon; cap. vi. leaves one verse of the section behind; cap.
ix. interrupts the historical connection, and ought either to
commence eight vvrses sooner or seven verses later ; cap.
xxviii. should have begun nine verses later ; cap. xxxi. not
only breaks into the middle of the narrative, but begins
without an antecedent, whereas the Palestinian or Triennial
division properly commencas three verses further ; cap.
72
xxxii. begins three verses before the section. Both cap. xliii.
and xliv. commence without a subject. Quite as unfortunate
are the breaks in Exodus. Cap. iv. begins with an answer;
cap. vi. begins a verse too soon, whilst xxii. and xxiii. com-
mence respectively a verse too late; cap. xxxvi. has detached a.
verse from the context, which it absurdly connects with the
address of Moses. This senseless chaptral division has mis-
led several versions, amongst which is the Authorised version,
in the translation of this verse. \ As this verse is intimately
connected with the preceding, the Vnv in is covversive,
and the word ought to be rendered, that Bezaleel make, as
the Jerusalem Targum, Ko.lisch, Keil, etc., have it, and not
"then tvrotLgltt Bezaleel." Cap. xxix. begins a verse too
soon.
In Leviticus, cap. x. breaks into historic connection ;
the Palestinian or Triennial division properly begins seven
verses later on ; cap. xxvi. commences two verses too soon.
In Numbers, cap. xiv. interrupts the thread of the narrative,
whereas the Palestinian section rightly begins ten verses
further on; cap. xxii. again, is one verse too soon; cap. xxiii.
breaks most violently into the connection, and ought to have
begun three verse earlier, whilst cap. xxx. is a ve.rse too soon.
In Deuteronomy, cap. ii. commences one verse too soon,
cap. iii. seven verses too late, contrary to the section, in
opposition to the Palestinian division, and against the
historic connection ; cap. vi. is three verses too soon ; cap.
x. interrupts the connection ; cap. xii. is four verses too late,
whilst cap. xiii. most senselessly begins a verse too soon.
Verses.-The last, but most important, division of the text
is the versicular. As tbis partition of the Hebrew Scriptures
has, with some slight variations, been introduced into all ver-
sions, both ancient and modern, Catholic and Protestant; and
moreover, u.s in many instances it fixes and aifects the sense;
we cannot lay too much stress upon this department of the
78
Massoretic labours. Happily the Massorah has most minutely
conserved and registered the number of verses in each book
of the Old Testament. Indeed, as regards the Pentateuch,
which, as we have already seen, has been shielded in an
especial manner, the verses are counted and registered in a
double form; and these two systems check each other. The
first, and most probably the older, List of verses in the Pen-
tateuch is the one appended to each book. Besides the
verses and the middle verses, this List also gives the number
of the Annual <"''VID) and Triennial (0',.,0) Pericopes, and
of chapters which Jacob b. Chajim for the first time inserted,
as well as the open and close<l sections in each of the Five
Books of Moses. The second List or rather mode, of
counting the verses in the Pentateuch, is the Pericopal. After
the Law of Moses was divided into fifty-four hebdomadal
lessons, the number of verses in each Pericope was counted,
and appended to each with a mnemonical sign, which is gene-
rally a proper name, consisting of the same numerical value
as the number of verses in the lesson in question. In the
MSS. both the letters indicating the number of verses and
the mnemonical sign. are distributed between, and sometimes
inside the throe great Pes (D D D), or Sameclts (D 0 D), which
always mark an open or closed section at the end of each
Peri cope; and Biblico.l students who are not initiated into the
kleptography of the Massorah are greatly puzzled to decipher
the import of these mysterious signs.
As I have already given this List of Numbers and Mne-
monical Signs in Table IV. of the Annual Cycle, I shall here
simply describe its textual condition in the printed editions
of the Bible, and the additions and corrections I have made
from various MSS. The following Pericopes have no mne-
monical :1igns in the editions. Pericopes 6 < " ' , ~ ' " > and
12 ('"''), in Genesis; Pericope 11 (''1'1'1)), in Exodus; Peri-
cope 10 ('"'P'IM:l) in Leviticus, and Pericope 9 (of,''), in
0
74
Deuteronomy. These I have added from the MSS. Moreover,
Pericope 9 in Deuteronomy is marked nt1 having seventy
ycrses, and the mnemonical sign is i'1'l,K, Adonialt, which is
numerically the samo in value. But this hebdomadal section
has only thirty verses, and the mistake has evidently arisen
through the omission of the mnemonical sign in this section,
and through the joining of this with the preceding lesson, as
these two, viz., Nos. 51 and 52, are rend together in those
years which have not fifty-four Sabbaths. (Comp. supra,
p. 58.) The following is the List of verses as appended to
each book of the Bible.
TABLE VI.
Nul\IBER oF VERSES IN EACH BooK Oto' THE BmLE.
Hook
Genesis
Exudm;
Leviticus
NwnLenl
Dcutetonumy
Joshua
.Judges
1 tutd :! Samuel
1 utu.l. :! Kings
Isaiuh
Jurcm.iah
Ezekiel
Minor l 1rophets
THE LAW.
Total No. of Verses.
1584
1230
t-1511
12tlt3
!}fit)
51i-15
THE PROPHETS.
6511
lilt!
1:106
1634
1:!116
US65
1:!7:i
1050
9:!97
Middle Verse.
xxvii.-lO
xxii. 2tl
XV. 7
X\ii. 5
xvii. 10
Levit. viii. t1
xili. 26
x.tl
1 Sam. xxvili. 2-l
1 Kings xxii. 6
xxxiii. 21
xxviii. 2
xxvi. 1
Micah iii. 12
Psalm:J
Prove;:bs
Job
Song- of Songs
Ruth
Lamentations
Ecclesiastes
Esther
Daniel
75
TABLE VI. -continued.
THE HAGIOGRAPHA.
2527
1115
1070
117
85
lo-t
222
167
357
(188
lxxvili. :JO
xvi. 18
xxii. 16
iv. 4
ii. 21
iii. :14
vi. 10
v. 'i
v. 30
Neh. iii. 32
Ezra. Nehemiah
1 and 2 Chronicles
lfloo
1 Chron. xxvii. :lo
71158
+ ll297 + 7958 = 2:1,100.
NOT.-The number of verses In each hook of the Minor Prophets Is as follows:-
Ho&ea -
Joel -
Amos -
Obadiah
1117
- 78
U6
-21
.Jonah
Micah -
Nahum. -
Habakkuk
- 48
- 105
47
- 66
Zephaniah - - 68 }
- - - 88
Zechariah - 911 f Total, 1.0110.
lllalachJ - - - 56
But though the two Lists elaborated on different prin-
ciples yield the same number of verses, yat the editions of
Hebrew Scriptures have two verses more in the Pentateuch.
'.fhus, Exodus and Douteronomy have respectively 1,210
and 956 verses, and not 1,209 and 955, as given in the
Massorah. The difference of the two verses arises from
the versicular division c.t' the Decalogue. Trite as this
may seem, it was deemed of sufficient importance to agi-
tate the different branches of Christendom throughout the
world. The explanation of all this is to be found in Jewish
tradition. According to the most ancient Palestinian autho-
rities, the words, "I am Jehovah, thy God, who have brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bonda,..e
D >
thou shalt have no other gods besides me," which constitute
verses 2 and S in the Exodus Decalogue (cap. xx.), and verses
6 and 7 in the Deuteronomy Decalogue (cap. v.), were regarded
from time immemorial as one and the first precept. Hence,
76
R. Ishmael, the representative and conservator of the ancient
Palestinian Ilalaclra, remarks the expression, " he had
despised the word of the Lord" (Numb. xv. 91), denotes he
has been guilty of idolatry, and thus tlte first precept
which God communicated to Moses, viz., "I am Jehovah, thy
God ...... thou shalt have no other gods besides me."
411
Hence
this view is not only followed by Philo a.nd Josephus,
9
but is
expressed in the accentuation of tho Massoretic text, where
bondage, which in the editions terminates verse 2 in
Exod. xx. and ve1se 7 in Deut. v., has simply At/mach, thus
showing that it is intimately connected with the following
verse, and that there should be no versicular division here.
The Iuter doctors, however, not only divided this single pre-
cept into two commandments,-or rather, separated the verse
into two verses, and made. the second verse thus obtained a.
part of the second precept,--but actually tried to obliterate the
vestiges of the ancient practice.
60
It is therefore the present
versicular division of the Decalogue, both in Exodus and
Deuteronomy, according to the later Rabbins, which yields the
two verses more than the Massoretic numbering.
Far more formidable is the difficulty arising from the discre-
pancy between the Talmud, the Midrashim, and the Massorah,
with regard to tho number of verses in several books of the
Hebrew Scriptures. There a1e two instances in the Talmudic
literature in which the verses are mentioned apart from the
Massorah, and these two statements not only disagree with the
Massoretic numbers, but are at variance with each other. For
nr::no m:1 01 ,,_, nM 'J ,'OMl'ID ,,_'11!:1 ,_,roll -,c,M MelD' .,_,
c;Oa.t ,., 01'01' N'J ''l' T"'" '01 lT":llOI 'CD l"'''DC'J ,'OMl'ID p'II:IM"':t ,,,_,
'lD .,1' c..,n.. Comp. liipl<ru sc.,. cxii., fol. SS a, ad. Tricdmann, \'ienna, Ul&t.
w Comp. Philo, Quis rt!l"ltllt. diuill. ltaer., section x:uv., Opp. i. 496; De Decal.,
st>ction xii., Opp. ii. I HI!; Josephus, UI. v. 5.
ao C<>mJ>. Gtliger, Zeitaclrift, vol. iv. p. 119, etc. For tbe controversy
on the division of the Decalogue, wo must roft>r to Uorzos, Real-E,.cyl:lopadie fir
.l'rotutaltliacl<e Tht!olooie wtd Kirche, a. v. DEJU.Loo; Kitto, Cyclopdio. of Bib-
s. v. D.o:OA.LOG111<,
77
the better understanding of their critical value, we shall give
them in extenso. The first passage occurs in the Talmud
(Kiddushi11. SO a), and is as follows :
61
"The ancients were
called Sopherim (i. e., colmte,.s), because they counted all the
letters [words, and verses] in the Scriptures, for they say that
the Vav in belly (Levit. xi. 42), is the middle letter in
the Pentateuch, c;-,1, seeking he sought (Levit. x. 16),
are the middle words, and and he shall be shaven
(Levit. xiii. SS), is the middle verse; that the A !lin in out
of tlte woocl (Ps. lxxx. 14), the middle letter in the Psalter,
and that ' but he, being full of compassion, forgave their
iniquity' (Ps. lxxviii. 38) is the middle verse. Whereupon
R. Joseph asked, 'Does the Vav in belly, belong to the
first or second half of the Pentateuch?' He [i. e., R.
Saphra] was answered, ' Let us fetch a Pentateuch and
count it; ' and Rabba bar bar Chana says, ' They did not
leave the place until a Pentateuch was fetched, and they
accomplished the counting. He then said to him, they
(i.e., the Scpherim) were conversant with the plenes and
defectives, uut we are not conversant. [Hence we cannot
find it out.]' R. Joseph asked again, ' Does the word
and he shall be shaven, belong to the first or second
half [of the Pentateuch]?' Abaja answered, 'Our counting
the verses is of no use, as we are not conversant with the
versicular divisions,' for when R. Acha bar Ada came [to
Babylonia] he said, 'The Westerns divide Exod. xix. 19
into three verses. The Rabbins submit the Pentateuch haJV
;T'\llUIZl IO'j710D'I nun11 mm.. U C,D'IO C'l'l'lmn 'IM"'j)l -p'll'l 61
'nl:l 111'1, 'ID'TI .:r11n "''lll 'nl:l I'Wn'M 'nl:l rnn 1''M1 C,D'IM 1'"o'11Zl
Hlrn C"r.tn 'no OW', j"l! .,11'10 ,'tTl mctn:l C'i"'CC 'nl:l m:m:n
..Ol 'WolD .,.. ,..Cl 'M::t!:l pnn ,. "' '101' :1, "37:1 1 tl'j71CEn '1':11 "Ill:!' c1n-1
"117 C'IDC 111 ttl olln "1:1 "1:1 tt:l, ,DM ttl "D 1mJo.n :n1n '1ElO nJ m ,OM
:1, "l':l ll'"'l':l ttl P"' m-,n, m-,on:l 'H'jl:l pmM m ,l!:M C1MlD1 ;T'I1n '1DO 'IM':lmD
'i"'lJD:l m'JD.., m.., 'ar.1'D 'i"'CD ;M ,D .. I<Dl '"':110 1M toOl 'MOTe mll'lm flC''
'i'1CD wn'TI'l M'lp ..m m >jmD M:l'U'D:l '1tlM tnM "1:1 161M ::1, MnM :n Jl'"'i'l ttl 'Cl
n'IMO nl'ID'CD'I c'll'7M l'Y'IDCn ll:l, 'l'ln : ,..,.. M:l ':llM mn '1M mrr
5,888 verses, the Pso.lte1 has eight verses more (i.e., 5,896),
and Chronicles eight verses less (i.e., 5,880)." The second
account is in the .t.fidrash Jalkut, where we are told t-.hat "the
number of verses in the Pentateuch is 15,842, the number in
the Prophets is 9,297, and the number in the Hagiogro.pha is
5,063, making in all 23,199, exclusive of those verses divided
into two."
6
'"
In attempting to reconcile these conflicting statements, two
questions suggest themselves. First, Does the word P10D,
PaBlLk, which in the Massorah is the technical expression for
cerse, as we uow have it in the Bible, denote the so.me thing
in the Talmud, or was there another versicula.r division? And
second, Are the numbers in these two records immaculate ?
As C'i'CD (from PCEI, seccnt;. absciude,.e, xo?rTEIII) exactly corre-
sponds in etymology to the Greek ><OfLfL"'Tac, and the Latin
ctesa, tho.t is, half verses, or members of verses, some have
thought that, in the excessive statements in ttle Talmud and
Midrash, this term is used to denote a-Tixo, verses, especially
when speaking of tho poetical books.
The passages, however, quoted in the Mishna u.nd Talmud
show beyond doubt that the Talmudic versicular division cor-
l'csponded to that of tho Massorah, and that, with the excep-
tion of isolated passo.ges, the verses were then already orally
and tl-aditiona.lly fixed. Thus, the injunction in the Mishlia,
about the public reading of the Lo.w, distinctly speaks of
verses. "He who reo.ds in the Law," we are told, "must not
reud less tho.n three verses. Nor must he read to the inter-
preter more tho.n one verse at a time, but from the Prophets
he muy -throe verses o.t a time. If the three verses ho.p-
..,:1, 1liOD ,on l'1l1DID o'ln ,.;p -,n .;TI,n -,co 'i"'OD M'1l'1 cj:I'OD m1DW1 D'l1D10\
rtJ,OlZl 0'0'11
,.y,, cD'lM '10 C'K':ll 'nl:l O'j710D'I :lD'nn1 C'D'JM l''l!l 'IDD1n 'nl:l C'plCO l':liZlm

"IIIOD ,:17 'liN l :l 'l:l::t 10 l 01 cc'l,.. 01 o::nro 'nl:l Ci"CD Comp. Jallmt
Per.col"' l!.'kd> section 855. Furst has rightly tJOiutcd ont that
in the editi .. ns of the Jall.:ut ia a corrnpLiou or and that is to b.a read
ins&ead of Comp. /Jer Ka11011 Ju Tutanumtu, p. 12S.
79
pen to be three sections, he must read each one separately "
(Afegilla iv. 4). Here we have not only verses most empha-
tically spoken of, but tho versicular division of the Mas-
sarah, since it is evident that the three versed forming three
different sections, here alluded to, are lsa. Iii. S-5. This is
placed beyond the shadow of a doubt by Sopherim. (xi. 1),
where lsa. Iii. S-5 is quoted in illustration of the meaning
of this Mishna. Again, Dent. xxxiv. 5-12 is quoted in
the as the last eight verses of the Pentateuch "
(Baba Batltra 14 b, SO a). In the passage
from Kiddusltin. SO a, quoted above, R. Aeha b. Ada tells
us that the Po.lestinians divided Exod. xix. 9 into three
verses. As all these verses exactly correspond to the Mas-
soretic versicular division, there can be no doubt that the
To.lmodie P'CEI, Pasuk, denotes a verse in the present tech-
nical sense of the word, as applied to the Scriptures.
These verses th Talmud declares were indicated in the
text by disjunctive accents (D'CJIC P'C'EI, Nedarim. S7 a),
and in accordance with the practice of tracing every vene-
rable usage to the Great Lawgiver, it ascribes the division
to Moses hims Jlf, and lays down the role that " a ven e
which Moses bas not divided we too must not divide "
(Megilla. 22 a).
115
But these passages also show that there was a subdivision
of verses for liturgical purposes. We have seen that of the
seven persons co.lled to the lectern, each one had to read three
verses, thus requiring twenty-one verses for each hebdomadal
lesson. Now, in looking at the Triennial List, it will be
observed that many of the Pericopes have not the requisite
number of verses. Thus, in G6nesis, Nos. 8, 12, 16, and 21;
in Leviticus, No. lS; in Numbers, Nos. 10, 21, 26; ami in
Dent., No. 25, are deficient. The verses in these Pericopes
80
were subdivided into two verses, and, in some cases, into
three, as in Genesis, No. 8, which has only eight verses, in
order to obtain the legal number (Taanith 27 b). Hence
obtained a number of small verses in Po.lestine, side by side
with the ordinary verses, the traces of which are to be found
in the " hiatus in tlte middle of a verse " (P'C!l :VmN::l MPCEI),
or the subdivision of a verse (Vide supra, p. 66).
Apart, however, from the subdivisions which were called
forth by the nature of the Pericopes, some verses were
divided differently in Po.lestine to those in Babylon. Thus,
for instance, the quotation from the To.lmud (Kiddusllin
SO a, vide supro., p. 77), states that xix. 9, was
divided into three verses. As the Palestinian Pericope
in which this verse occurs (Exodus, No. 15) has more than
the legal number of twenty-Qile verses, it is evident that this
division represents a variation between the Eastems and
Westerns, and that there must have been some more of these
variations, which, like many othet' Palestinian usages, have
disappeared through the powerful influence of the later
Babylonian practices. Indeed, we are distinctly told, in the
Jerusalem Talmud, that in some Synagogues the prmlectors
subdivided the verses, to facilitate the understanding of their
import for the children who were present (Jerusalem, Me-
gilla v. 5). These considerations sufficiently account for the
difference of forty-three verses between the Talmudic and
the Massoretic numbers in the Pentateuch.
As for the discrepancy between the Talmud and the Mas-
sarah respecting the number of verses in the Psalms and
Chronicles, we submit that the Talmudic statement must be
rejected as untrusworthy, because the text of it is manifestly
corrupted, and, even if true, because those who made it claim
no authority for it. That the text is defective is self-evident.
It states that "the ancients were called Sopherim, because
they counted all the letters in the Law." To prove this fact,
81
the middle letters, the middle words, and the middle verses
or the Pentateuch and of the Psalms are adduced. Now, this
proof shows beyond doubt that the original statement must
have been, " they counted the letters, words and verses in the
Law, Propltets and Hagiagraplla, and that the words in italics
have dropped out of the text, otherwise the reference to one
book of the Hagiographa, and the citation or the words and
verses have no meaning whatever. If, then, entire .words
could fall out or this passage, surely we cannot be called
upon to accept it as immaculate, in the simple letters which
express the numerals, and which, as is well known to paleo-
graphists, are most easily mutilated.
Moreover, the Talmudic statement distinctly declares that
this department or textual work belonged to a special guild ;
that even so great an authority as R. Joseph b. Cbija, who
lived 800 A. D., and who is the reputed translator of the
Hagiographa into Chaldee, w did not know whether the Vav in
jln!, belly (Levit. xi. 42), and the verse commencing with
and lte sltall he sltaven (Ibid. xiii. 88), belonged to
the first or second half of the Pentateuch,"" and that the
doctors gave up all hope of ascertaining it, even after they
counted all the letters of the Law, because they were not
conversant with the plenes and defectives, which they
declared was knowledge peculiar to the Sopherim. As
the Massorites were the successors of the Sopherim, whose
labours they collected and embodied in the Massorah, it is
only reasonable that we should accept the numbers which
they give as authoritative, and reject those of the Talmud,
both as corrupt, and as claiming no authority in these
" For aceollnt of R. Joseph b. Chija, also called Jo11ep/& OCUII lC,
see Kitto, of Biblical LittJrature, 11. "
66 Tho rom ... k, that n,nm (Levit. xiii. SS) is tho middle Yerse, must be wroug,
for not only does the 1\lauoretio statement, that C1D'1 (Levit. viii. S) is the middle
verse, eaactly coineide with the Yersicnlar division, bat the difterenee between Le'l'it.
rill. S and xiii. 88 is 160 "".....," whieb is far too mneb, -ins that the 'l'ariatioD
between tho Talmud and the Masaorah amo11nts only to 40 Yenea al&ogether.
82
matters. Moreover, the system of accentuation which obtained
about 600 A. D., and which is admitted on all hands to be,
with few exceptions, a correct representation of the ancient
and oral versicular division, exactly corresponds to the Mas-
soretic numbers.
The second statement, contained in the Midrash Jalkut,
so manifestly bears on its very face the stamp of corruption,
that it hardly occasions us any difficulty. Though the sum
total of the verses in it almost equals that of the Massorah,
the difference amounting only to 99 verses, yet the distribu-
tion of the verses over the Law, Prophets, and Hagiographa
is so preposterously disproportionate, as to convince the most
casual observer that the letter or word representing a thuu-
llllllll has been transferred from the third division, i. c., tho
Hagiographa, into the first di\Tision, i. c., the Pentateuch.
It only remains to be remarked that the versicular divi-
sion is indicated in the MSS., and the early editions of the
Hebrew Scriptures, by the accent called Soph Pasuk
P,03), followed by (:), which we call a colon, or (;) a semi-
colon. The first attempt to indicate the number of verses
in each chapter is made in Bombcrg's third Rabbinical Bible
(1546-48), where a numeral expressed by a Hebrew letter
is placed in the margin at every fifth verse. In 1557, the
Pentateuch, which was issued from the press at Sabionetta,
had the verses marked with numerals ; and in 1569-72, the
entire text of tho Old Testament appeared in the Antwerp
Polyglott with au Arabic numeral against the margin of every
verse; and in 1661, tho Hebrew text Ly itself was published
by Athias (Amsterdam), with an Arabic numeral to each
verse. The versicular division was first introduced into the
English Bible in the Genevan Version (1560), thence it was
adopted in the Bishops' Bible (1568), and afterwards into the
Authorised Version, 1611.
As the Authorised Version, although it generally follows the
83
Massoretic divisions, depatts in some cases from the original,
we subjoin a list of variations, which is necessitated by the
fact that our rAferences in this Essay are to the Hebrew. It
is therefore hoped that the subjoined list will explain the
apparent diffiuultietl which may arise from the differences in
the citations.
TABLE Vll.
VARIATIONS IN CuAPTEBII AND VERSES BETWEEN ruE HEDIIEW AND THI!l
AUTHORISED VERSION.
Hebrew.
Autb. VenJlou.
0BMEtUI:I.
JUtxU. xxxi. 66
Hebrew. Autb. Venloo. I Hebrew. Autb. VanJloo.
DB1JTBil0MOIIY. I KliiiOtl.
xxW. 1 xxli. 110 ""' :!-84 :o;x. II
ll xxUI. 1 8b 8
xx:UJ. 1
ll-a3 :1-8li
3--:!6 :1-26 :o;xll. """ llll
ltXviil. liD :o;xlx. 1 48
Exonua. 1 2 U "
3--211 -16-M
vU. 00 vUi. 1
:n-29 :&-1
JottUOA.
vlil. 1 li
Not iM the}
JlauorfJtiC
Te ..etQ
3-2H
xxl.
xxl. H7 xxii. 1
xxU. 1 9 Jtxl. 116
:.Hill IHII
H'l-43
LzVITICUB.
v. !110 vt.

vi. 1
:1-113
NuKBEBB.
ltvil. 1 ""'
>1-16
16 ltVil.
17-2H
x.s.v. 194
xsx. 1 xxhr:.
a xs.x.
3--17
v.
xiU.
DeurBKOMoxv.
17
18
liHIO
1
9
8-1D
v.
xU.
xill.
1
:1-7 xlx.

86 1
s7-liCII
1
:!-18
six.
1
:l-16
1 SAIIUEL.
1a xtx.
1b-:l
I xx.
xxt.
3--16
1 xxlll.
x.xlv.

:.IS..LJIIUEL ..
I ..:vUI.
:! xlx.
8-4f,
l K.INOH.
13--:10 v. 1 iv.
91 :!-H
-,. IIi v.
8:1 .. 16-lr.l
1 xvtll. xvl&i.
l&-18 B&b
ltll.
viii.
ilt.
: .;ill.
49
1
Wv.
:&-IIi
29
1
viU.
11--l!o,a lx.


I II.
l&-18
88
86
:! K..INOII.
1 xi.
xll.
3--!.t.l
)tt.a.JAJI.
113 tx.
1
l&-90
1DIJ lxlv.
1
l&-11
JE&&IIIAII.
113 lx.
1
E4t:BKIKL.
1 ltX.
:I-Ii
6 ""'
7--IR

1 I.
ll
8 u.
._116
ll1
1
a-:n
1
9
s--91
1
II
8-H
1tl
u
1
...
84
TABLE VII. -continued.
Hebrew. Auth. Version. Hebrew. Aolb. Version.' Hebrew. Antb. Venloo.
:UJ.
xlv.
Ill.
lv.
ll.
li.
II.
Ill.
IU.
lv.
v.
vi.
HosE.&.
1 :xl.
2 xll.
8-lli
1 xlll.
9 xiv.
8-10
JOEL.
II.
ll--li
1 Ill.
IS-21
JONAII.
I I.
2 II.
3-11
UJOAD.
H v.
1
2.-14 8
N.AIIUM.
I.
II.
8-H
ZECJIA.IUAU.
1 I.
11-4
li li.
6-17
MALA.CIJI.
19 iv.
20-IH

1 Iii.
2
IHI
1 lv.
2
8-0
1 v.
9
8-18
1 vi.
2
8-ll
12 vii.
l
:l-H
16 vlli.
1
a-D
21!
I"'
I ..
29-39 : "'
1
2-91 : :xll.
17 xlll.
1

I ::
xiv.

3-15 ! XV.
I
I
Hi ..
1 ' :nil.
:l-13 I ..
I :o;vlli.
11!
ID-21 xlx.
1
2-13
""
1
2-6 ui.
1111e xx:lL
1
2-K
titl11 xxiU.
1
2.-8
1
xxlv.
title ..
2-1! j'
tilU xxx.
1 ..
11--10 ..
Ps.A.LJIS..
2
8-18
vii.
1 viii.
2
8-10
1 ix.
2
8-21
1a xt.
lb
9
s-o
xll.
1 xill.
8-5
6a
6b
Ia xiv.
1b
Ia xv.
1b
)a :xwi.
1b
In xvll.
lb
1-:la xviil.
2b
8-51
I xlx.
:l
8-16
1 xx.
2
8-10
1
2

1
2
8-8:1
la
1b
Ia
1b
Ia
lb
2
8-18
""'
xxii.
xxlll.
sxiv.
xxlx.
XlUt.
I
PsALM&.
title xxxl. 1
1 2
2-17' 8-26
titltJ xxxU. Ia
1 1b
2-9 xxldv. 1
2
I 8-28
11--20 ' xxxvi. 1
title 9
1 .. 8-18
titi<J I :o;xxvili. 1
1 2
6-28
t&tle 1 :a xxlx.. 1
1 : 2
2--4 i 8-1.
6; "' 1
6' 2
1 title i ..
1 ill.
Iitle!
11 ..
tttt" juu.
1: ..
title
1 : xliv.
ttrle I ..
1i
2-60: xlv.
Iitle ' ..
1'
2-H. xlvi.
6-18
1
9
3--1.
1
2
8-12
1
2

1
ll
8-18
1
tltt.. a
I ' 8-12
11-0 : xlvil.
Iitle j ..
l I ..
11--18, l<lvW.
Wits,
1! ..

titlts:
1'
titlcJ I 1.
1 ..
""" u.
1
title u
1 lli.
IS-12: ..
1
2
8-10
1
2
8-lli
1
2
8-21
1a
lb
1-:l
s
4-111
1-2
a
xxxl. tltlts
1
2-IH
xxxiL titlts
1
xxxlv. tltlts
1
D-99
x:o;xvi. tltlts
1
11--12
xxxvlil. titlts
1
11--211
xxxb:. litle
1
D-IS
"' lltlts
1
2.-17
all. titlts
1
11--18
xlll. Citt<J
1
D-11
xllv. tillts
l
xlv. Cillts
1
2-17
xlvl. cltu
xlvll.
xlviU.
xlix
I.
11.
Ul.
1
D-11
title
1
11-9
title
1
D-H
title
2.-20
11--20
title
1
Cit ItS
1
11-19
till
1
85
TABLE YD.-continued.
Hebi'Ow. Auth. Veraloa. Hebrew. Auth. Veraton. Hebrew. Aath. Venloa.
I.U.
lliL
"
llv.
lv.
hi.
lvU.
IYIU.
llx.
b:.
llli.
lllU..
Ill Ill.
hlv.
lxv.
hvL
lllvU.
b:vi.U.
lxb:.
PULJI8.
... u
1 Ulf.
ll
6-1
1-ll llv.
3

1 lv.
ll
lt-34.
1 lvl.
ll
S-H
1 lvU..
ll
3-111
1 lvUl.
ll
3-19
1 Ux.
a
3-18
1-:J ....
s
'-H
1 h:l.
ll
11-0
1 hll.
ll
3-111
1 b:W.
a
&-Ia
1 Wv.
ll
B-11
1 lllv.
ll
1 .. hvL
u
1 b:vU..
ll
B-8
1 b:vUI.
ll
8-M
1 llllll.
ll
8-a'l
ll-9 lu.
IW
1
ll-9 b:lli.U.
cuw
1 lxldv.
ll-7
CUIAJ 1llllY.
1
titl<l hllvt.
1
2-18
cw .. hllvU..
1
2-11
tlthl hllvW.
1
ll-11 b:xb:.
I ill
1 ........
2-1'1
tuu
1 b.ul.
ll-111
'"'" 1 hllllli.
ll-8
wu hlllllll.
1
Il-Ia
PULlla.
1 lllx.
9
B-6
... lll...W..
lb
... b:Dv.
lb
1 b:xv.
a
B-11
1 hxvi.
ll
B-IB
1 hxvU..
ll
B-Ill
tiet. "aU.
1 "oviiL
11-7
c;"" o.
1
IUW ol.
1
UCio oU.
1
11-10
lltu cvw.
1
11-lll
Utto olll.
1
Oll.
1.. b:;.o:vW. me.
1b 1 OlllL
1'" IJtxlx. CICCo
lb 1 o:nl.
1 hxx.
9 1 Ollllll.
9-19
1 .,.,.,... Cltl Oll&UL
ll 1
8-17 9-16 OllxiV.
1a hxsll. Cltl<J
lb 1 OllllY.
1 l&xslli. Cillo
9 1 Cl<XYI.
3-19 ll-18
1'1uula.
B-16
... ,..,yUJ.
Ill
... o.
II)
1.. cJ.
Ill
I ell.
ll
B-ll9
1 oviiL
9
B-H
... olll.
1b
Ia ox.
II)
1 .. au.
it>
lea ellS!.
11l
la oxxJJ.
1b
Ia ou:W.
11l
1a oxslv.
Ill
1m asxv.
11l
1.. OllXYI.
lb
11-115
cur.
I
,.,,.
I
. .,.
I
cur.
I
S-ll8
titr.
1
2-1a
cur.
I
.....
I
.....
I
tiU.
l
,., ..
l
... ..
1
CICI
I
,.,.
1
me.
l
1 l&xxlv. till CllllVII. IG Ol<l<vll. lilt.
9 1 Ill I
8-16
tit to hu:v. I
1 II
9-10 8-14
tlll<J illllllvl. 1 ..
1 lb
9-18 illllllvll. 14
&1114 11>
1 hxl<vlll. I
mu a
1 8-9
2-7 hllslx. I
litlo ll
1 8-liB
2-86 llC. 1 ..
lltl<J Ill
1 xCU.. l
a
a.-12 ox.x.vW. Ia
l&xx v. lltt. 11l
1 oxxb:. )G
2-18 Ill
b:xxvl. lltl<J OJ<llll. 1G
I lll
hxxvll. ucu """'xi. lc&
1 lb
hxxvill. UCI<J cXl<xll. 1 ..
1 11l
9-18 CXJlxlll. 1G
luslll. Cillo Ill
1 Clllll<lV. 1G
- lb
xo. ucu axxstx. 1 ..
lb
1
a
.,,.,...,
..
axxslll.
e>xl.
tltr.
I
,.,.
I
,,.
I
.....
I
... ..
I
,., ..
I
,.,.
I
,.,.
I
86
TABLE VJ.l.-continued.
Hobi'Ow. Auth. Venloa. Hobnw. Aath. Version. Hebrew. Aatb. Ven.Jon.
PsALMs.
cl<l. B-H
cxll. la axil.
lb
oxW. 1 axlll.
9
3-8
axWI. Ia cl<lW.
1b
axlv. Ia cxlv.
1h
Jon.
lll 21) xll.

llll. 1
2-26
BONO OP SONGS.
vll. 1 vi.
ll vii.
SoJCo op Sosos.
2-18 vfJ. s -H 2-18 lv.
Cilia
1 EccLE&IAsTEa. x.
IIlla lv. 17 v. 1 "
1 v. 1 2 ..
11-7 ll-10 B-20
till ..
1
till; : Ill.
I ..
1 lv.
1 ..
- vi.
9
10-3.1
IS Ill.
1
DANIEL
81 h.
8!J-8S
1
1 v.
2 \'I,
8-211
NEUEKIAR.
S3 tv.
M-83
v.
1 ..
2-3 vi.
" IHfl
81
a-a! I.
u.
xlll.
1 xlv.
a-3
NEREIIIU.U.
1
2-17
1 lx.
2 x.
S-40
1 0HRONJCLE8 ..
7
8-23
88
I
a-:18
'/ vi. 1
28-41 2-15
I 16
2-86 17-81
18 II. 1
1 a
ll-17 S-18
28 siv.
1
ll-14
1
2
S-lli
It will be seen, from the above list, that the greater
majority of these vul'iations arises from the fact, that in the
Hebrew the titles of the Psalms form a part of the versicular
division, und hence arc numbered like all the other verses,
whilst in the Authorisecl V crsion they are not reckoned as
verses, but simply as superscriptions.
In many of the other dift(wcnccs the English ve1sion chiefly
follows tho Vulgate nod tho Gcnovnn translations. Hence,
some of the altered chaptral divisions are better than in tho
Hebrew, and are exempt from the strictures made above
(p. 71), whilst others are decidedly worse. Thus Gen.
xxxii., which in the authorised version commences in accord-
ance with tho Vulgate ancl the Geneva Bible, is worse than
the Hebrew, though tho latter ifl Lad enough; and Leviticus
vi., which is likewise in accordance with the Vulgate and
Genevan, is simply arbitrary ; whilst caps. viii. and xxii. in
Exodus, cap. xxx. in Numbers, and cap. xiii. in Deuteronomy
are decidedly au improvement upon tho chaptral division.
87
In the versicular division, the English version only very
rarely deviates from the Hebrew, even when the lattel' mani-
featly breaks in upon the sense. The few instances, however,
in which the Authorised Version departs from the original are
unquestionably no improvement. Thus the division of
1 Bamuel xix. into two verses is not only against the Hebrew,
but against the Vulgate and the Genevan version, and answers
-no purpose. The division of 1 Kings xviii. 84 into two, and
the taking over of the first half to verse SS, are not only
contrary to the Hebrew, but against the versicular divisions
of the Vulgate and the Genevan Bibles, which the Authorised
Version generally follows. The same is the case with the
alteration in 1 Kings xx. 2, S. Where, however, are-division
would have been an improvement, the original verses are left.
Thus, for instance, Genesis xxiii. 17, 18, should have been
joined together; so also 1 Chronicles xxi. 11, 12; 2 Chro-
nicles xxx. 18, 19; Isaiah lxv. 6, 7 ; Psalms xcvi. 12, IS;
xcviii. 8, 9."" As for the two verses, i. e., xxi. 86, 87,
which are to be found in Joshua, they are not owing to
a variation in the versicular division of the English version,
but to the fact that they are entirely wanting in the Masso-
retic text. The discussion about their genuineness must
be deferred to another place.
Tho extraordinary influence which the Massoretic labours
have exercised upon Biblical scholars are by no means
confined to the phenomena in the Hebrew text.
Christian scholars have endeavoured to imitate this depart-
ment of wearisome toil, for tho protection ot" our English
Version. One gentleman spent three years in trying to
etlect that for our translation, which the ancient Sopherim
did for tho Old Testament; and tho results of his researches
are embodied in a treatise entiled, Tlte Olt.l and New Testa-
60 Comp. .A,. Ezercitatiol& COIICer11ing the orivi11al of tiM OliapttJra
Ver....., il& the Bible, by Sam. Clal'k, 1\l. A., page 20, London, 16911.
88
ment Dissected.
Table:-
They are summarised in the following
TABLE VIll.
NuiiBBB oF Booxs, CuAPTEBB, VEBBEB, WoBDB, LETTEBB, ETc., IN TDE
ENOLIBD BIBLE.
OLD TEBTUIENT.
NEw TESTAMENT.
Middle. No. of
Middle.
No. of
Boou 89 Proverbs \Books 97 9 Tbeooaloniana
Obaptors 9'.!1) .Job xdx. Cba1tors 1!60 Romans xW. xlv.
Venea 211,1lH 9 Obr.xx.l7,18 Verses 7,959 AcUI xvll. 17
Words 699,t8U Words 181,1158
Lett.ora 9,791!,100 Lett.ors 838,8&l
Tbe word a lid 8.:1,548 times The word and 6,1156 times
,. Jelu>11alt. 6,855
Least verse, 1 Cbron. I. 1. Least "'"""' John 11. 86.
Elll'll vU. Ill contains all tho letters of the alphabet, exceptJ.
ll KlnB ltlx.. IIUld Isaiah :axxvll. aro alike.
Obaptera
Venea
Words
A.Po.OBYl'BA.
l8S
6,081
lllill,181i
Tot.l
86
1,11U
81,178
Tl8,89a
8,1166,480

The above figures, which we have tabulated, are given in
a foot note to the to Walton's Polyglott. Arch-
deacon Wrangham, the editor of these learned dissertations
(Cambridge, 1828), who added this note to Walton's account
of the Massoretic numbers, remarks, " Eundem item cal-
cnlum, quoad V ersionem Bibliorum Anglican om, sreculo
proxime elo.pso Masoretha quidam Christianus, baud profectO
bene acto triennio, confecit in opere cui titulus Tlte Old and
New Testament Dissected.''
76
IFl Comp. BriAni Wawni in Biblia Polyglotta i., p. 4SS,
eio., Cantabrip, 1828.