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Reading Biblical HebrewChapter 40The Hebrew BibleAccents, Pausal Forms, Hebrew Bibles, Masoretic Notes,& How to Prepare a Passage for ClassJohn C. Beckman2017.04.03

RoadmapSof PasuqAccentsPausal FormsHebrew BiblesMasoretic NotesHow to Prepare a Passage2

3Sof Pasuq

Sof Pasuq ( ׃ )סֹוף פָּ סּוק Groups Words into VersesSof Pasuq ( )סֹוף פָּ סּוק Looks like a large colon ׃ The dots are diamond-shaped in many fontsOccurs immediately after the last word of every verse in the Bible Groups all preceding words (since the last )׃ into a verse Make sense out of the preceding wordsas a group before moving on.Not part of the original text Missing in all Dead Sea scrolls, etc. Present in vocalized Hebrew manuscripts4

5 Groups Words into Verses ׃ )סֹוף פָּ סּוק( Sof Pasuq ֱֹלהים ֵאֵ֥ת הַ שָּ ַמִׁ֖יִ ם וְּ ֵאֵ֥ת הָּ ָּ ָֽא ֶרץ׃ 2 וְּ הָּ ָָּ֗א ֶרץ אשית בָּ ָּרָ֣א א ִ ִ֑ ְּ 1 ב ֵר ִ ִׁ֖ ֱֹלהים ּוח א ִֹ֔ ל־פנֵ ָ֣י ְּתהִ֑ ֹום וְּ ָ֣ר ַ ְּ תה ֹ֙תהּו ּ֙ ו ָֹּ֔בהּו וְּ ִׁ֖חשֶ ְך עַ הָּ יְּ ָּ ֵ֥ ֱֹלהים יְּ ִהָ֣י אִ֑ ֹור ל־פנֵ ֵ֥י הַ ָּ ָֽמיִ ם׃ 3 וַיֵ֥אמֶ ר א ִ ִׁ֖ ְּ ְּמ ַר ֶחִׁ֖פֶ ת עַ ֱֹלהים אֶ ת־הָּ אִׁ֖ ֹור ִכי־טִ֑ ֹוב ַוי ְַּב ֵדָ֣ל י־אֹור׃ 4 וַיַ ְַּּ֧רא א ִ ִ֛ וַ ָֽ ַֽיְּ ִה ָֽ ֱֹלהים׀ לָּ אֹור ּ֙ יֹֹ֔ום ּובֵ֥ין הַ ָֽחשֶ ְך׃ 5 וַיִ ְּק ָּר ּ֙א א ִ ִ֤ ֱֹלהים ֵבֵ֥ין הָּ אִׁ֖ ֹור ֵ א ִֹ֔ חד׃ פ י־בקֶ ר יֵֹ֥ום אֶ ָּ ָֽ י־ע ֵֶ֥רב וַ ָֽ ַֽיְּ ִה ִׁ֖ וְּ לַ ִׁ֖חשֶ ְך ָּ ָ֣ק ָּרא ָּל ִ֑יְּ לָּ ה וַ ָֽ ַֽיְּ ִה ֶ

6Accents

Placement of Hebrew AccentsAlmost every word has an accent A word followed by maqqaf lacks an accent E.g., no accent on ִכי in ִכי־טִ֑ ֹוב Usually with first consonant of accented syllable Over וְּ הָּ ָָּ֗א ֶרץ Under תה ֵ֥ ָּ ְּ הָּ י Some accents at the beginning ( ָ֠)הָּ אָּ ֶרץ or the end ( אֹור ָֹּ֙ )ל of a wordAccented syllable Usually the last syllable of a word Sometimes the penult אשית ִׁ֖ ִ ְּב ֵר וְּ ִׁ֖חשֶ ְך 7

Secondary AccentsAlmost every word has an accentWords with 3 or more syllables might have additional accents The additional accents are called secondary accents The additional accents help with pronunciation and sometimes parsing They do NOT indicate the pitch or the relationships between words ‘Accents’ in this lecture does not include secondary accentsMeteg ) ָֽ ( ֶ ָֽמתֶ ג is the most common secondary accent8

Functions of AccentsAccents indicate pitch for chanting the text in unison Called ‘cantillation marks’ Each accent indicates a series of pitches for the word Multiple musical systems existMost accents tell us the accented syllable Pronunciation Sometimes helps with parsingAccents indicate relationships between words Tell us which words belong together Group words into phrases and clauses Indicate poetic lines9 ָָּ֫קמָּ ה vs. קָּ ָ֫ ָּמה

Two Systems of Accents in the Hebrew Bible‘Poetic system’ of 19 accents Psalms, Proverbs, and Job 3:3–42:6Main system of 26 accents The rest of the Bible This lecture will discuss the main systemThe two systems are very similar Both have a set of disjunctive accents that operate in a hierarchy Both have a set of conjunctive accents without hierarchy Most of accents exist in both systems with the same meaning A few accents are in one system but not the other10

Accent Hierarchy 0: Sof Pasuq ׃ סֹוף פָּ סּוק 110. Sof Pasuq סֹוף פָּ סּוק׃ groups words into verses ֱֹלהים אֶ ת־הָּ אִׁ֖ ֹור ִ֛ ִ וַיַ ְַּּ֧רא א 4 י־אֹור׃ ָֽ ֱֹלהים יְּ ִהָ֣י אִ֑ ֹור וַ ָֽ ַֽיְּ ִה ִׁ֖ ִ וַיֵ֥אמֶ ר א 3 ּובֵ֥ין הַ ָֽחשֶ ְך׃ ֵ ֱֹלהים ֵבֵ֥ין הָּ אִׁ֖ ֹור ִֹ֔ ִכי־טִ֑ ֹוב ַוי ְַּב ֵדָ֣ל א Sof pasuq comes after the last word of each verse Sof pasuq is not an accent Sof pasuq groups words as if it were the top-level accent Disjunctive accents create a hierarchy of subgroups within the verse Group extends from the accented word to the right

Accent Hierarchy 1: Silluq ִס ָֽלּוק and Atnaḥ אַ ְּתנָּ ִ֑ח Disjunctive accents group words up to the preceding same-level accent1. Silluq ִס ָֽלּוק and atnaḥ אַ ְּתנָּ ִ֑ח form two subgroups within each verse ֱֹלהִ֑ים ֵאֵ֥ת הַ שָּ ַמִׁ֖יִ ם וְּ ֵ ֵ֥את הָּ ָּ ָֽא ֶרץ׃ ִ אשית בָּ ָּרָ֣א א ִׁ֖ ִ ְּב ֵר Silluq ִס ָֽלּוק looks like meteg Occurs on the last word of every verse Atnaḥ אַ ְּתנָּ ִ֑ח looks like an upside-down ‘v’ Some verses lack atnaḥ If there is no atnaḥ, then silluq groups the entire verse12

Accent Hierarchy 2: Tifḥa ט ְּפ ָּחִׁ֖א ,ִ Zaqef Qaton זָּקֵ ף קָּ ֹ֔טֹון , etc.132. Tifḥa ט ְּפ ָּחִׁ֖א ,ִ segolta גֹולתָּ א ְּ ס ,ְּ zaqef qaton זָּקֵ ף קָּ ֹ֔טֹון ,and zaqef gadol זָּקֵ ף ג ָּ֕דֹול subdivide the silluq and atnaḥ regions לא י ָּ ָָּֽד ְּע ִתי׃ ֵ֥ יקץ ַיעֲקב֘ ִמ ְּשנָּתֹו ו ַ֕יאמֶ ר אָּ כֵ ן ּ֙ יֵ ָ֣ש יְּ ה ָּוֹ֔ה בַ מָּ קִׁ֖ ֹום הַ זֶ ִ֑ה וְּ אָּ נ ִ ִׁ֖כי ָ֣ ַ ִ וַי Below this level of the hierarchy, there are two more levels of embedded regions.In every level of the hierarchy, there may be words with conjunctive accents thatdo not start a new embedded region E.g., the merka accent on לא ֵ֥ and the munaḥ accent on יֵ ָ֣ש and יקץ ָ֣ ַ ִ וַי

14Pausal Forms

Major Accents May Change Spelling of Their Word15A word with a major disjunctive accent may change spelling (pausal form) Silluq ִס ָֽלּוק Atnaḥ אַ ְּתנָּ ִ֑ח Zaqef qaton זָּקֵ ף קָּ ֹ֔טֹון Pausal forms are rare or non-existent with other accentsPausal form Accent may shift Vowel may change (with or without an accent shift) Often becomes qamats This even happens with shva תה ֵ֥ ָּ ַ א ַֹ֔אתָּ ה תה ֵ֥ ָּ ַ א ָּאִ֑תָּ ה דה ִׁ֖ ָּ אָּ ְּב אָּ ָּב ִָּ֑דה

On 4 Words, 2ms Pronominal Suffix in Pause Looks Like 2fs ָ֣ ְּלך ָּל ְִ֑ך to you (ms or fs) ְּבך ָּבְִ֑ך in you (ms or fs) ִא ְּתך ִא ָּתְִ֑ך with you (ms or fs) ֵ֥ א ְּתך א ֹ֔ ָּתְך you (ms or fs) If a ‘2fs’ pronominal suffix occurs on those 4 words ( ב , ל , את , )את with amajor accent, consider the possibility that it is 2ms.16

17Hebrew Bibles

The Leningrad Codex vs. The Aleppo CodexLeningrad Codex Dated 1008. The oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible Reprinted with critical notes as BHS and BHQ (see next slide) Used in most Bible software as ‘the Hebrew Bible’Aleppo Codex 10th century (so older than Leningrad Codex) Most authoritative extant manuscript of the Hebrew Bible About ¼ of it was lost in anti-Jewish riot of 1948 Almost all of Pentateuch is lost Basis for the in-progress Hebrew University Bible (where extant)18

BHS and BHQBHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia The old standard edition of the Hebrew Bible used by pastors and scholars. The text of the Leningrad codex is reproduced as is Some very selective, difficult-to-use text-critical notes at the bottom.BHQ Biblia Hebraica Quinta To replace BHS when completed (2020 at the soonest) The text of the Leningrad codex is reproduced as is More thorough and readable text critical notes Explanations of the masoretic notes19

Book Order for BHS Tanakh תַ ַנ”ְך תֹורה ָּTorah Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy נְּ ִבי ִאים Prophets Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the 12 The 12 Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nathum, Habakkuk,Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. תּובים ִ ְּכ Writings Psalms, Job, Proverbs Ruth, Song of Songs, Qohelet, Lamentations, Esther Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles.20

21Masoretic Notes

Three Kinds of Masoretic Notes22Masora Parva Small Masora Short notes in the outside margin of the pageMasora Magna Large Masora Usually a list of the other occurrences of a word. BHS: Arabic numbers in the margin point to other numbers at the bottom ofthe page, which are the index to the full note in a separate book. BHQ: Full note given in unpointed Aramaic. Commentary explains the notes.Masoretic notes at the end of each book Usually states the number of verses in the book. Sometimes gives additional information of that sort.

Reading the Small MasoraCircle over a word Note on that word E.g., ַ ָֽבמַ חֲֲ֯ זֶ ִׁ֖ה in Genesis 15:1Circle between words Note on the phrase E.g., אַ ַחָ֣ר ׀ֲ֯ הַ ְּדבָּ ִ ָ֣רים ֲ֯ הָּ ֵָ֗אלֶ ה in Genesis 15:1Go to the outside margin to find the note Notes are in heavily abbreviated Aramaic. BHQ translates and discusses the notes.Multiple notes on a line are separated with . Ordered right to left23

2 Useful Notes in the Small Masora ָ֗ל there are no other occurences of this spelling E.g., ַ ָֽבמַ חֲֲ֯ זֶ ִׁ֖ה in Genesis 15:1 Either a very rare word or a misspelling. The Leningrad Codex may have a ‘typo’ in this word ָ֗ק Qere Don’t read the consonants in the text. Read the vowels in the textwith the consonants above ָ֗ק in the marginal note.24

Understanding Ketiv-QereKetiv ( ְּכ ִתיב Aramaic) ‘[what is] written’ The consonants in the text Don’t read them. They do NOT go with the vowels.Qere ( ְּק ֵרי Aramaic) ‘[what is] read’ The consonants in the margin. Read them with the vowels in the text Text יבָּ אּו vowels ּ ָּ ּו Qere consonants ובאו Read ּובָּ אּו Usually correcting spelling, but sometimes changes parsing!Perpetual Qere So common that there is no circle or note E.g., אֲדנָּי יְּ הוָּה 25

26 What to Read Practice Reading Ketiv-Qere Qere ִלגְּ אָּ ל וְּ י ַָּר ְָּ֣ד ְּת מודע יעש לגאל וירדת Nothing וְּ ֵ ָֽא ְּדעָּ ה ֹלתִ֛יִ ְך ִׂש ְּמ ַ אֵ ַלִׁ֖י ְּממּוכָּ ן ואדעה שמלתיך אלי ממוכן מֹודָ֣ע ַ יַ ָ֣עַ ׂש Ketib מי ַדָ֣ע יַ ָ֣עַ ׂשה ִלגְּ אָּ ול וְּ י ַָּר ְָּ֣ד ְּתי אם וְּ ֵ ָֽא ְּדעָּ ֹלתֵַּ֧ ְך ִׂש ְּמ ַ ֵ֥ ֵ ַ ִׁ֖ ְּמומֻ כָּ ן Ruth 2:1 Ruth 1:8 Ruth 4:6 Ruth 3:3 Ruth 3:12 Ruth 4:4 Ruth 3:3 Ruth 3:6 Esther 1:16

27How to Prepare a Passage

What it Means to ‘Prepare a Passage’In Hebrew classes, you will be expected to ‘prepare’ a particular passageThis means that you will come to class able to do the following, with only theHebrew text in front of you: Read it out loud in Hebrew Parse all the verbs TranslateThe following is a suggested method for preparing to do so28

Steps 1&2: Create an Interlinear1. Print the passage 24 point Ezra SIL Triple space Justified both sides2. Write these underneath the text Translate each word Parse each verb Dot each non-Qal parsing Underline non-vocab translations Skip words that you know on sight29

Step 3: Practice Word-by-Word3. Practice word-by-word Pronounce, Parse & Translate Use a 3x5 card to hide yourinterlinear notes Uncover your notesword-by word to check yourselfas you go along30