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 Note-line In the Hebrew scriptures commo 
 
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THE NOTE-LINE 
 
 IN THE 
 
 HEBREW SCRIPTURES 
 
THE NOTE-LINE 
 
 IN THE 
 
 HEBREW SCRIPTURES 
 
 COMMONLY CALLED 
 
 PASEQ, OR PESIQ 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES KENNEDY, D.D. 
 
 ACTING-LIBRARIAN IN NEW COLLEGE, EDINBURGH 
 
 EDINBURGH 
 
 T. & T. CLARK, 38 GEORGE STREET 
 
 1903 
 
 /. \ 
 
 ' '•■'. 
 
 
PRINTED BY 
 MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED, 
 
 FOE 
 
 T, & T. CLARK, EDINBURGH. 
 
 LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, AND CO. LIMITFD. 
 NEW YORK : CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS. 
 
 S^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 (I. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following treatise is the result of a special inquiry 
 subsidiary to more extensive research into the Hebrew 
 Text of the Old Testament. While examining- passages 
 presenting difficulties in the shape of peculiar words, or 
 forms hard to explain, the writer observed that ' Paseq ' 
 was frequently associated with these phenomena. The 
 coincidences were so numerous as to suggest the ques- 
 tion whether the association was intentional, or merely 
 accidental. Careful examination led to the conclusion 
 that the line must have been purposely placed beside 
 these remarkable readings in the Massoretic text. The 
 important clue thus found proved a valuable guide 
 in further investigation. But at every step the field 
 widened, and it then became necessary to form new 
 categories under which different occurrences of ' Paseq ' 
 could fitly be placed. In this way, a survey has been 
 made of the entire Hebrew Scriptures. The conclusions 
 are now placed before students of the Old Testament as 
 a contribution towards a better understanding of certain 
 phenomena presented in the Massoretic text. 
 
vi Preface 
 
 Among recent writers who have already treated of this 
 sign may be mentioned Julius Olshausen (in his Lehr- 
 buch der hebriiischen Sprache, § 43), William Wickes 
 (Treatise on the Accentuation of the Prose Books of the 
 Old Testament, Oxford, 1887, chap, xiv.), E. von Orten- 
 berg (in an essay on ' Paseq und Legarmeh ' in Stade's 
 Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, iSy^, 
 p. 301 if., and in a Programm published in 1887, Ueber 
 die Bedeutung des Paseq filr die Quellenscheidung in den 
 Bilchem des Alien Testaments), F. E. Konig (in his 
 colossal Lehrgebdude der hebrdischen Sprache, part i. p. 
 122, part ii. p. 358; and in special papers contributed to 
 the Zeitschrift filr kirchl. Wissenschaft for 1889, pp. 225 ff. 
 and 281 if.), Felix Perles (Analekten zur Textkritik des 
 Alien Testaments, Munchen, 1895, p. 30), and F. Pratorius 
 (in the Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesell- 
 schaft, 1899, P- 684). None of these writers, however, 
 take quite the same view of the subject as is presented in 
 the following pages. 
 
 The Author's warmest thanks are due to the Publishers 
 for their uniform courtesy in giving effect to his sugges- 
 tions throughout the preparation of this treatise. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1 . General account of the sign 
 
 2. Origin and object of the note-line 
 
 3. Number of insertions in one verse 
 
 4. Early origin of the note-line 
 
 5. Relation of the line to later signs and marks 
 
 (i) The Qeri and the Kethtb 
 
 (2) The Sebtrin 
 
 (3) The vowel-signs . 
 
 (4) The accents 
 Partial summary of results 
 
 6. High antiquity of the note-line 
 
 7. Proper place for its insertion : rules 
 The double note-line 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 10 
 
 13 
 14 
 •5 
 18 
 
 '9 
 22 
 28 
 
 II. CLASSIFICATION OF CASES. 
 
 Conditions under which the line may be inserted — 
 
 (i) With unusual Divine names . . . -34 
 
 (2) Between the same letter repeated in different but 
 
 adjacent words . . . . -37 
 {3) When the same letter is not repeated, though expected 38 
 
 (4) Between two words identical in form . . -39 
 
 (5) Between adjacent words, similar in form . -41 
 
 (6) With conflate readings . . . . -43 
 
 (7) Between similar expressions which are adjacent . 43 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 (8) With superfluities, which may be considered variously 44 
 
 A, As reg"ards their form, superfluities may con- 
 sist of — 
 {a) Single letters . . 44 
 
 (5) Single words . . 45 
 
 (c) Two or more words . . .46 
 
 B> Considered in their origin and character, super- 
 fluities may be — 
 
 (a) Inadvertent repetitions . . .48 
 
 (b) Intentional insertions : these comprise — 
 
 1. Explanatory additions to the text . 49 
 
 2. Synonymous expressions . . 50 
 
 3. Pleonasms ... 50 
 
 4. Conflate readings . . -Si 
 
 5. Sudden transitions to a new subject . 53 
 
 (9) Omissions, which may consist of — 
 
 (a) Single letters . . 54 
 
 (V) Single words . . cc 
 
 (c) Two or more "words . . '57 
 
 (10) Peculiar forms of words : these may be — 
 
 (a) Noteworthy forms of proper names, or foreign 
 
 names ... . . 58 
 
 (J) Rare appellatives . . . . -59 
 
 (c) Unusual grammatical forms . . .60 
 
 (d) Common words with unusual meanings . 60 
 
 (e) Words of doubtful meaning . . 61 
 (/) Unique forms [airaj Xe7(S^epa] . . .62 
 
 (11) Abnormal constructions in grammar . . .64 
 
 (a) Irregularities in the use of the Article . . 64 
 
 (a) Abnormal absence of the Article . . 64 
 
 (/3) Abnormal presence of the Article . 65 
 
 (d) Unusual constructions of nouns . . 66 
 (c) Abnormal arrangement of attributives . . 68 
 {d) Omission of the relative sign . . .68 
 
 (e) Wa:nt of agreement between subject and pre- 
 
 dicate . . . . . .68 
 
 (/) Noteworthy constructions of verbs . 68 
 
 {g) Unusual forms or uses of conjunctions . 70 
 
 (K) Change of construction . . . -71 
 
Contents ix 
 
 (12) Remarkable order of words — 
 
 (a) Words placed in unusual positions, for emphasis 72 
 
 (J) Inadvertent displacements of words , . 73 
 
 (13) Startling^ statements, thus noted as questionable . 75 
 
 (14) Anthropopathic expressions . 77 
 
 (15) Suspected readings . . 78 
 
 (16) Unsolved difficulties ... .90 
 
 III. RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION. 
 
 9. The note-line frequently marks the position of textual diffi- 
 culties . . . . ... . .98 
 
 10. Inexplicable insertions, however, sometimes appear . . 102 
 
 1 1. Want of uniformity in the insertion of the line . 104 
 
 (i) Different manuscripts and printed editions vary . 105 
 
 (2) Parallel passages vary . . . .106 
 
 (3) Usage varies as to the repetition of the line . ,106 
 
 (4) Striking absence of the line, when it might be expected no 
 
 (a) Unmarked irregularities may be of recent origin no 
 
 (b) The mood of the scribe varied . . .112 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 List of Scripture passages in which the line appears . ■ 117 
 
 Index ........ 127 
 
THE 
 
 NOTE-LINE IN BIBLICAL HEBREW 
 
 COMMONLY CALLED 
 
 PASEQ, OR PEStQ. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I. General Account of the Sign. 
 
 The sig-n currently known by the name of Paseq, ^i' or 
 Pesiq, is a perpendicular line, ® occasionally ® inserted 
 between two words ^*^ in the Hebrew text of the Old 
 Testament. There may be two or more points, in the 
 same verse, at which the mark is found ^^\ 
 
 I. The term pDQ signifies 'separating' or 'sepa- 
 rator,' and p'DB means ' separated.' Both are in- 
 appropriate designations applied by later Jews * in 
 
 * The root pD3 does not appear in the Scriptures, but belongs to 
 post-biblical Hebrew. 
 
 I 
 
2 The Note-Line 
 
 ignorance of the origin and true function of the sign, 
 which, though placed between words, was not always 
 intended to mark a separation.* To correct at once 
 the current but false conceptions regarding the use of 
 the sign, it may for the present suffice to direct atten- 
 tion to 2 Kings iS^*, where the line appears after 
 three consecutive words, which certainly present no 
 special necessity for being separated from the word 
 preceding; and to Josh. 8^^ in which the line appears 
 four times, with no distinctively separative force, t 
 
 2. The length of the line varies in accordance with 
 the t^ste of the scribe or editor. In some printed 
 editions, its length equals the height of the conson- 
 ants, as seen in niiT' iDX I nb while in other editions 
 
 ' T : - T ' 
 
 it is short and inconspicuous : thus njn^ "IDN i ns. 
 
 3. On the whole, the sign is not quite common. 
 In an ordinary Hebrew Bible, it may be found only 
 once or twice in some chapters, and not at all in 
 others. Thus, Gen. i (see vv.^- 1"- ^i- ^''- ^^- ^"j exhibits 
 it more frequently than any other chapter in the same 
 book ; in chap. 2, it appears thrice (vv.^- ^i- ^^) ; in 
 chap. 3, it occurs four times (vv.^*- ^^- ^^ twice) ; in 
 chaps. 4. 5, it does not occur at all ; in chap. 7, it 
 appears four times (vv.^- ^^- ^^ twice) ; in chap. 8, it is 
 once found (v.^") ; in chaps, g. 10, it does not appear ; 
 in chap. 11, it is found once (v.*); and so on. A 
 
 * See p. 38. The form p'p$ (passive participle) is specially ob- 
 jectionable ; see Baer's Hehrew Text 6f Genesis, p. 91, footnote. As 
 to the rare conditions under which the line might legitimately be 
 regarded as a separator, see p. 38, footnote. 
 
 t It will afterwards be shown that the distinction usually drawn 
 between ' Paseq ' and ' Legarmeh ' rests on no real difference : see 
 p. 17. 
 
Position in a Verse 3 
 
 full list of the Scripture passages in which it occurs 
 will be given later.* The apparent reasons for its 
 insertion will be fully considered afterwards.! 
 
 Considerable variety obtains between one manu- 
 script and another, and between different printed 
 editions of the Hebrew Bible, regarding the insertion 
 of the note-line. Thus, in Ps. i^, some copies exhibit 
 it after the first X?, while it is absent from others ; in 
 v.^, similarly, it sometimes appears after ''3, but is 
 wanting in other editions ; in Ps. loo^ it is sometimes 
 found after X?1, but in other copies it is absent. The 
 probable reason for such variations will be more fully 
 discussed hereafter, j 
 
 4. The position of the line, as well as its length, 
 distinguishes it from other perpendicular lines used 
 in the Hebrew text. {a) ' Silluq ' is a short per- 
 pendicular line placed under a consonant and after 
 the vowel in the last tone-syllable of every verse in 
 the Hebrew Bible: thus, Gen. i^ ^Nn, v. 2 a:r3n, v.^ 
 '^^^<.§ (V) ' Metheg,' like Silluq, is a short line placed 
 under a consonant and after a vowel, but this in 
 any word within a verse, and there for the purpose 
 of keeping open a secondary syllable which might 
 otherwise be regarded as closed by a following sheva, 
 as in n03n Zech. 0^. 
 
 T : IT -7 
 
 5. In Josh. I, the line appears twice in v.-', and 
 twice in v.^' ; in 8'^ it actually occurs four times. 
 
 (a) The sign is found twice in the following 
 
 verses: — Gen. 3^^, Ex. 34^, Lev. lo^- ", Deut. 8^^ 
 
 * 
 * See Appendix, p. 117. fSee p. 34 fF. % See p. losff. 
 
 § See Kautzsch's edition of Gesenius' Grammar, § 15, 3 1 Intro- 
 duction to Biblical Hebrew, p. 22, footnote. 
 
4 The Note-Line 
 
 16I8, Josh. lis igSi, 1 Sam. 4I8 14^7^ i Kings ao^^, 
 2 Kings 7I, Isa. 6^ 11" 21^ 22^* 24^ 37* 65I8, Jer. 21'' 
 38*, Ezek. 3^7 92 3325 348 3512 388 3917 41I6 4213^ Ps. 
 5!* ioi3 i8i- 7- 50 ig5 32* 4424 66^ 7328 742 89"- 5° 10486 
 106*8 127I 131I 1377 144I, Prov. 3015, Job i" 116 16O 
 2o2D 2713 328 3712 428, Esth. 18, Dan. g^^- 1", Neh. 8^ 
 13I5, I Chron. 20^ 21I2, 2 Chron. 4* 19IO 35^1 etc. 
 etc. See list in the Appendix, p. ii7fF. 
 
 Regarding the ' double note-line ' (in Num. 32^^, 
 Ps. 27I 84*, Jer. 29^2 4426^ Ezek. 33^1 etc.), see later 
 remarks.* 
 
 {b) Passages in which the note-line occurs thrice 
 within the same verse are the following : — Gen. 18^^^ 
 Ex. 20* = Deut. 58, Josh, ig^i, i Sam. 1725 i8i», 
 I Kings 1232, 2 Kings 18", Isa. 662", Ezek. 4821, Ps. 
 lo^* 84* 141*, Prov. 30*, Ezra (fi. In some of these 
 instances, two adjacent pointers may really prove 
 to be a 'double note -line,'* as in 2 Kings 18^*, 
 enclosing 'to Lachish.' 
 
 (c) The line appears four times in Josh. 8^3, 
 I Chron. 27^. 
 
 Additional remarks will afterwards be made on 
 the repeated insertion of the note-line in one and 
 the same verse, t 
 
 2. Origin and Object of the Note-Line. 
 
 This sign was introduced long ago by observant and 
 
 scrupulously careful scribes, who sought to conserve the 
 
 text of the Hebrew Scriptures as correctly as possible. By 
 
 the simple and primitive expedient of inserting this per- 
 
 * P. 28. t P. 8. 
 
Origin and Purpose 5 
 
 pendicLilar line, they desired to call attention to a note- 
 worthy reading, and especially sought thereby to assure 
 the reader that the text as transmitted to him. was what 
 actually lay before them in the earlier manuscript from 
 which they copied — even though this reading might appear 
 strange, or might justly be suspected as due to a slip 
 previously committed in the course of transcription, and 
 thus requiring correction. 
 
 Abundant illustrations will afterwards be given,* 
 but for the present it may suffice to present the 
 following specimens as types of different categories : 
 — Gen. 22^1, where the repetition of the same word 
 (□n-i3S 1 Dn"[3K) is certified ; Deut. 5*, where con- 
 currence of similar forms (C^S? 1 COS) is marked ; 
 Ex. 23!'^, where the form of the Divine name 
 (nin; I lilNH) is noted as unusual ; Ex. 32^, where an 
 abnormal construction (HE'D 1 nt) occurs ; Judg. i^, 
 where a questionable reading is noted (D'^JO ' ^''V??' 
 'seventy kings,' an astonishingly large number, 
 for which we should rather read ' seven kings ') ; 
 I Sam. 25^*, where a superfluous word (^3) is marked ; 
 Ps. 33^^, where the omission of the relative p^i|) is 
 noted. 
 
 It may now be obvious that the line was mainly intended 
 to serve the general purpose of a nota bene addressed to 
 the eye of the reader. The word or words with which it 
 was placed might really form the genuine reading, though 
 peculiar ; or they might be of questionable authority ; or 
 * See p. 34 ff. 
 
6 The Note-Line 
 
 they might even be unintelligible, and thus require cor- 
 rection. But in no way whatsoever did these reverent 
 Hebrew scribes give any expression of their opinion beyond 
 the fact that they deemed the reading remarkable.* Just 
 as we are now accustomed to insert [sic] at a point in a 
 quotation which, with this mark, 'we prefer accurately .to 
 reproduce, and do not venture to correct, though we 
 are convinced that an error exists, — so did these early 
 transcribers simply transmit the very reading which 
 they found in the copy before them, though they had 
 a strong suspicion that it was faulty. Actual criticism 
 and correction of the text, accordingly, did not begin 
 with the insertion of this line ; but its introduction formed 
 an important and valuable preparation for later work 
 by the Massoretes, or mediaeval editors of the present 
 Hebrew text.f This simple and primitive sign, how- 
 ever, rhay now be utilised as a valuable guide in 
 the search for a better Hebrew text than we now 
 possess. J 
 
 Such being the original design and use of this sign, the 
 misleading designation 'Paseq,' applied by later scribes 
 who were ignorant of its origin and purpose, should be 
 discarded in favour of another that is more appropriate 
 and correct. To fix on a neat and fitting substitute is 
 somewhat difficult; but if the mark were re-named the 
 'pointer- line,' or the 'note -line,' or even simply the 
 
 * Contrast the course followed, later, by the Massoretes in sug-- 
 g-estingf what they deemed the correct readUig (see p. 12). 
 t See subsequent remarks at p. 11 ff. 
 J For illustrations, see pp. gff., 78 ff., 98 ff. 
 
Number of Insertions 7 
 
 'pointer,' we should obtain a more correct idea regard- 
 ing' its true character and functions. Accordingly one or 
 another of these more appropriate names will preferenti- 
 ally be used hereafter in this short treatise. 
 
 Obs. — The rarity or complete absence of the sign 
 may sometimes* be regarded as indicating a com- 
 paratively pure text. Thus, in Ps. 31, containing 24 
 verses, the line appears six times ; in Ps. 32, con- 
 sisting of II verses, it occurs four times; in Ps. 33, 
 with 22 verses, once ; and in Ps. 34, consisting of 
 23 verses, it is not found at all ; in Ps. 35, which 
 has 28 verses, it appears five times. Ps. 83, with 
 19 verses, is free from the mark; in Ps. 119, con- 
 taining 176 verses, the line occurs only five times, 
 but in every instance it marks a textual difficulty. 
 
 Though the passages in these Psalms, marked 
 by the line, are by no means all that require 
 emendation, we may at least draw a fairly correct 
 conclusion regarding the relative purity of the text, 
 in each case, from the presence or absence of the 
 sign. 
 
 3. Number of Insertions in one Verse. 
 
 As regards the frequency with which the line may be 
 found in one and the same verse, the following remarks 
 embody the main facts : — 
 
 {a) It is only to be expected that the pointer should be 
 placed beside a single noteworthy reading in a verse. 
 * Not always ; see subsequent remarks at p. 105 ff. 
 
8 The Note-Line 
 
 Thus, in Gen. 15^^ "lil is marked as abnormal, for 
 we should expect this form, with its accompanying 
 verb, to be in the plural rather than in the singular ; 
 in Gen. 19^^ nononsi is noted as a remarkable form, 
 for which i^on»l should perhaps be substituted ; in 
 Gen. 21I* "Ip33 is marked as really superfluous; and 
 so on. 
 
 (b) When mo7'e than one remarkable reading occurs, 
 the sign should naturally appear with each. This is 
 actually the case in the following passages, which present 
 two peculiarities : — 
 
 Lev. 10^ exhibits a double change of construction, 
 first, in the expression of the 'datives' ('to Aaron, 
 and to Eleazar and Ithamar '), and then in the pro- 
 hibitive particles (from ?K to ^7) ; in 10® attention is 
 first called to the singular instead of the plural form 
 of the verb ('drink ye not'), which we should rather 
 expect, and then to the copulative 1 instead of the 
 separative ix. In Josh. 20^ we are invited first to 
 note yO''^ and then 31{J'^, which, though similar in 
 form, are carefully to be distinguished. In 2 Sam. 19' 
 attention is directed to two expressions remarkably 
 similar ('for thou hast declared this day that . . .' 
 and 'for I know this day that . . .'), found in close 
 proximity. See also Ps. 19^, Isa. ii^i, 2 Kings 19*, 
 and list in the Appendix, p. ii7ff. 
 
 So also the line sometimes appears three times in a few 
 verses, which contain as many peculiarities.* 
 
 (c) On the other hand, even with a plurality of remark- 
 able readings in one and the same verse, the notating 
 
 * See the list on p. 14. 
 
Rules for its Insertion 9 
 
 scribes frequently contented themselves with inserting a 
 single line. This was placed — 
 
 Either (i) absolutely at the beginning,* as a general 
 forewarning to expect strange readings further on ; t 
 
 Or (2) merely with the first of several instances, the 
 later being deemed easily discernible by intelligent readers. 
 
 An excellent illustration is Ps. lo^, showing the 
 line at the opening word, 33'';, which must be cor- 
 rected into IK'^ ; but this is merely the first of several 
 emendations required. Similarly, the line near the 
 beginning of Ps. 22^'^ merely marks the first of 
 several alterations necessary before a satisfactory 
 meaning can be educed. J: Ps. 56'' affords another 
 example ; Nah. i^^ similarly presents difficulties at 
 nearly every step. See also Zech. 8^'^. 
 
 {d) Of the cases in which two lines appear in the same 
 verse, the first, placed near the beginning, sometimes 
 proves to be merely premonitory to the second, which 
 more precisely marks the point on which attention is to 
 be fixed. 
 
 Thus, in Gen. 3^^, the first pointer, placed imme- 
 diately after the opening word in the verse, merely 
 anticipates the second, whose specific function is to 
 note the obvious anacolouthon, — for, after the intro- 
 ductory ' lest,' we certainly expect the expression 
 of a resolve. But the conclusion is wanting. 
 
 * After the first word, or combination of words, as will be explained 
 hereafter : see p. 22. 
 
 t See illustrations on p. 2S.(Section 4). 
 
 J See the critical commentaries on these passages. 
 
lo The Note-Line 
 
 Again, in Deut. 16^^, the first pointer seems need- 
 less, except as a preparation for the second, which 
 calls attention to the anthropopathic expression, 
 'to appear before the Lord.'* 
 
 4. Early Origin of the Note-Line. 
 
 It is of the utmost importance to bear in mind that 
 (he ' note-line ' really dates far hack in the history of the 
 Old Testament text,\ where it has long stood as probably 
 the only mark superadded, at an early stage, to the 
 original Scriptures in their purely consonantal form. 
 Accordingly, this simple and most convenient sign must 
 carefully be distinguished from the marks forming the 
 elaborate ' Massoretic system,' ^^^ which were added much 
 later, ("^ being merely superinduced on the then existing 
 text, in which the ' note-line ' had long previously found 
 a place. Unfortunately, however, the origin of this 
 mark had already become so thickly veiled in the mists 
 of antiquity, and its real purpose so completely misunder- 
 stood, that later editors, — even before the days of the 
 Massoretes, — failing to perceive its proper place and 
 function, gave it an inappropriate and positively mis- 
 leading name ('Paseq,' or 'Pesiq').J Moreover, those 
 who afterwards invented and applied the ' accents ' merely 
 increased the confusion, by taking account of the line, 
 
 * Further remarks regarding the repeated insertion of the pointer 
 in the same verse will be made at a later stage : see p. 106 ff. 
 
 t Fuller remarks on the high antiquity of the pointer will be made, 
 more appropriately, at a later stage : see p. 19. 
 
 J See the remarks already made on p. i. 
 
Relation to Massoretic System i i 
 
 wherever it occurred, as if it were a factor to be con- 
 sidered in applying their system of signs.* 
 
 (i) By the ' Massoretic system' proper, we mean 
 the following : — 
 
 (a) The frequent marginal note commonly called 
 ' QSri ' (see p. 12). 
 
 (b) The 'vowel-points,' with which we associate 
 kindred marks, all latterly invented and applied for 
 guiding readers to the correct pronunciation of the 
 sacred text.f 
 
 (c) The accents. I Among accents, however, we 
 must not include the note-line, though ' Paseq ' is 
 still too frequently regarded as belonging to the 
 accentual system. For, in fact, the Massoretes were 
 not the first to invent and insert this sign, nor did 
 they give it the name by which it has long been 
 currently known. T/iey found it already existing 
 in the text that had been handed down to them, 
 and bearing the appellation by which they were 
 themselves misled ; and they have, unfortunately, 
 but confirmed the delusion for later readers. View- 
 ing ' Paseq ' as if it were really a mark occasionally 
 inserted to separate words in a sentence, they adapted 
 their accentual arrangements in accordance with this 
 erroneous idea, as they deemed best in every passage 
 where it occurred. § 
 
 (2) The origin and completion of the ' Massoretic 
 system ' must be assigned to an uncertain period in 
 
 * Strangely, Wickes regards ' Paseq ' as a comparatively late 
 addition, introduced after the accents had been applied lo the original 
 text ('Treatise on the Prose Accents,' p. 127). 
 
 t See p. 14. % See p. 15- § See below, p. 17. 
 
12 The Note- Line 
 
 the Dark Ages, somewhere between the seventh 
 century and the tenth century of the Christian era. 
 To Jerome, who lived in the fifth century, vowel- 
 points and accents were quite unknown ; but when 
 we reach the tenth century, these superadded signs 
 are already in common use. 
 
 5. Relation of the Line to later Signs 
 AND Marks. 
 
 The relation of the ' note-line ' to the Massoretic marks, 
 properly so called, will be better understood on comparing 
 its true function with the different purposes for which 
 other signs, included in the later system, were introduced. 
 We shall consider — 
 
 (i) The 'Kethib' and the 'Qeri.' The marginal note 
 known as the Qeri ('ir?, i.e. 'read'*) indicates what the 
 later Jewish scribes or editors confidently proposed to 
 substitute, instead of the Kethib (^''ns, i.e. written), which 
 they thereby marked as a faulty reading in the consonants 
 of the traditional text. 
 
 Thus, in Ps. 100^, and Ezra 4^, for the Kethib N'pi 
 ('and not'), the Qeri is the similarly sounded 171 
 (' and to him ') ; see also Isa. 9^. In Jer. i']^^, for the 
 obviously incorrect DV, the Qeri is Dl'n ('the people '); 
 in Ezek. 14*, for the erroneous Kethib n3, the simi- 
 larly sounded N2 must be read. 
 
 Note. — One of the strongest supports of the posi- 
 
 * Kautzsch is probably right in contending that this form is ratlier 
 tlie imperative 'li? than the passive participle. 
 
Relation to Massoretic Marks 13 
 
 tion that the pointer-line was really designed to call 
 special attention to noteworthy or suspected read- 
 ings, but that this design was afterwards forgotten, 
 though the line itself was still inserted in the text 
 by faithful copyists, is presented in the fact that 
 we occasionally find both the ancient pointer and a 
 later ' Qerl ' note at the same suspected spot. 
 Thus, in Ps. g^^, both the line and the marginal note 
 call attention to the abnormal form iTjiO, which 
 should be Siio. In Ps. 10^, both marks are attached 
 to \ST\, which should be I'^'^l.. In Prov. i^'^, simi- 
 larly, niNB'3 is marked by both signs, and must be 
 corrected into nNWa. In i Sam. 2^^, the reading 
 in the received text is iP 1 10S1, but the marginal 
 Qeri gives vb for y? ; most probably, however, we 
 should rather read ^ i? lOXI (' then he used to say 
 to him. No!'). See also Deut. 28^^ 2 Sam. 141", 
 Ps. 55^^ 84* 100^ (in most editions), Isa. 63^, Prov. 
 328 2710, Job 38', Ezra 4^, Neh. 2>^, Esth. i=- 6. 
 
 Obviously, if the Massoretes had really under- 
 stood the reason for the presence of the line in 
 the text, they would have felt that there was no 
 need for adding their co-incident Qert. 
 
 (2) The 'Sebirin' (P.''3D, i.e. jw^/wefi? [correct readings]). 
 The comparatively few cases thus designated are, like the 
 Qeri, suggestions of better readings than those still left 
 in the text uncorrected by those editors who, more con- 
 fidently, provided us with the notes known as the 'Qeri.' 
 The latter have commonly been regarded as more valu- 
 able and important. But there does not appear to be 
 any good reason for making such a distinction. The 
 
14 The Note-Line 
 
 SeWrtn are, rather, supplementary corrections of the text 
 derived from other schools of Massoretes — especially 
 the Eastern or Babylonian — than those that gave us the 
 'QerJ.' In fact, some MSS. shovk^ that ' Sebir ' and 
 ' Qerl ' are used interchangeably.* 
 
 Instances of SebMn are found in Num. 32^^ and i Sam. 
 16*, where, instead of 1?n'*5, it is reasonably suggested 
 that the plural form 1^pN»1 is more correct ; and in i Sam. 
 igi", where, instead of i<in n7?3, we should read n?l?3 
 Kinn. Other cases are found in Ex. 25^^ 26^1 etc. See 
 also Num. 33^, Deut. 4^^- *^, Jer. 5^. 
 
 Note.—'L\k& some cases of Qerl,t the Sebirin 
 occasionally attest the higher antiquity of the Note- 
 line ; for the latter is sometimes found with the 
 mark indicating Sebtr, obviously because the reason 
 for inserting the pointer had long been forgotten. 
 Thus, in Gen. 32^^, the defective reading Kin np'pa, 
 introduced by the premonitory line, is further marked 
 as one of the Sebirtn, and the correct reading ex- 
 pressly given as Xinn nrpa. 
 
 (3) Vowel-marks, and kindred aids to pronunciation. — 
 The ancient Hebrew, as written, was purely a language 
 of consonants. In reading or speaking, however, the re- 
 quired vowels had to be supplied, in order to make out 
 the exact sense, which could generally be perceived with 
 ease, on considering the context. J; So long as the 
 
 * See C. D. Ginsburg's learned Introduction to the Massoretico- 
 critical edition of the Hebrew Bible, p. 187 ff. 
 + See above, p. 12, Note. 
 J The same holds true of the later or Rabbinical Hebrew. 
 
Relation to the Accents 15 
 
 language continued to be spoken, no pressing necessity 
 was felt for visibly representing the proper vowels which 
 had to be supplied. But when the Hebrew was threaten- 
 ing, in the early Christian centuries, to become a dead 
 language, means were adopted for preserving the tradi- 
 tional pronunciation of every word and letter in the Sacred 
 text, by attaching to the consonants certain signs repre- 
 senting the proper sounds. 
 
 With the vowel-signs we here class other helps to 
 pronunciation likewise devised and appHed to the con- 
 sonants for determining the quality of sound in certain 
 letters. These additional marks are ' Dagesh ' and 
 'Mapplq,' which require the hard sound of the letters 
 in which they are placed; and 'Raph6,' which de- 
 mands the soft sound of the consonant over which it 
 appears. 
 
 Note. — As these pronunciation - signs are closely 
 attached to the consonants which they affect, and 
 were placed there long after the pointer had been 
 introduced into the text, — where it is placed outside 
 words (though between them), and for another pur- 
 pose than to indicate pronunciation, — the note-line 
 cannot be put in the same category with these vowel- 
 marks. 
 
 (4) The Accents. — Speaking generally, the system of 
 ' accents ' was invented and applied to the Hebrew text 
 (a) to show the logical or syntactical relation, intimate 
 or remote, deemed to subsist among the different words 
 in a verse. But these signs frequently also (6) mark 
 
1 6 The Note-Line 
 
 the ione-syllahle * in each word, or group of words, in a 
 verse. It is further affirmed by some (c) that the accents 
 were likewise intended to be guides for musical inflection 
 of the voice in reading the Scriptures ; if this be true, it 
 must be confessed that their value in this respect is now 
 practically very small. Only with the first of the positions 
 just indicated have we special concern at present. 
 
 Most unfortunately, 'Paseq' has somehow come to be 
 erroneously regarded by many as one of the accents, and 
 thus frequently to be classed with them. In accordance 
 with this assumption, syntactical functions have been 
 baselessly ascribed to the sign. That it really has no 
 place among them, hovvever, will become evident after 
 considering the following facts. 
 
 («) It is noteworthy that whereas the true accents are 
 placed either above or below the consonants, ' Paseq ' is 
 unique in taking its place between words, and thus standing 
 in the same line with the consonants. This difference of 
 position surely indicates a difference oi purpose. 
 
 See any Instance of its occurrence, as in Gen. 
 
 J 6. 10. 21. 29. 30 2^- 21- 22 ol4. 16. 22 g^(,_ 
 
 [b) ' Paseq ' never has been and never can be proved, 
 even by those who claim for it a place within the accentual 
 system, to possess independent force as an ' accent.' Its 
 
 ■* Certain of the accents, however, are uniformly attached to 'Cae. first 
 letter of a word (and are accordingly called ' prepositive '), even though 
 the tone falls at a later point ; others are invariably placed on the last 
 consonant (and are thus called 'postpositive'), though the tone may 
 fall earlier. 
 
Relation to the Accents 17 
 
 most strenuous advocates are forced to acknowledge that, 
 even according to their own account, it is always combined 
 with one of the accents proper, from which it derives sup- 
 port. 
 
 For instance, in the ordinary ('prose') books of 
 the Hebrew Scriptures, when preceded by the sub- 
 linear ' conjunctive ' accent Munach (thus i -:-), and 
 immediately followed by the ' great distinctive ' accent 
 Rebhia (-^), the compound is currently known as 
 ' Legarmeh ' ; see Gen. 3^^ ly'^* 19" etc. The same 
 combination of Munach with ' Paseq ' (viz. 1 -r), if 
 immediately followed by any other accent than 
 Rebhia, is simply called ' Munach-Paseq ' ; see Gen. 
 ^21 jjio i82i igW (double instance), etc. Less common 
 collocations are ' Merka-Paseq ' ( 1 -;-) found in Gen. 
 30^^^, ' Darga-Paseq ' ( 1 -;-) which occurs in Gen. 30^ 
 etc. All such distinctions have merely an artificial 
 or theoretical basis, inasmuch as the real origin and 
 purpose of ' Paseq ' have been misconceived. 
 
 Moreover, when ' Paseq ' happens to be omitted * 
 in certain MSS. or printed editions of the Hebrew 
 Scriptures, no practical inconvenience results from 
 the accent becoming simple Munach, Merka, etc. 
 
 It is further to be noted that, considering the proper 
 meaning of ' Paseq ' (viz. ' separating ') and its alleged 
 function, all such combinations of this sign with a con- 
 junctive accent are self-contradictory. The resultant of 
 such (supposed) opposing forces (z'.e. separative and con- 
 nective) might safely be regarded as an equilibrium. 
 
 (c) Finding ' Paseq ' practically incapable of being 
 * See the remarks at pp. 3 and 105 ff. 
 
1 8 The Note- Line 
 
 legitimately assigned to a fitting place among the accents, 
 some writers on the subject relegate the treatment of this 
 sign to an appendix in which its irreducible character is 
 acknowledged. Such is the course pursued by Dr. W. 
 Wickes in his learned and laborious treatise on the Prose 
 Accents.* When even the Massoretes, in superadding 
 the accents to the Sacred text, took into account the 
 presence of ' Paseq,' which they alread}' found there, and 
 modified their arrangements accordingly, it is not surpris- 
 ing that later scholars have continued to show similar 
 deference. 
 
 The views of Wickes regarding the origin and 
 purpose of the line are thus presented by himself: — 
 ' After the verse had been arranged musically, ac- 
 cording to the rules . . . two or more words might 
 be left joined by the accents, which it might never- 
 theless seem desirable, for the sake of effect in the 
 reading, to separate by a slight pause. The sign 
 Paseq . . . was placed between the words for this 
 purpose. The meaning of the term (" cutting off," 
 " separating ") indicates its function. This sign had 
 no proper musical value, and was therefore not 
 numbered among the accents.' f 
 
 Partial Summary of Results. 
 
 From what has been already stated, it will be obvious 
 that ordinary readers of a modern Hebrew Bible have 
 
 * P. 121. 
 
 + Treatise on the Prose Books of the Old Testament, p. 120. 
 
Antiquity of the Sign 19 
 
 before them, on the printed page, what is really a series of 
 different strata, deposited at various stages in history, — the 
 later being superimposed on the earlier. Though the 
 whole has now assumed a semblance of unity, the suc- 
 cessive layers are really distinct, and still separable by 
 intelligent observers. For our present purpose, it is 
 essential that we should place and retain clearly before 
 our mental vision only the following : — 
 
 1. The Hebrew consonants, which form the primary 
 portion of the sacred writings. 
 
 2. The note-line, which formed the first addition made 
 to the original text. 
 
 All later additions — the vowel-signs (except as helps in 
 fixing the exact reading of words), the accents, and such 
 marginal notes as the ' Qeri ' and ' Sebirin ' — must be 
 practically excluded from thought during our investiga- 
 tions. 
 
 6. Antiquity of the Note-Line. 
 
 The early origin of this mark is evidenced in various 
 ways. 
 
 (i) The very simplicity of the sign seems to prove its 
 ancient date. A mere line is certainly the most primitive 
 mark that could well be conceived. On the other hand, 
 complex marks, and an elaborate system of these, such as 
 are presented in the accents especially, are obviously the 
 product of later times ; the straight and simple line had 
 already been applied to serve a primary purpose. The 
 simplest, as a rule, comes first. 
 
20 The Note-Line 
 
 (2) The fact that many palpable difficulties in the text 
 are now wholly unmarked, suggests the thought that a 
 large proportion of these difficulties originated after — 
 perhaps long after — the line had been fixed on as a sign, 
 and inserted at points where earlier slips had been already 
 detected and noted. Fcir, had those (presumably) later 
 ones actually existed when the line was first used, these 
 also would surely have been marked by the primitive 
 sign. 
 
 For instance, Prov. 13 and 14 now contain a con- 
 siderable number of textual difficulties, not one of 
 which is marked ; yet the line notes others elsewhere 
 in the same book, as in chaps. 6. 8. 24, etc. 
 
 (3) The frequent coincidence of the note-line with a 
 marginal correction in the form of a ' Qeri,' * shows that 
 the pointer which earlier scribes had already inserted had 
 really no significance for their followers in later days. To 
 these, it was a meaningless mark, but not a sign. 
 
 (4) Many readings already -marked by the line as ques- 
 tionable or unintelligible are conjirmed by the testimony 
 of the Septuagint and other ancient Versions as already 
 existent when these translations were made. A few 
 illustrations will make this plain. 
 
 In Ps. 22!", the line is inserted to mark ''Hb (' my 
 
 strength ') as a questionable reading ; nevertheless, 
 
 the Septuagint (r) Icyv'i /xou) confirms this. But 
 
 Olshausen, Ewald, and others reasonably maintain 
 
 * See remarks already made at p. 13. 
 
Antiquity of the Sign 21 
 
 that the genuine reading is ''SH (' my palate '), which 
 accords with the preceding parallel ' my tongue.' 
 
 In Josh. 6^^, the first word in the expression 
 fjpa I 72] (' and all silver '), which is noted by the 
 line as questionable, ought rather to be v31 (' and 
 vessels of), as shown by the succeeding context. 
 But the Septuagint translator, by his rendering [irav 
 apryvpiov), shows that the questioned reading was 
 already in the Hebrew copy from which he made his 
 Version. 
 
 In Ps. 18^, for the last word — noted by the line — ■ 
 in the anthropopathic expression iSX3 1 jK'V iVV, we 
 should probably read, in accordance with the parallel 
 clause following (' and fire from his mouth devoured ') 
 Vaxo ('out of his nostrils') ; but the Septuagint [ave^T] 
 Kairvo^ ev opyfj airov) confirms the Massoretic text. 
 
 In Ps. 59^, the pointer marks the first Word nan as 
 at least questionable ; but the Septuagint {IBov) 
 confirms the reading, which nevertheless should be 
 corrected into nan (' they '). This term thus presents 
 the required antithesis to nriKl (' but thou ') following. 
 
 In Ps. 125^, the second occurrence of ' the right- 
 eous ' seems reasonably marked as superfluous ; yet 
 the Septuagint attests its presence in the Hebrew 
 text when this translation was made. 
 
 Note. — It seems impossible to determine the pre- 
 Christian century during which the note-line was 
 introduced. But the insertion must have commenced 
 after the origin of ' final ' forms in certain letters of 
 the Hebrew alphabet ; for, in Neh. 2^^ »n (for Dn) is 
 marked as abnormal, both by the line and in the 
 
2 2 The Note-Line 
 
 marginal Qen.* Similarly, 30 (for (tp) is doubly 
 noted in Job 38^ 40^. 
 
 7. Proper Place for the Insertion of the Pointer. 
 
 When we come to investigate the principles according 
 to which the ancient scribes seem to have inserted the 
 note-line, it is only to be expected that the most natural 
 and fitting place should be, as nearly as possible, the precise 
 point "where the peculiarity occurs. This actually is the 
 general rule, but there are exceptions which cannot all be 
 accounted for. The following observations present the 
 main facts regarding the insertion of the line : — 
 
 (i) The pointer always lies within the series of words 
 forming a verse, i.e. it never precedes the first word, or 
 follows the last. 
 
 The very earliest stage at which the sign can be intro- 
 duced is immediately after the first word in a verse, or 
 section of a verse (see Gen. 15^ 23^'', Ps. 55^^ 59^ 96^ 118^^ 
 etc. etc.) ; and the very latest point of insertion is im- 
 mediately before the last word (see Ps. 10^ 58'^ 89^^ etc.). 
 
 (2) Apart from the ruling principle just enunciated, the 
 line should immediately precede the point to which the 
 scribe desired to call the reader's attention. 
 
 Among abundant illustrations may be cited Amos 
 i'^, where attention is called to the shortened form 
 n*W there used instead of the full form IH'W in Isa. 
 i^ and elsewhere ; Hos. 13^, where, instead of the 
 future ^iBDV, we should rather probably read the 
 * See remarks on p. 13, 
 
Place of Insertion 23 
 
 perfect ISp^ ; Gen. 3^^, where the more rare and 
 poetic form JT'B'S is found, instead of the more com- 
 mon prose form 0'''^^ ; Num. 1 1^^, where Di'' is noted 
 as really superfluous ; Isa. 63^^, where attention is 
 called to the abnormal form obvip^, a participle having 
 both the article prefixed and a pronominal fragtnent 
 affixed ; Isa. 37^*, where the line notes the unexpected 
 occurrence of the Divine name ''J^X instead of nin^ or 
 °'''!'^^. ; Isa. 63^, where, instead of the last word m 
 the expression ^53 ' '"'.PPi we expect N3n, but the 
 article has been omitted after the preceding n in the 
 demonstrative. See also Ps. 96^^, where a needless 
 repetition of N3 ''3 is marked ; Jer. i^", where ' this 
 day ' is superfluous ; i Sam. 10^^, where there is an 
 unnecessary insertion of the words ' to the children 
 of Israel.' 
 
 (3) A corollary derived from the two leading principles 
 already stated is, — that whenever the noteworthy form 
 happens to be the ^rsi word in the whole verse, or even 
 the first word in a later clause of the verse, the line does 
 not precede, but follows the form. 
 
 (a) We shall first cite instances in which a single 
 word, beginning a sentence or main clause, is 
 marked by the line placed a/ler it. 
 
 In Ex. 9^*, attention is called to the opening 
 word ''3, instead of which we should doubtless read 
 •^b (' If), as obviously required by the following 
 correlative nriy ''3 (introducing the apodosis of a 
 pure hypothesis) in v.^^ ; in Ex. 16^^, the line after 
 UB", which begins the second half of the verse, 
 shows that the word should rather be innB" (' rest 
 
24 The Note-Line 
 
 ye ') ; in Judg. 16^, the line after the first word Q'nvh 
 (' to the Gazites ') notes the need, in front, of some 
 such word as 13*1 (' And it was told ') ; in Ps. lo^, 
 the line after 'itJ'iini''., which begins the second half of 
 the verse, notes the change of form from the singular 
 to the plural ; in Ps. 96^ and in Jer. 4^2, the pointer, 
 following the first word ''3, marks this as superfluous ; 
 in Ezek. 13", the perfect n'^n, beginning the second 
 part of the verse, and marked by the line following, 
 is noted as an error for the future i^^y^\ ; in 2 Chron. 
 23!", the pointer after C'XI, which is the first word 
 in the second clause, indicates that the correct read- 
 ing is simply »"« ; in Ps. 45^, the mark after the 
 opening word TTl'^l has been inserted to note this 
 form as a superfluous repetition from the end of the 
 preceding verse ; in Ps. 65®, the line after the first 
 word nixnii questions the correctness of this form, 
 for which we should perhaps rather read nnx Knij 
 ('Dreadful [art] thou'). 
 
 See also Ex. 12'^^-'^^, Isa. 18^, Jer. 50^*. 
 
 {b) Similarly, when a whole clause is intended to 
 be marked as noteworthy or doubtful, the line is 
 placed after the first word, or series of words. For 
 instance, in the familiar formula, ' Thus saith Je- 
 hovah,' the entire expression may be marked, as at 
 least superfluous, by a line inserted after the initial 
 word (nin'_ IDN 1 na). Examples occur in Nah. i^^ 
 (the only passage in this book where the formula is 
 found), 2 Kings 3^^, Jer. 2^ 9^^ 10^ 17^ and frequently 
 elsewhere. In all these instances the expression 
 may be omitted without injury to the context.* See 
 * See a fuller discussion on this expression, at p. 48. 
 
Place of Insertion 25 
 
 2 Sam. 19'' for iwo remarkably similar expressions, 
 both noted by the line after the first word in each. 
 
 (4) Sometimes, however, the pointer-line is inserted, not 
 immediately before a peculiarity or peculiarities occurring 
 in the middle or at the end of a verse, but, by way of 
 premonition, either («) after the first word in the clause 
 containing the peculiarity, or even [b) at the beginning of 
 the verse, though the difficulty may be at the end. In 
 such cases, the line merely gives a general warning to 
 look for peculiarities or difficulties further on. 
 
 See Prov. g', where the line, though inserted after 
 the first word in the verse, really points to the last 
 word, iDID, for which DiKD (' contempt ') should be 
 read. In Ps. 68^, the line inserted after the first 
 word merely prepares the mind of the reader for 
 several difficulties further on (for iVd, read I'l!^; for 
 nia-iya, read niava; and for the second iOB', read 
 
 t-:t ' TT ' : ' 
 
 IDDE'). In Ps. 135*, the line at the beginning points 
 onward to ''33in3, for which ^ina is the better read- 
 ing. Ps. 1468 begins thus : O'llV ni^B 1 njn^ ; the 
 difficulty, however, is not at the commencement, 
 where the pointer appears, but after the second 
 word, where ^iy, has been inadvertently omitted in 
 transcription, in consequence of its resemblance to 
 the succeeding word : we must thus render the first 
 part of the sentence, 'Jehovah opens [the eyes of] 
 the blind.' Similarly, though the next verse (v.^) 
 of the same Psalm begins with the words ipB' 1 nirT; 
 D''")J"nK, the pointer should really be inserted later, 
 before "DK, whose occurrence there is anomalous. 
 
26 The Note-Line 
 
 particalarly when we consider its absence from other 
 accusatives which follow. In Ex. 2&, and again in 
 V.8, the note-line, though inserted at the beginning, 
 should have been placed further on, to show pre- 
 cisely where a remarkable dislocation is made be- 
 tween the construct 3nhl and its genitive "H^n nj;''"!*n, 
 through the abnormal interjection of nBX3 VI^X. In 
 Ex. 29^', similarly, the line is prematurely inserted 
 before ' the breast of the wave-offering,' instead of 
 after this, where we ought to find the wrongly de- 
 ferred relative clause ' which is waved.' In Ps. \<f, 
 we read DJi^ ^<^^ ' fl^C"??? ; the line is really designed 
 to call attention to the last of these words, before 
 which it would have been more conveniently placed, 
 and instead of which we should read (as shown by 
 the Septuagint rendering, 6 ^^0770? avTOiv) D?ip 
 (' their voice '). In Job 24, the line appears in no 
 fewer than eight verses (w.^^- 1^- i3. u. 17. is. 20. 24)^ ^11 
 with the sign near the beginning, though the diffi- 
 culties are found later on. In Ps. 66'^, the line near 
 the beginning prepares us for textual difficulties 
 towards the end of the verse, where, for linV!!, we 
 should read =i3n3y, and for nriD^j put lilOKO, so that 
 the correct rendering runs thus : ' He turned sea 
 into dry land ; through the flood we passed on foot ; 
 there were we preserved by him.' In Ps. 94^*, the 
 pointer near the beginning prepares us for the 
 strange repetition of Dn''pv* near the end. In Ps. 
 81^^, the sign prepares us for the later appearance 
 of the unusual form vVI'l' in which both the article 
 and a pronominal suffix are attached to a participle. 
 In Ps. 109^^, the early insertion of the line leads us 
 
Place of Insertion 27 
 
 to conclude that there has been an omission of ipn, 
 which the imperative HB'jf seems to require as its 
 fitting object ; similarly, in v.^^, the pointer at the 
 beginning forewarns us that QH? appears instead of 
 Dn DJ?^. Isa. 54^ exhibits the pointer at the begin- 
 ning of the verse, but the difficulty is really in the 
 middle, where, for its^, we must restore ''tsn as the 
 correct reading (following the Septuagint and other 
 Versions). In Neh. 3^* [4^ in English], though the 
 pointer follows the first "''?''''!!, at the beginning of 
 the verse, it really calls attention to the second, 
 which forms a needless repetition. In Gen. 48^, the 
 line anticipatively prepares us for the omission, later, 
 of ' Aram ' after ' from Padan,' as attested by the 
 Septuagint, Samaritan, and Syriac. In Neh. 13^^, 
 the pointer after the opening word forewarns us of 
 the omission, at a later stage, of the relative ' who.' 
 In Ps. 20^, the line after the opening word really 
 points onwards to P3"!J, for which we must read 
 P'JJ (' we shall exult '), as required by the parallelism. 
 In Ps. 80^, the line near the beginning really calls 
 attention to the omission, later (in the middle of the 
 verse, after the words ' thou that leadest Joseph 
 like a flock '), of another imperative such as ' hear ! ' 
 In Zech. i®, the line after the initial word points to 
 the substitution, at a later stage, of irfe'n for n'^n 
 (' they restrained '). 
 
 See also Lev. ii^^^ Jer. iii^ 30I8, Zech. 8". 
 
 JVo^e. — Comparatively rare are cases in which 
 peculiarities at the end of a verse are marked by 
 the line placed there; but see Ps. 5^ 10^ 401" 'jz'^^, 
 
28 The Note-Line 
 
 I Chron. 29", 2 Chron. 12^, Jer. ii^ 230 33^; 2 Kings 
 3!^ etc. 
 (S) Special consideration is claimed for instances — 
 which are now, however, comparatively rare — of the 
 double note-line, or, to speak more correctly, the pair 
 of note-lines enclosing- the noteworthy form between 
 them.* Possibly, this repetition of the line (after as 
 well as before the form noted) may really exhibit the 
 original mode in which peculiarities were marked. If 
 this be so, then the single line — usually the first,! but 
 sometimes % the second; — has come to be regarded as 
 sufficient, and the other has been dropped, as superfluous, 
 especially when single words are noted as remarkable. 
 
 Compare the full marking as found in Ezek. 33^^ 
 ^i'"",' 'r^ ' °^^ ' 'i'?"''^. with the simpler noting in 
 Ezek. 348 nin^, 'J'lx I 0^3 ''W^'^ compare also Ps. 40" 
 ^3 I inp'B'*! I 15!'''^';, with 13 I inDB*;! W't^; in Ps. 70'. 
 Compare also i Sam. 18^" with 19^. 
 
 This double note-line now appears in only a few 
 passages in certain Books of the Old Testament, chiefly 
 Numbers, Joshua, Samuel, Kings, Psalms, Jeremiah, and 
 Ezekiel ; and the purpose of its insertion was evidently to 
 indicate that the word or expression enclosed is either 
 superfluous, or has been substituted for another which 
 should be restored, or has been misplaced in the sentence. 
 
 * This collocation must not be confounded with the more frequent 
 occurrence of t-wo single and separate note-lines, calling- attention to 
 two different peculiarities in the same verse, as found in Ex. 32', 
 Deut. f^. Josh. ii», 2 Sam. 19', Ps. 39" 40" 66' etc. etc. See the 
 fuller list on p. 3. See also p. 8. 
 
 t See above, p. 22. % See belo-w, p. 30. 
 
Pair of Note- Lines 29 
 
 Thus, in the expression nfilO 1 t23B' 1 ''Sq^ ('to the 
 half-tribe of Manasseh '), Num. 32^^, the pair of lines 
 encloses a word unusual in this Book for designating 
 ' tribe,' * for which nao is the proper form in such a 
 connection: see Num. g^is- 1*- is. in i Sam. 241", a 
 superfluous word ('to-day'), already used earlier in 
 the verse, is enclosed within a pair of lines, thus, 
 ni3 I Di»n I nin' ■nan:, in Prov. 6^ 1 Siax 1 is marked 
 
 • t: - T : ': T : 
 
 as probably a transcriptional slip for ^<^^5. In Esth. 
 g27 I an^Jsj? I is marked as written for DB'Sri'J?, which 
 is correctly given in v.'^. In Isa. 66^", the enclosed 
 expression 1 n^isn'PSp 1 is marked as awkwardly 
 placed in the sentence, which would run more 
 smoothlj* if the clause were transposed to some 
 other point. In i Kings 21^ ' "''^Xp 1 has probably 
 been marked as superfluous. 
 
 See other illustrations of the double line in Num. 
 426 3i3o (cf. v.«), 2 Sam. 24I3, Ezra 6^, Ps. ss^o-z* 
 84* 141*, 2 Kings iS^S I Chron. 2ii5, Jer. 418 29^2 
 3515 44^6 5137, Josh. 8^3 igsi 22^2, Ezck. 4712 4821. 
 
 Passages in which only the _^rsi of the two lines 
 now appear are Jer. i^", where the two words 'this 
 day ' seem marked as superfluous ; Ps. 92^°, where 
 the words 'Jehovah, for behold thine enemies' 
 form an unnecessary repetition ; Ps. 93^, where 
 ' Jehovah ' and the two following words are re- 
 dundant. 
 
 (6) Though the single note-line, as has already been 
 shown, normally precedes the peculiarity thus marked, 
 and should follow only when this happens to be the first 
 * See the author's Studies in Hebrew Synonyms, p. 123. 
 
30 The Note-Line 
 
 word in a verse, or member of a verse,* yet there are many 
 cases in which it follows — sometimes even at a distance — ■ 
 a peculiar word, or combination of words,! which is not 
 the first in its own sentence or clause ^^^. This post- 
 inserted line may in some rare instances be (a) merely the 
 later survivor of an original pair of note-lines ^'^, but (6) 
 more frequently the abnormal insertion is evidently due to 
 the action of a later scribe, who inadvertently inserted the 
 single line at the wrong point ®. 
 
 I. In Prov. 30^^, the line follows the form ''f-i,'} 
 ('the eagle'), which it marks as unique in having 
 the article, while all other similar nouns are anar- 
 throus. In Isa. 18^, the pointer follows >i3?('go ye'), 
 but should rather be placed in front, to show the 
 omission of IbNP there. Num. is^" shows the line 
 following nB'JJn, which should rather be pB'Jfn ('op- 
 presses'). In Num. 819, the line following Q'in: 
 ('given') marks the word as really superfluous; 
 similarly, in 32^^, the pointer after an^ notes it as 
 needless. In Isa. 52I, the Hne should be placed 
 earlier in the sentence, to note there a reading which 
 does not, in its present form, exhibit proper paral- 
 lelism between the first and the second parts. In 
 Ps. 69", the line is now placed at a point where no 
 change seems to be required; but emendations are 
 necessary, both before and after. In Ps. 91^, the 
 pointer follows, but should rather precede, TISD, for 
 * See p. 22. 
 t The union of two words by Maqqeph is so close tlmt tlie pointer, 
 
 if postponed, must follow the second, even though the_;?ra/ is meant 
 
 to be signalised : see i3"nDS in Ps. 72'^. 
 
Place of Insertion 31 
 
 which obviously we must read 11*p. In Ps. 125^, 
 the line appears after, instead of before, the second 
 occurrence of D'lp'^sn, which is really superfluous. 
 Prov. i^'^ shows the line following instead of pre- 
 ceding the faulty reading nixb'3, which is corrected 
 in the Qeri as nsiE'l. In 2 Chron. 20^^, the note- 
 line is inserted after the remarkable reading in 
 QUIKD I nini |n3 ('Jehovah placed men in ambush ') ; 
 for 'Jehovah,' some substitute 'Judah' (iTllH''). It 
 is instructive to compare Lev. 7^'', where the line is 
 (normally) prefixed to IN (which should be DX), with 
 v.^"^, where \\. follows Xh& same reading. In Ps. 22^^, 
 the note-line follows the suspected reading Q'^JV, for 
 which 2*?V"! ('hungry') would be a suitable sub- 
 stitute. In Mai. 3^^, the pointer should precede 
 rather than follow li"'^;', which is marked as an 
 unusual Divine name. In Ps. 5'^, the line follows 
 •^!?0^ which is thus noted as the only instance, in 
 the whole Psalm, of the 3rd person being employed 
 in relation to God ; everywhere else, ' thou ' occurs. 
 In Judg. 20^^, the line should not be behind IP'^a, but 
 in front, where ''33 has inadvertently been dropped, 
 through its similarity to what follows. In Ps. g^*, 
 the pointer should not follow, but precede niiT;, so 
 as to call attention to the unusual form ''33in at the 
 beginning of the verse. In 2 Sam. 24^^, in the 
 expression ^SiKa 1 1T\ ' U^'W yaK*, the pair of note- 
 lines should not enclose ' famine,' as the remarkable 
 term, but ' seven,' which puts its own clause out 
 of harmony with the other two correlative clauses 
 following, both of which present the number 'three'; 
 the numbers are correctly stated in the parallel account 
 
2 The Note-Line 
 
 found in i Chron. 21I2. In Jer. 2f^, where we read 
 D''-in'i3n I D^l53n 1x3 ''R^ai', the line should rather be 
 next iisa, which it really was intended to mark as a 
 strikingly irregular construction. Similarly, in Jer. 
 31^9, where the opening words are 1 D''1JSilI P??!?"''?) 
 iK'^ril, the pointer should rather be close to the 
 irregular form 'valley,' which is in the construct 
 state, and thus should not have the article prefixed. 
 In I Sam. 9^*, the line should be placed earlier in 
 the sentence, beside H'^Vni, which really must be read 
 n^^xni('and the fat tail'), instead of coming later (thus 
 h\VW "ija^ I DE';i), where it is out of place. In Ps. 65^* 
 D^ia must be restored as D'^'in (' mountains'), but the 
 note-line should have been placed before, instead of 
 after the contested reading. In 2 Chron. 35^^ liDN'J 
 should be 1^3X'1 ('and they mourned'), but the pointer 
 ought to be placed close to the disputed reading in- 
 stead of coming later. 
 
 Many other instances will easily be detected by an 
 observant reader. But reference may further be made 
 to Ex. i629, Deut. 6^2 7I 12I5, Josh. 2382, i Sam. 1486, 
 2 Kings ii^^, Ps. 84^2^ Prov. 3^8, Eccles. 6^, Isa. 23^'. 
 
 2. That a pointer following the noteworthy reading 
 may sometimes really be the remaining second of an 
 enclosing pair of lines, seems conclusively proved by 
 comparing Ezek. 34^ with 33^1, and Ps. 70^ with 40^'^, 
 as already exhibited.* In 2 Kings 2*, the line after 
 ' Elisha,' which marks it as superfluous, is probably 
 but the latter of two enclosing lines. 
 
 3. Ortenberg f pertinently reminds us of similar 
 
 * See p. 28. 
 
 !• Stade's Zeitschrift fiir alttest. Wissenschaft, 1887, pp. 301-2. 
 
Occasional Misplacements 33 
 
 misplacements, and even omissions, by later copyists, 
 of the significant signs — viz. the asterisk and the 
 obelus — introduced by Origan, in his Hexapla, into 
 the text of his copy of the Septuagint, to mark differ- 
 ences between this and the Hebrew text. Such un- 
 fortunate transpositions have lessened the value of 
 the Syro-Hexaplar as a witness for these ancient 
 texts. A single page of this translation presents 
 abundant illustrations of these misplacements by 
 transcribers. 
 
 In 2 Chron. 35^1, the double note-line enclosing 
 nbS? is certainly misplaced ; no difficulty is apparent 
 there, but several difficulties occur later. In Judg. 
 14^^, the pointer should be placed later, beside ^J'''3S'ri 
 ' the seventh,' which should be 'V^in ' the fourth,' 
 as proved by the Septuagint (Iv rfj r/fiepa Ty rer- 
 dprfj). In Ps. 57*, the line appears too soon, and 
 should rather precede ^'in, which has most probably 
 been substituted for 3"?"? (' from the sword '). 
 
 Other misplacements are found in Gen. 7^* 30^", 
 Ex. 7^^ 13!^ Num. 3^*, Josh. 5* 20^, Judg. 6^ 10* 
 iS^", I Sam. 11^, 2 Sam. ig^-^^, 2 Chron. 26^^, Cant. 
 4* etc. 
 
 Regarding repeated insertions of the line in the same 
 verse, see the remarks already made on pp. 3, 7 ff. 
 
II. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF CASES. 
 
 8. Conditions for Insertion of the Line. 
 
 Instances showing the line may be grouped thus — 
 (i) Passages are marked in which an unusual form 
 of the Divine name occurs. 
 
 In the Book of Malachi, the Divine name gener- 
 ally employed is nin; (ji.a.i. 7 etc.), or niK3V nin; 
 (i4. 8. 9. 10. 11.13 etc.); but when liisn appears in 3I, 
 the singularity is noted by the line placed after it. 
 In the Book of Exodus, the Divine name employed 
 at the beginning is simply CH^??, and afterwards 
 nin';, or the double designation Q*n?^. nin^. But, in 
 Ex. 15^^ attention is called to the compound name 
 1*!]^^ '^5'^^ so common in Deuteronomy, though 
 strange here ; moreover, in Ex. 23I'' and 34^^, the 
 line notes the remarkable combination nin* 1 jnxn. 
 
 T : ' T T 
 
 In Genesis, Divine names commonly found are 
 ^"^^ "i"', ^^, ^"^y? ^^- But, in Gen. 24^ where 
 Abraham is represented as employing the expres- 
 sion Q^CE'n •'H'^S I nini, the line has been inserted to 
 show that this is a somewhat unusual combination. 
 Further, the trusted servant of Abraham is repre- 
 
The Line with Divine Names 35 
 
 sented, in 24^^, as employing a peculiar designation, 
 viz. nn-ias "ihS •'H'Sk i njn^, which is duly marked by 
 the note-line. (The sign is not repeated, however, 
 when the designation recurs in vv.^'- *^' *^.*) 
 
 In Deuteronomy, the Divine name usually em- 
 ployed is 'Jehovah our God,' 'Jehovah your God,' or 
 'Jehovah thy God' (see 16.10.19.20.21 etc.); but in 
 3^", where the expression 03'!?^? ' '^j'^l occurs, the 
 line notes distinctly that QS^nps is not there. 
 
 Josh. 22^^ is specially remarkable for the twofold 
 occurrence of the unusual expression nini 1 D^npK 1 7K, 
 in which a pair of pointers appears each time. 
 
 In the Book of Judges, the ordinary designation, 
 njni, is of course left unmarked ; but in 4" 6^ and 1 1^^, 
 where ?N"1B'* ^'^PX 1 nin^ is employed, this fuller name 
 is noted by the line. (The sign, however, is not 
 inserted in 5^ or 11^^.) 
 
 In I Chron. 13^, the line is inserted to mark the 
 expression nin' 1 D\'TPKn [nx as quite peculiar. 
 
 In 2 Chron.' 30W, vhias '<rh^ nin'' 1 D'.Tijsn is noted 
 by the line as unusual. 
 
 In Isa. 37, various Divine names are employed, 
 such as 'Jehovah thy God' (v.* twice), 'Jehovah' 
 (vv.6- 1* twice, 15. 17 twice, i^- 20. 22. 33. 34. 36)^ < thy God ' 
 (v.i"), 'Jehovah of Hosts' (vv.i"- ^^^^ -the God of 
 Israel' (v."), 'Jehovah, the God of Israel ' (v.^i), 'the 
 Holy One of Israel ' (v.^^) ; all of these, however, 
 are unmarked, as not uncommon. But when ''J^!< 
 appears in v.^*, it is marked as unique, by the juxta- 
 position of the line. In Isa. 40^*, again, the rare 
 occurrence of the name D?iy ''ipX is noted by the 
 * See.later, p. io6ff. 
 
36 The Note-Line 
 
 post-inserted line. In Isa. 42*^, the pointer in the 
 combination nini 1 ^Nn notes this as remarkable. 
 
 In Jeremiah, nin'' is the name generally employed, 
 sometimes also n^sbs mn' is found (98- 1^ ii^^ etc.); 
 but, in 4I*' and 7^", where the combination nin^_ 'JIS 
 occurs, this is marked by a line in front, calling 
 attention to the peculiarity. In the same book, the 
 expression ni^l DK3 frequently occurs (see 22^* 23*- '• 
 11. 23. 28. 29 2y8. 15. 22 ■2gU. 14. 19)^ ^nd is accordingly left 
 unmarked ; but when we reach 30^, the fuller expres- 
 sion riiN3V niiT; 1 DKJ is marked as noteworthy. 
 
 In Lam. i^^ 2^-^-^, the line notes the unexpected 
 occurrence of ''p^, instead of i^\'^\ elsewhere. 
 
 In Ps. 44, Q'''?^?? is used five times (vv.^- ^- ^- ^^- ^^), 
 but ''31X only once, in v.^* ; this unique occurrence is 
 noted by the prefixed line. In Ps. 50, D^^'^S is gener- 
 ally found, but v.i presents the peculiar compound 
 nin^ ^'0''?* ' -'??> which naturally has received the line 
 to mark its singularity. In Ps. 55^", the unique 
 occurrence of ?*? is marked by a pair of pointers.* 
 In Ps. 57^", the line prefixed to ^p^ calls attention to 
 this as the sole occurrence of the name in the whole 
 poem. In Ps. 68^^, the line placed before CnPii? i^J 
 obviously notes the combination as remarkable ; in 
 v.^^, the line after ?6<n has been inserted for a similar 
 reason. Ps. 72^^ presents the remarkably full expres- 
 sion ^N-lf : •'nSs D'hSk njn^, which is rightly noted as 
 uncommon. Throughout Ps. 89, the Divine name 
 commonly employed is simply nin* ; but in v.^ the 
 pointer is first inserted in the lengthened expression 
 nisav •'rjb^ 1 n\n\, and then before the contracted 
 * See p. 28, 
 
With repeated Letters ■^'j 
 
 form n^ ; moreover, in v.'''', where a further change is 
 made to ''3^^{, the prefixed line calls attention to the 
 fact. In Ps. ii8, ^Sj\\ is the Divine name generally 
 employed ; but when, in v.^^, ?S is prefixed to it, the 
 combination is marked by the line. 
 
 Ezekiel mostly uses nin*(i3-28 ^'s. 22 ^13 gj-^,^ and 
 
 "i".!: ^P^, (2* 3I1 5^ &■ [twice] etc.) ; but at the first 
 
 introduction of the compound i'K'lB". ''npx in 9^, the 
 
 change is noted by the line prefixed ; the mark, 
 
 however, is not repeated later (lo^*- ^"j. 
 
 (2) The line is frequently inserted between two adjacent 
 
 •words in which the initial letter of the second is the same 
 
 as the final letter of the first. Still more frequently is 
 
 the insertion made when the same letter is repeated three 
 
 times in succession. Distinct assurance is thus given that 
 
 this consecutive repetition of the same letter is not the 
 
 result of mere inadvertence. 
 
 In Deut. i', attention is called to IVpi ' 135 'turn 
 ye and march ' (contrast IVB 1»1p in 2^*). In Ex. 20* 
 and the parallel Deut. 5^, presenting part of the 
 fourth commandment, we are invited to mark the 
 striking collocation of the same letter thrice in 
 succession, in the expression 'J/BI? ' DADE'S ' in the 
 heavens above ' ; similarly in i Sam. 20^^, we find 
 Ijsp I D^snn ' the arrows [are] from thee ' ; in Isa. 6^ 
 occurs the expression PJ/'Sp ' Q''"]pV ' standing above.' 
 In Ps. &&^ we are called to note TB'^Jpt?!? 1 Q'nl'K ^<"!i3 ; 
 in 1438 occurs D7.ir!P ' ^'P' '''!'"!?I ' I remember days 
 of old'; in 3^ ''^5?'?'^'^ ' '"^j'^l is similarly marked. 
 Again, in Judg. 13^ attention is called to T^ ' 'riB'ri"PK 
 ' drink not wine ' (but the same expression is left 
 
38 The Note-Line 
 
 unmarked in v.s *) ; in Job 37I* to btA niS^W 1 ]pnn] ; 
 in 1 Chron. 22^ to 3'"l^ ' ^.l'.1?S and similarly in v.^ 
 
 to nhyi^b I b'^3ni>; in Lev.'27i6 to in^^^« nnfe-p 1 dni 
 
 (where the V is no doubt superfluous ; see p. 45).! 
 
 See also Ex. if, Deut. i3«, Ps. 68^1 869 1288, 
 Ezek. 16I*, 2 Chron. 158 20^ 3412, Job 27I8. 
 
 Cases in which the line is omitted are Num. 23^2, 
 Deut. 4^9 156^ jga_ ^g8_ 
 
 (3) Conversely, the line is sometimes inserted between 
 two words, the first of which does noi end, as might 
 have been expected, with the same letter as that with 
 which the second begins ; or the second of which does 
 not begin with the same letter as that with which the 
 first concludes. 
 
 Thus, in Deut. g' we find pKO 1 m'i] ' thou didst 
 go out from the land,' where the line has been 
 inserted to assure us that the form before it is not 
 the plural Dn^^'!, as the plurals following might lead 
 us to expect ; and in Ezek. 16^^ occurs the reading 
 ''KB' I P1X"D3 ' do thou also bear,' with the line inserted 
 to assure us that the form succeeding it is the im- 
 perative, and noi the future 'Sta. 
 
 * See subsequent remarks, p. 109 f. 
 
 t It must here be conceded that the Une might appropriately be 
 regarded as a ' separator ' in such instances as have now been cited. 
 The sign in these cases may certainly be viewed as pointing out the 
 necessity for distinctly enunciating the termination of the word pre- 
 ceding it, and the commencement of the word following, so as to 
 avoid the natural tendency to run both words together, owing to the 
 identity of the adjacent letters. But, as will gradually be shown, the 
 total number of such instances, in which the designation ' Paseq ' 
 would be suitable, forms but a small proportion of the whole in which 
 the line appears. 
 
With repeated Words 39 
 
 {4) The line is regularly inserted between two words 
 identical in form. In this case also, the sign assures 
 us that this consecutive repetition of the same word, or 
 words, either (a) is not an inadvertent error committed by 
 a transcriber, or (5) is a needless repetition which should 
 be corrected. 
 
 Observe Di'' i Di'' 'daily' in Gen. 39!", Ex. 16^, Ps. 
 61^ 68^", Prov. 8^1-^*, and frequently elsewhere. In 
 Ex. 34'5 we find nin^^ ' nin^^ ; in Num. 5^2 and Neh. 8" 
 [DN I Ips 'Amen,' Amen!.' (Ps. 41" I^KI 1 Ips) ; in 
 Lev. 13*6 NOD I NOD ' Unclean, unclean ! ' in Zech. 
 4^ fn I in ; in Isa. 26^ 5719 vh^ I Di^f ' Peace, peace ' ; 
 in Ps. 35^1 40I6 70* nxn I nsn < Aha, Aha ! ' Speci- 
 ally noteworthy is the triple repetition tyni^ 1 tyiTj? 
 B'ili? ' Holy, holy, holy ! ' in Isa. 6^. The pointer 
 similarly calls attention to the actual repetition of a 
 name in direct address, as ' Abraham, Abraham ! ' in 
 Gen. 22I1 ; ' Jacob, Jacob ! ' in Gen. 46^ ; ' Samuel, 
 Samuel ! ' in i Sam. 31"- Very striking is the marked 
 repetition aup 1 aUD ' all round about ' in Ezek. 
 
 ^q5. 14. 16. 17. 25. 29. 33. 36. 43 a.nd in 4 1 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 16. 
 
 17. 19 ^2'^. 20_ Consider also nv 1 nj? ' Rase, rase ! ' 
 in Ps. 137''; 3n I an 'Give, give!' in Prov. 30^®; 
 DiSl I Di-)n ' the veil that veils ' in Isa. 25^ ; '3N 1 i3N 
 ' My father, my father ! ' in 2 Kings 2^^ and 13^* ; and 
 ''B'N't I 'E'Nh ' My head, my head ! ' in 2 Kings 41". 
 See also Jer. 4^^ 15^^. 
 
 Obs. I. The line is placed before — or at least near 
 — a repeated word or words, even when a different 
 form has been introduced between the identical 
 terms. Examples occur in Ps. 57^ ''33n 1 D'ih'Sn ''JSn 
 
40 The Note-Line 
 
 ' Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me ' ; 
 Ps. 75^ =i3'"]in D'nSN i ^^ iJ''1in ' We give thanks unto 
 thee, O God, we give thanks'; Ps. ^6^ «";" ' r\m 
 nriN ; Ps. 77" D'a "^ini cn'^x 1 a''D ^isn ' The vi^aters 
 saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee' ; Ps. 115I N? 
 vh xb nini 1 lab ' Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us ' ; 
 Ps. Q210 n^x' Tyk nsn ^3 nini 1 T'3''k njn 13 ' For lo 
 thine enemies, O Lord, for lo thine enemies shall 
 perish ' ; Ps. 93^ uhS\> nhnj w'b'J nin^ 1 ninn: iKSfJ ' The 
 rivers have lifted up, O Lord, the rivers have lifted 
 up their voice ' ; Ps. 94^ 'no-nj; nin^ 1 DiJJB'n 'non^ 
 ItSj;* D^j-'fl ' How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how 
 long shall the wicked exult?' See also Prov. 31'' 
 
 No line, however, is inserted in Cant, i^^ ' Behold, 
 thou art fair, my love ; behold, thou art fair.' 
 
 Obs. 2. — As ^"},"Jl!!! ' and thy majesty,' at the end 
 of Ps. 45*, is immediately repeated at the beginning 
 of v.^, the line cannot, of course, be inserted between 
 the forms,* but it is placed after the second. 
 
 Obs. 3. — Exceptional cases in which immediate 
 repetition of the same word or expression is not 
 certified by the presence of the line, are Ex. 3* 
 ' Moses, Moses ' ; 2 Kings 9* ' the young man, the 
 young man ' ; Isa. 38^^ ' the living, the living ' ; 
 Jer. 2^^ 'cisterns, cisterns'; Jer. 7* 'The temple of 
 the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the 
 Lord' ; Ps. 93^ 'he is clothed, he is clothed' ; Ezek. 
 21^^ 'a sword, a sword' ; 21^^^ 'Overturn, overturn, 
 overturn'; Zech. 2" 'Ho, ho!' Jer. 22^9 'Earth, 
 earth, earth.' See also Jer. 158 46^", Ps. 11512-14. 
 * See the rule on p. 39. 
 
With similar Words 41 
 
 Obs. 4. — The line is commonly absent from cases in 
 which immediate repetition of the same form idio- 
 matically indicates either {a) distribution, as in Ex. 
 36* ^'V. tJ-'K ' each man,' Gen. 32" "3^ i"iy "I'lJ? • each 
 flock by itself,' 2 Chron. 13^^ 'every morning and 
 every evening-,' Deut. 14^^ 'each year'; or (b) 
 intensity, as in the common expression Gen. 7^*, 
 Num. 14'^ 1X0 1N0 ' very very ' ; Deut. iS^o p^S plV 
 ' nothing but justice ' ; Deut. z^'' ' only by the road ' ; 
 Deut. 28*^ (two instances), Josh. 4^- *. 
 
 The line, however, appears in 2 Kings 3^^ Q''3|! ' D''33 
 'ditches, ditches,' i.e. full of ditches. 
 
 Obs. 5. — The line is very rarely placed before the 
 repeated words, as in Ps. 96^® ' for he comes, for he 
 comes.' But when Maqqeph joins them, the pointer, 
 of course, cannot but precede, as in Isa. 18^ li^'lp ' ''12. 
 
 (5) The note-line is sometimes — not frequently — inserted 
 between* adjacent words which are similar in form, to 
 assure the reader that both are genuine elements in the 
 text. Such pairs of words may either (a) belong to the 
 same root, or [b) bear only an outward resemblance, their 
 origin being wholly different. 
 
 {a) Illustrations of cognate forms in combination, 
 marked by the line, are "i|n 1 "isn 'the sojourner that 
 sojourns,' Lev. ig^* and 20^; Dn^n '<^;y^ 1 Dn^JS 'their 
 children and the children of their children,' 2 Kings 
 17"; HD'o; I D''D;d in Judg. ii« 21I', I Sam. 2^^ and 
 elsewhere ; similarly Q''?"^ ' D''f?J in 2 Sam. 14^^ ; 
 D''D»D I W'O'h in 2 Chron. 2ii9; Di'i' 1 DW in Esth. ■i' ; 
 
 * Rarely before, as in i Kings 18^', Jer. 2^ ; or after, as in Deut. 2', 
 Judg. iS"", Prov. 8". 
 
42 The Note-Line 
 
 Di*3 I QV in 2 Chron. 30^1 ; 0^33 1 DJ)B3 in Judg. 20^1 ; 
 TOOT I n-ip in Josh. 8^3, Ezek. 47^2 48^1 ; na^.J 1 na^ in 
 
 1 Sam. 9!°; D';iB3 1 D'33 in Deut. 5*; "I'vb 1 ■)''V0 
 in 2 Chron. 301". Excellent double illustrations are 
 •\1W 1 TiiE'ni nJi3 I nJi3ri in Isa. 21^, and V^f] ' y^ts'n 
 hn'' 1 hnni in Ezek. s^''. 
 
 See also i Sam. 3!" 7I* 20^' 27I, 2 Sam. 24^, i Kings 
 20^5 (twice). 
 
 Unmarked pairs of cognates are f^^^f i^J?* in 
 
 2 Chron. 24^ and Ql'S DVp in v.^^ ; see also Deut. 
 15^°, I Chron. 12^^. 
 
 (b) Instances of adjacent words, similar in form 
 or sound, but different in their origin and meaning, 
 and thus marked by the line, are ''13 1 ''in in Isa. i* ; 
 'Jj; I ''3N1 in Ps. 40I8 and 70^ ; nxs 1 nj;^ in 2 Sam. iii ; 
 -iDN'5 ' !^o;i in Gen. 398 ; bw^^ 1 I? followed by ^1W ' ^3 
 in Cant. 4I2 ; sn-iivn-QNl 1 inW-DN in Cant. 2' and 
 again in 3^ ; similarly n-jJjn-nOT 1 nH'Pl-nD in 8*. See 
 also Deut. i^s, Ps. iS^ 38!^ Jer. 6" etc. 
 
 JVoie. — \n familiar combinations such as that of the 
 emphasising infinitive with its cognate finite verb, 
 the omission of the line is the rule, as the mark 
 seemed unnecessary ; thus Ex. 3^^ '''P"'^") i^^l ! Lev. 
 2719 Wl\ ^N3, etc. 
 
 In some cases, however, the scribe has inserted 
 the line, when he deemed this needful, as in Gen. 
 
 1713 i3is'> I ^itsn ; Isa. 243 n3n i tisn'i pKn pi3n i pi3n. 
 
 See also Num. 15^1. In 1 Sam. 27^^, the \\we^ follo-ws 
 the form. 
 
 The want of uniformity in such cases clearly 
 proves that the insertion or omission of the sign 
 
Conflate Readings 43 
 
 was frequently determined by the taste or opinion 
 of the scribe.* At some points its insertion might 
 seem expedient, or even necessary ; in other places, 
 where it did not seem required, it was omitted. 
 Thus, Deut. 'f^ presents a double illustration of the 
 emphasising combination of the absolute infinitive 
 with its finite verb, the construction being noted in 
 both instances by the line Wjynn 1 3j;rn WVipOT 1 I'iJB' ; 
 yet the line is not inserted in similar cases previously 
 occurring in this book, such as 4^^ (two instances) 
 6^', and even in the same chapter (viz. in Deut. 
 f- 1«). 
 
 (c) With cases of adjacent similars marked by 
 the line may fitly be classed the few instances of 
 alliteration which are likewise noted by the pointer, 
 as in Ps. 127I IDE' '^p}0 I NIB'; 1378 WaiB- W'lbKB' 1 DK'. 
 
 (6) The pointer sometimes calls attention to ' conflate 
 readings ' of the same word, in which the second form is 
 usually to be preferred. 
 
 Illustrations are iiNJI nKIl in Prov. 8^^ (where the 
 pointer follows the forms) ; inori 1 IB-'E'; in Ps. 40" 
 (repeated in 70^), Ex. 38^ i Sam. 4^*, Ps. lo^*, Jer. 
 6^1. But there is no line with the conflates in Job 
 20^'', Jer. 10^^. 
 
 See also the remarks at p. 51. 
 
 (7) The line may also be placed with the first or the 
 second of two similar expressions in immediate proximity. 
 These, as in cases just indicated, are sometimes really 
 ' conflates,' but other instances are intentional repeti- 
 
 * See subsequent remarks on this subject, at p. ii2fiF. 
 
44 The Note-Line 
 
 tioiis, slightly varied in the second form, for the sake of 
 
 rhetorical effect. 
 
 Examples are nin';-nx 6br\ I mhhn In Ps. 148I, and 
 bt^-^hr} I ri^^hn in Ps. 150I. In Job 1313- w, the latter 
 verse begins in almost the same form as that in 
 which the former ends, thus niD"?J? ; ilD ''?V ; hence the 
 notifying line is placed after the second expression.* 
 Ezek. 3^- ^ runs thus : ' Not unto a people deep of 
 lip and heavy of tongue art thou sent, [but] unto the 
 house of Israel. Not unto many peoples, deep of 
 lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou canst 
 not understand.' The line at the beginning of v.^ 
 calls attention to the similarity between the words 
 there and those at the opening of v.^. 
 See also Hos. 9^. 
 
 (8) The pointer frequently marks superfluities, which 
 may be regarded in different ways. 
 
 A. As regards \\i&\'c form, superfluities may consist of 
 a single letter, or a single word, or several words. It 
 is advisable to consider these classes separately. 
 
 (a) We shall first consider some cases of single letters 
 intruded into the text. 
 
 In Prov. 3^8, the line post-fixed f to the form I"?!!?, 
 as well as the marginal Qeri,| calls attention to the 
 letter 1 as an intrusion, — for the singular (' to thy 
 friend'), not the plural, is the correct reading. In 
 Josh. 19", the pointer prefixed to nD^^J (< to sea- 
 ward ') marks the ? as superfluous. In Ps. lo^, the 
 line after ibsn^ marks the plural form, as well as 
 •Wn at the close, as irregular ; the omission of the 
 * See p. 24. t See p. 29. % Sec p. 13. 
 
Superfluous Words 45 
 
 concluding 1 in both cases would restore these words 
 to harmony with the context, which exhibits the 
 nouns and verbs in the singular. In 2 Chron. 23!", 
 the line has been inserted to show that the con- 
 junction before B'''S1 is needless. Similarly, the line 
 inserted in the opening words of Ps. 43^, viz. "'?t??B' 
 ''3''"i nn'^'il I D^roK, marks the 1 as a superfluous addi- 
 tion. In like manner, the presence of the con- 
 junction in the expression 'ITONI 1 ''JS'lp^ Ps. gi^^, is 
 noted as an enfeebling superfluity. A double illustra- 
 tion is presented in i Chron. 21I2, where \> before 
 '^??'Pr'j and 1 in "1311 are both marked as disturbing 
 additions. In imnx nnfe'ip 1 DKl Lev. 27I6, the line 
 obviously marks the following D as a misleading 
 dittogram from the word preceding. 
 
 For cases in which the Article is marked as 
 superfluous, see p. 65. 
 
 (5) We shall next consider cases in which a single word 
 is marked as a foreign element. 
 
 The negative in the expression t5i3^ N? 1 D"1.I33 
 ('before it comes'), Zeph. 2^, is rightly marked as 
 needless and disturbing; in Esth. 8^^, similarly, the 
 line prefixed to iCyK properly indicates that this is 
 superfluous ; while, in 2 Sam. 7^*, the second ^? is 
 justly noted as an unnecessary repetition. In i Sam. 
 12^1 '3 is marked as a disturbing element which 
 should be removed ; * the same word is similarly 
 marked as needless in Ex. \2}-^-'^^, i Sam. 20^ 25^*, 
 2 Sam. 12^8 (first occurrence) 14I'', Jer. 4^^, Ps. 96^, 
 I Chron. 2ii«. In the unique phrase 0"!"'?'^ °^' ' ''^l 
 * The word is not represented in any of the Ancient Versions, 
 
46 The Note-Line 
 
 in Num. ii^^ the second word is rightly indicated 
 as unnecessary (see the correct phrase in Ex. 32^, 
 Num. i7'5-23, Jonah 4'' etc., where DV does not 
 appear) ; in Jer. 40'^, the second T'ipSv' is noted as 
 superfluous; similarly, in Josh. 19*'', the first nniN is 
 pointed out as needless. In Zech. i" niV occurs no 
 less than four times ; at the beginning, where it is 
 marked by the line, it certainly seems superfluous, 
 yet it may really belong to the end of the preceding 
 verse, as testified by the Septuagint. In Num. lo^^, 
 it is enough that njni should be used at the begin- 
 ning of the verse ; its second occurrence is thus 
 properly marked as superfluous ; the pointer is also 
 placed with the same form, to mark it as unneces- 
 sary, in Isa. 4^ 7I* 1 1^1.* Other instances of super- 
 fluous words, marked as such by the pointer, are 
 «n3K in Gen. 421^; inis in Gen. ^f^; nna (with the 
 double line t) in Num. 4^^ (see the correct expression 
 in Ex. 35" 39«) ; ''3X in Ex. 6^ ; D^JHS in Num. 8^^ ; 
 Dn^ in Num. 3288; ''.^K in Isa. 31*; I^S in Eccles. 8"; 
 1? in I Chron. 17^^; ibK? in Gen. 42^^ and 2 Sam. 2^ ; 
 7INK' in I Sam. 29^ and 2 Sam. 3^ ; P3 in Lev. 4'^. 
 
 (c) We shall next give instances in which iwo or more 
 words together are marked as superfluous. Such un- 
 necessary insertions are especially frequent in Jeremiah. 
 
 In Gen. i6^ according to some editors, | HE'S 
 D"13N ('the wife of Abram ') is preceded by the 
 line, to show that the expression is really a needless 
 
 * The form, however, is not indicated as superfluous in Isa. 721.52.2s 
 etc., though it really is needless in these passages. See, further, 
 pp. 51 and 105 flf. 
 
 t See pp. 4 and 28. + See pp. 3 and 105, 
 
Superfluous Words 47 
 
 repetition of an explanation already given in v.^. 
 In Lev. 14^ n>nn "liasn 1 nsi is noted as unnecessary, 
 seeing that ' the living bird ' has already been men- 
 tioned at the beginning of the verse ; and similarly, 
 in v.^, the vi^ords iQ|"?y "IK'S are marked as an un- 
 necessary repetition from the preceding verse. In 
 Gen. 30^^, the pointer marks the beginning of a 
 needless insertion, viz. ^^'^^\ N1PD1 ^'p3, which only 
 disturbs the flow of the sentence. In Job 32^, the 
 line marks ' Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite ' 
 as an unnecessary expression, repeated from v.^. 
 In I Chron. 2^, the explanation that Er was ' the 
 firstborn of Judah,' is marked as really needless (but 
 not marked in the parallel passage, Gen. 38^). In 
 I Sam. iqI^, the pointer similarly shows that the 
 words ' to the children of Israel ' may be omitted. 
 Jer. 38* contains two excellent illustrations : both 
 DKin ■|''V3 and nin C'^sn are marked as superfluous ; 
 moreover, in v.^" nini ?ip3 is indicated as a redund- 
 ant insertion. Similarly, in Zech. 3^ 711511 [ribn is 
 pointed out as a superfluity, after the expression has 
 been already employed in v.^; in 2 Sam. 1° V T'SEin 
 is noted as a repetition from the preceding verse ; 
 in Jer. 32^ IP'?? Yl^^ ' "^W^ is marked as an unneces- 
 sary explanation regarding Anathoth ; and in Jer. 
 jio n?n Di»n is likewise indicated as superfluous. See 
 also Ps. 92^° (three words needlessly repeated), 93^ 
 (two words unnecessarily repeated) ; 2 Chron. 18^ 
 (unnecessary explanation that Ahab was ' the King 
 of Israel '), and v.'^ (where the words ' to Jeho- 
 shaphat' might be omitted: see also i Kings 22^). 
 See likewise Josh. 22'^ Jer. ;}2^«-^^. 
 
48 The Note-Line 
 
 A notable illustration under this head, marked by 
 the line, is the familiar formula njn'^ IDS i ns, which 
 appears with special frequency in Isaiah : thus 37^ 
 45" (cf. end of v.i^) 498 (cf. v.^ and ^ 50^ 658 (cf. 
 v.'^) and 1^ 66^2 : see also 2 Kings 3^^ 7I. Even more 
 frequently is the insertion noted in Jeremiah : see 2^ 
 
 922 (cf. V.2I) I02 (cf. V.l) 175 I9II 223- 6- 80 (cf. VV.^ 
 and 2) 248 (cf. V.5) 262 29I8 30I8 316. W. is. S4. 36 33IO 
 
 448" etc. etc. In Ezekiel, the similar formula 
 mpi ''JIK I nps-na is similarly marked : see 5'*' (cf. v.^) 
 
 1318.20 144. 6 '173 2o39 248 282 298 342 368 379 39!^ 
 
 Examination of these passages clearly shows that 
 the additions are superfluous, and interrupt the even 
 flow of the discourse, so that they may, on the 
 warrant of the pointer, be safely omitted without 
 affecting the sense or dignity of the passages in 
 which they now appear. 
 
 B. When we further consider the origin and character 
 of the superfluities, these may be conveniently arranged 
 in different classes. 
 
 [a) Some are readily recognisable as natural but inad- 
 vertent repetitions of what is already in the text. 
 
 Thus, in Ps. 86^, the conjunction before the second 
 of the two verbs 'ilDI??'!'! ' ^^-^J seems to be marked as 
 a needless repetition of the last letter in the first ; 
 in I Sam. 24^" Di'n is rightly enclosed within a pair 
 of note-lines to show that it is unnecessary, after 
 ' this day ' has previously been given at the begin- 
 ning of the verse ; in Ps. (^G^ K3 '3 is marked as 
 needlessly repeated; in Josh. \(f, it is certainly 
 enough that Pinix should be used once, so that the 
 
Intentional Insertions 49 
 
 line is rightly placed with the first, to mark it as 
 superfluous. See also i Kings 31^- ^^. 
 
 [b) Other additions must be regarded as intentional in- 
 sertions.* These, again, form various categories : thus — 
 
 I. Explanatory words or clauses were designedly added 
 to the text by a copyist who did not consider the original 
 reading sufficiently clear. 
 
 In Gen. 27^, it is related of Isaac that ' he called 
 for Esau, his elder son ' ; the last two words in the 
 Hebrew text (^ni^ ^^3) are properly noted as super- 
 fluous. In Gen. 47-^, where it is recorded of Jacob 
 that ' he called for his son, for Joseph,' 133? is rightly 
 marked as unnecessary, i Sam. 29^ makes mention 
 of 'David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel,' 
 but ' Saul ' is marked as an unnecessary explanation. 
 In Gen. 37^^, ' Reuben ' is marked as needlessly re- 
 peated from the previous verse ; in Josh. 22^^, the 
 line indicates that there is no necessity for repeat- 
 ing, from the preceding verse, the explanation that 
 Phinehas was ' the son of Eleazar the priest ' ; in 
 Isa. 45^^ ^y^ is marked as an explanatory addition 
 to the preceding word, ' to his anointed.' t See 
 another excellent illustration in Gen. . ig'^*, where 
 mention is made of Lot's sons-in-law ; also 2 Chron. 
 1 83 23". 
 
 * J. Olshausen (Lehrhuch, % 43), indeed, followed by Ortenberg 
 (in Stade's Zeitschrift, vii. 301) and Pratorius. (in Zeitschrift der 
 Morgenldndischen GeseUschaft, liii. 683) held that the main purpose 
 of ' Paseq ' is to indicate interpolations. It will be admitted, how- 
 ever, that this opinion was rather hastily formed. 
 
 t In these last two instances, the pointer/o/foroi the insertion : see 
 p. 30 ff. 
 
 4 
 
50 The Note-Line 
 
 2. Closely akin to these explanatory superadditions are 
 synonymous words or expressions inserted by later coypists. 
 
 Illustrations are found in Ex. 38^, where we find 
 the expression n3D''ri 2» 1 m?h ('for the region of the 
 South, southward ') marked at the proper point by 
 the line, — though a similarly full expression in v.^^ 
 (nmrp noiip nsa^ ' for the region toward the East, 
 eastward ') is not marked by the sign ; in i Sam. 
 5*, where VT riiS3 1 '■riCT occurs ; in Ps. 71^^, where 
 we find i^^TI ' ™i?r"'?? ' to old age and hoary age ' ; 
 in Job 21^^, where attention is called to the expres- 
 sion D'V?""! n^SK'p I hm .TN ; in Isa. 519, presenting 
 •^T^l I -ina^ ('let him hasten, speed'); in Ps. 40" 
 and 70^, where we find the expression inOB'';'] 1 W'E'J 
 ('let them rejoice, and let them be glad'). See 
 also 2 Kings 11^^, 2 Chron. 23^* ('the captains of 
 hundreds, officers of the host'). Num. 4^^, 2 Kings 
 19* ('the king of Assyria, his master'), Ex. 7^^. 
 
 3. Another class of superfluities, marked by the line, 
 is formed by pleonasms which have originated with the 
 transcribers. These redundancies are easily recognised. 
 
 In Gen. 42^^, Reuben is represented as having thus 
 addressed his brethren regarding their ill treatment 
 of Joseph, ' Did I not say unto you [saying]. Sin 
 not against the youth ? ' The line before "lt3S? here 
 rightly marks it as superfluous. Further, in i Kings 
 19'' and Isa. ii'-i fT'JtJ' ('again,' 'a second time') is 
 rightly marked as superfluous after a verb which is 
 in itself sufficient to indicate repetition. Similarly, 
 in Gen. 21I*, after the statement that 'Abraham 
 arose early,' it is really unnecessary (cf. 2 Sam. 15^ 
 
Conflate Readings 51 
 
 Zeph. 3^ Gen. ig^, Jer. 71^ 3514 444 g^c. etc.) to add 
 "•iJ33 (' in the morning ') ; hence the line prefixed to 
 this word. (The sign, however, is not found in Job 
 i5, Ex. 8^^ 9I3 etc.) 
 
 A common pleonasm, frequently marked as such, 
 is the familiar 'n^l ('and it came to pass') in his- 
 torical narratives : see Ezek. 8^ 20^, Jer. 41^, Neh. 
 4^- 1" (though the line is noi inserted in vv.^- "), Judg. 
 ig^ 2 Sam. i^ etc. 
 
 Similarly, in prophetic passages, the connecting 
 formula iTni (' and it shall come to pass ') is fre- 
 quently marked by the pointer, to show that it may 
 safely be omitted without injury to grammar or 
 sense : see Isa. 2^ 7^* (but the line is omitted in 
 VV.21. 22. 23) io20. 27 J jii 2317^ Ezek. sSiO- 18 etc. 
 
 Here perhaps may be placed Jer. 28^ and Num. 
 11^°, in which 'two years' and 'a month,' respect- 
 ively, are followed by 'days.' 
 
 See also Ex. 6', Lev. 10^, Num. 10^^, i Sam. 28!^, 
 2 Sam. 321, I Kings i^^, Jer. 32^^- *^ 38^" 52^, Amos i^. 
 
 4. Conflate readings present another class of super- 
 fluities. Here the correct reading — or what is supposed 
 to be more correct — usually follows, but sometimes pre- 
 cedes the faulty form ; and the pointer is at hand to warn 
 the reader of difficulty in the text. 
 
 Examples occur in i Sam. g^", where the former 
 of the two words ^'y}}, ' i^3? may safely be omitted as 
 a corruption of the second ; in i Sam. 4^8, where, 
 instead of the first two forms in the troublesome 
 expression IJ/^'l' 1! ' ^Va, 'we must simply put T3 
 as the correct reading ; in Ex. 222*, where we read 
 
52 The Note-Line 
 
 *3Vn-ns VaVDN ni^ri i !1D3-DS (< if thou lendest money 
 [to my people] to the distressed'), presenting the 
 closing expression as the more correct form of what 
 immediately precedes.* 
 
 To this category also belongs Deut. 17^, which 
 runs thus in the English Version : ' If there arise a 
 matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood 
 and blood, between plea and plea, and between 
 stroke and stroke [being], matters of controversy 
 within thy gates, then thou shalt . . . come unto 
 the priests the Levites, and unto the judge . . . and 
 they shall show thee the sentence of judgment.' An 
 attentive reader of even this translation will perceive 
 the difficulty that, while one could expect the contro- 
 versy to be waged between one person and another, 
 we find it represented as lying between one thing 
 and another. Yet this is a fair rendering of the 
 troublesome clause in the Massoretic text, which is 
 the following : — 
 
 nia'''! "na'n j)33^ j?j] pai in^ p'l-pa vrh 1 Q'nTa 
 
 To obtain the correct reading and rendering, let it 
 be observed that the first and second clauses are 
 similar In form, and that the first significantly has 
 the pointer within it ; yet neither side presents the 
 correct reading, which, however, may be very simply 
 obtained through careful examination of both, as 
 they are conflate forms. The truth is that all the 
 leading forms here are active participles, and signify 
 persons ; moreover, as the first two sets of expres- 
 sions are equally traceable to one and the same 
 
 ■' It will be observed that the pointer has been inserted too early 
 in this sentence : see p. ^Z- 
 
Change of Subject 53 
 
 genuine reading, this will be obtained only after 
 discarding both of the former and substituting the 
 latter. The restored text then runs thus — 
 
 ni3''-j innM vj^h wi in^i rf? tIT? 
 
 which may be rendered, ' between one contender and 
 another, and between one smiter and another, stating 
 [their] causes.' 
 
 On the other hand, the second is the incorrect form 
 — therefore to be discarded — in the following com- 
 binations : 2 Sam. 14I8 tyS'DS (marked by the note- 
 line succeeding) ; Ps. 144^ ^'iia 1 inp. 
 
 See also Ex. 30^*, Judg. &, i Sam. 27^ Ps. 10^. 
 
 5. Other instances, however, of a more striking char- 
 acter occasionally occur. We sometimes find a sudden 
 transition to another subject, after the discourse has been 
 smoothly flowing on, so that it becomes difficult to per- 
 ceive why the interruption was made. The line may 
 mark the turning-point to the new topic. 
 
 In Josh. 13^1, the latter portion of the verse, com- 
 mencing with the words ' and the princes of Midian,' 
 shows slight internal connection with what precedes: 
 the line appears where the addition begins. 
 
 Jer. 12^"* contains an address to the Lord by the 
 prophet, who reverently requests an answer to the 
 ever-recurring problem regarding the prosperity of 
 the wicked ; but before the case has been even 
 briefly stated, the discourse is abruptly broken off, 
 and we are face to face with an address to the 
 prophet which can hardly be regarded as a reply 
 from the Lord. The sudden transition, at the 
 beginning of v.^, is marked by the line. 
 
54 The Note-Line 
 
 The fragmentary character of Jer. 29I8, as well 
 as its want of proper connection with the preceding 
 verse, seems to be indicated by the line at the 
 beginning. 
 
 See also Gen. 37^, Ps. 40^ 42^, Zech. 38 6^^ 9" 13!". 
 
 (9) The note-line often indicates where omissions have 
 been made in the course of transcription.* For the sake 
 of convenience, these omissions may be simply classified. 
 
 (a) Omission of a single letter is not uncommon. 
 
 In Jer. 7^, the line in the expression n'VJ 1 3ilJn calls 
 attention to the omission of the conjunction 1 before 
 the second word : see the succeeding infinitives, to 
 all of which the conjunction is prefixed. In Num. 
 4I8, the opening words IB'Jf 1 nNII are marked to show 
 the inadvertent omission of T\ from the beginning of 
 the verb (which should be the future lE'Vi?) ; the dis- 
 appearance was most natural after the occurrence of 
 the same letter at the end of the demonstrative pro- 
 noun preceding. In the expression rl^E' K"ii5 1 t3"PJ) 
 Judg. 15!^, the note-line similarly indicates the omis- 
 sion of 3 (quite naturally after the same letter pre- 
 ceding) from the verb-form, which should therefore 
 be S<"ii?3 ; the restored text will then be rendered, 
 'therefore its name was called.' In Gen. 35^, the 
 unique construct form Onn ('fear'), to which the line 
 is prefixed, is obviously a mutilated reading which 
 
 * A glimpse of this important principle was obtained by Dr. Wickes, 
 who says in a footnote on p. 129 of his Treatise on Prose Accents, 
 'Attention may be drawn to Judg-. 16^, i Sam. 16', and 2 Chron. 21'", 
 where Legarmeh seems to indicate defective grammatical construc- 
 tion, as Paseq in 2 Kings 25^.' 
 
Omission of single Words 55 
 
 has arisen through the omission of the initial D from 
 nnno. in Ps. 741^, the line after I'nn indicates the 
 omission, from the end of this form, of the pronoun- 
 affix of the second person ; as shown by the succeed- 
 ing parallel member, we must read l^in, and render 
 ' hath reproached thee.' In Ps. 78^, the line following 
 IJ'"!''. shows the omission there of the pronoun-affix D, 
 which is required to complete the sense ('that they 
 might know [them] '). In Isa. 63^, the line in the 
 expression i<3 1 i^.PP calls attention to the omission 
 of the article, which naturally took place after the 
 preceding n.* In Ps. iig^^, the line after 3? indicates 
 that it stands for ''3p, so that the expression may be 
 rendered 'with my whole heart,' as has been done 
 by the Septuagint translator. 
 
 (b) Omission of single words is somewhat common. 
 
 In Ps. 33^^^ (the only verse in this Psalm which 
 contains the pointer), attention is obviously called to 
 the omission of 1t?'K, the relative. In Ps. 45^^, the 
 line appears at a point where a verb must be supplied: 
 ' the daughter of Tyre [shall come] with a gift.' In 
 Deut. 3^", from between the words Q^'-^? ' ^'V-.^ ^^ 
 shown by the presence of the line, there has taken 
 place the omission of D3'0^^., which would most 
 naturally be neglected on account of its similarity 
 to the word following. In Josh. 6^*, the line before 
 fipan marks the omission there of vS, which appears 
 in the clause following. In Gen. i^", the noun JyoT 
 has very naturally been omitted (where the line is 
 inserted) before the participle E'Oil now remaining in 
 * For fuller illustrations of the omission of the article, see p. 64. 
 
56 The Note-Line 
 
 the text : cf. v.^e and 8". In Jer. f*, the line calls 
 attention to the omission of njn after ri)|ip ; the full 
 expression has previously been given in v.^^. From 
 the expression D3^ 103 i J^nkl in Lev. iqI^, the subject 
 nin^ has strangely been omitted at the point marked 
 by the inserted line. In the titles of Ps. 69 and 72, 
 the line points to the omission of ' a psalm,' which 
 must be supplied to render the heading more intel- 
 ligible. In Ps. 80^, which consists of three parallel 
 lines, the pointer — which is inserted too soon — 
 indicates the omission of an imperative (perhaps 
 another ' hear ') after the imperfect middle clause, 
 'thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.' In Eccles. 
 2^^, the pointer prepares us for the omission of a verb 
 ('can do'), which must obviously be supplied to 
 make sense ; in 4^ also, a like omission of a verb 
 is marked. In Cant. 5^, the line prepares us for the 
 subsequent omission of the participle ' saying ' ; a 
 similar omission is indicated in Isa. 18^ by the line 
 inserted at a later point. In Ezek. 3^^, the pointer 
 indicates that we must supply ' I heard,' so as to 
 complete the sense. In Jer. 50^*, the line after the 
 opening word ^'^^} points to the natural omission, 
 before it, of the similar form DJ^I. 'nevertheless,' which 
 must be restored to bring out the contrast between 
 this verse and that which precedes. In Ps. 88^*, the 
 pointer indicates the omission, where it stands, of 
 i^^^? ('in the night'), which must be replaced in 
 order to form the contrast with ' and in the morning ' 
 which follows. In Isa. 49'"^, the pointer obviously 
 marks the probable omission of ' thus ' from the 
 opening words, ' And now saith the Lord.' In 2 Sam. 
 
Omission of Words 57 
 
 14^^, the sign marks the probable omission, where it 
 stands, of 'H^pO (' a messenger'), which would natur- 
 ally be dropped from between the now adjoining 
 words 1J3>'? I T?.^, which have so many letters in 
 common. In Ps. log^^, the line at the opening of 
 the verse forewarns us that ipn has been omitted 
 between '''^X HE'l) (as shown in the Sgptuagint). In 
 Deut. 11^, the pointer marks the omission of 'I 
 speak,' as supplied in most Versions ; and in 2 Sam. 
 24!^, it notes the need of a preposition in the 
 statement that ' the angel stretched forth his hand 
 [over] Jerusalem.' In Jer. 19* the line marks the 
 omission of the subject, which may be either ' my 
 people,' or 'the children of Israel.' In 2 Kings 7^, 
 the presence of the line in the expression ino 1 riV3 
 notes the inadvertent omission of the resemblant 
 verb-form "'^tsn, which must be replaced in order to 
 complete the announcement of the prophet thus : 
 ' About this time to-morrow [there shall be sold] a 
 measure of fine flour for a shekel. . . .' 
 
 (c) The omission of two or more words is not very common; 
 but instances do occur, and are sometimes marked. 
 
 In Gen. 3^^, the second line (at "|£i ' nnvi) evidently 
 prepares us for the anacolouthon following ; after 
 ' Now therefore, lest . . .' we should certainly ex- 
 pect the expression of such a practical conclusion as 
 ' let us drive him forth,' but this is left to be inferred 
 from the context. In Ex. 13^'^, the line marks a 
 similarly incomplete sentence. Gen. 37^ opens with 
 the words, 'These are the generations of Jacob,' a 
 formula which leads us to expect a detailed list of 
 
58 The Note-Line 
 
 his descendants, as in iqI ii1»- ^7 2512- 1»; but as this 
 is not given, the line is inserted to mark the blank. 
 In 2 Kings 25*, the second line warns the reader of 
 omissions, which can be supplied from the parallel 
 account in Jer. 39*. In Zech. 6^^ the line seems to 
 be a premonition of the anacolouthon at the end of 
 the verse. 
 
 See also Ps. 408 66^ Hos. 71^, Zech. 38 9". 
 
 (10) The pointer is sometimes employed for directing 
 attention to single words with some peculiarity, or irregu- 
 larity. Such a term may be [a) a proper name ; [b) a rare, 
 or unique, or poetic word ; (c) an unusual grammatical 
 form ; or (fi?) a word of unusual or doubtful meaning. 
 
 (a) We shall first cite instances in which the line marks 
 a peculiarity in the/onre of a proper name. 
 
 This is noted in Hag. i^^, where the contracted 
 form t'^WB' is for the first time found instead of the 
 full form^K^J^S^?* in i^ and 2^. (The short form 
 also appears later, in 2^, but is there left unmarked : 
 see p. 107.) Similarly, in Ex. 4^^, attention is called 
 by the line to the variant form 101, instead of iin* 
 (Moses' father-in-law), as given in 3^. In Ps. 81^, 
 the mark is prefixed to the unusual form flDin''3 in- 
 stead of npi''? (' in Joseph '). In Prov. 25^, the pointer 
 marks the short form il'ptn of the name of the king 
 of Judah, Hezekiah, instead of the usual W'pTn (as 
 in 2 Kings iS** etc.); on the other hand, the longer 
 form li^JiPIO^ is also specially noted by the line prefixed 
 in I Chron. 4*^.* Similarly, in Amos i^, the line 
 * See further remarks at p. 114, 
 
Rare or unique Nouns 59 
 
 before n^W has been placed there for the purpose of 
 calling attention to the short form of the name of the 
 king of Judah found here, instead of the fuller form 
 in'W as in Isa. i^ and elsewhere. 
 
 Specially noteworthy is the insertion of the line 
 to mark the unique occurrence of a proper name, 
 particularly a foreign name. Thus, in i Sam. 26", 
 attention is called to Ahimelech the Hittite, whose 
 name does not appear elsewhere ; the unique occur- 
 rence also, in Jer. 40^, of 'S''?? (Qeri), a man's name, 
 and in v.'^* of DyV?, a king of the Ammonites, is noted 
 by the line ; in Prov. 30^ "11J^J is marked for the same 
 reason. The name of a mountain called njnx is 
 
 T T -; 
 
 marked in Cant. 4^ as occurring there only. Foreign 
 names specially marked as such, by the line, are 
 ■JllpJ and others following in Isa. 37^ and 2 Kings 
 19^'^; the name of each of Haman's ten sons has the 
 sign prefixed in Esth. g^-S. 9. ^\^q mark is likewise 
 placed before 'Persia and Media' in Esth. iSii-is^ 
 and before ' India' in Esth. 8'; in Ezek. 47^8 'Bero- 
 thah, Sibraim,' are marked, by the prefixed line, as 
 elsewhere unknown. 
 See also Jer. 25^^. 
 
 (6) Rare or unique occurrence of certain appellatives is 
 frequently marked by the line. 
 
 Thus, D'PI in Gen. "f-^ is noted as uncommon ; in 
 Josh. 13^ and Judg. 3^, attention is called to the 
 peculiar designation Q'li'B'pB 'jnD ('lords of the Philis- 
 tines'); in Cant. 4^* D313 ('saffron'?) is marked as 
 unique, and several words similarly in Esth. i®. For 
 the same reason we find the sign with ''t?p3 in Ps. 
 
6o The Note-Line 
 
 139I8, with D''3iB'l2i? in Prov. 2481, with 10 in Job 
 1327, with n^l^j; in Prov. 30^5. 
 
 See also Josh. 20^, 2 Chron. 261^. 
 
 (c) The pointer is often associated with unusual gram- 
 matical forms. 
 
 Examples appear in Gen. i^', where, instead of 
 the Qal participle V^f, we should certainly expect the 
 Hiphil participle Jf^ltP, as in vv."- ^^ ; in Ps. 9I*, 
 where ''3330 is found instead of the usual ^33n ; in 
 Prov. 9'^, where ip^ unexpectedly occurs instead of 
 the more correct Piel participle 1Ei;[K3 ; in Isa. 4*, 
 where fn"! is marked as less likely than fOT. to be the 
 proper form ; in Gen. 15^, Esth. 3^, where the form inx 
 is pointed out as less common than ''7.0^ ! in Ex. 8^, 
 where the singular form 'nop is noted as less correct 
 than the simple ''013 ; in Josh. 3*, where the adjectival 
 form pinT is indicated as less likely than the noun- 
 form pni"l to be correct ; in Ruth i^^, where the 
 unexpected form ]\}> is noted as actually found in- 
 stead of the correct (masculine) Qi]? ; in Num. ii^' 
 and Deut. 5^*, showing the abnormal RN, for which 
 nns should be substituted; in Ps. 418, with 1^']»?'1, 
 instead of which "SI.OK''' should rather be expected ; 
 in Hag. 2^^, where the Aramaising form p ('if') 
 occurs, instead of the more classical D^!, which actu- 
 ally appears in the next verse. In Deut. 14^^, atten- 
 tion is called to the long form n^'i?? (' at the end of), 
 with the same meaning as the short form fi^t? in 15^. 
 
 See also Lev. 13^5, Ps. 62*- " 65I0 76^ 77I8, Jer. 2^, 
 Job 1612, Esth. i5, Deut. 285^. 
 
 [d) The line marks words bearing an tinusual meaning 
 or application in the following passages : — 
 
Words of doubtful Meaning 6i 
 
 In Gen. 13^® 1B'^? must either be held to signify 
 'so that,' or is superfluous; in Gen. 2' n''!?' bears 
 the singular sense of ' bush ' or ' shrub ' ; in Prov. 
 24!^ WtJ* signifies ' seven times,' but this meaning 
 would more commonly be conveyed by the fuller 
 expression D*K3J/S J'3B' ; in Deut. y^^ 3PV is marked 
 as bearing the exceptional sense of 'if,' though 
 generally signifying ' because ' ; in Ezek. 5^ ^TjJ], 
 though usually meaning ' a sword,' is noted as bear- 
 ing the unusual sense of ' a knife ' ; in 2 Chron. 5^, 
 ' the holy things of David ' is with good reason 
 marked as a singular expression ; in Gen. 23^^ 0\>'^ 
 has received the line at its side to mark the strange 
 use of the verb, though the form is really a corruption 
 of ii5'1 ' and it was purchased ' ; in Prov. 8^^, the 
 pointer beside B^' calls attention to the special mean- 
 ing that must be attached to this term, which is 
 commonly affirmed to be 'substance,' i.e. wealth; 
 in Num. 4^ ^3^ has received the line to mark its 
 unique application to denote a covering for the ark, 
 as elsewhere it means an article of wearing apparel. 
 In like manner, attention is called by the line in 
 2 Kings 20^ to the unexpected designation of King 
 Hezekiah, in the Divine message, as "'BV TJJ ' prince 
 of my people ' ; and in i Kings 1 1^*, where King 
 Solomon is called N''K'3 'prince.' 
 
 See also 2 Kings 4^^, Ps. 691", Prov. 6", Neh. 2^. 
 
 {e) The line sometimes also marks words of doubtful 
 meaning ; in such cases, however, the forms may really 
 prove to be questionable readings. 
 
 Thus, in i Chron. 15^'' 'SI?*?, marked by the sign, 
 is generally supposed to mean ' clothed ' ; but it may 
 
62 The Note-Line 
 
 be an obscured form of a familiar term. Ag^ain, in 
 I Chron. 8^^ 1133 is g-enerally regarded as the name 
 of a person (' Bocheru ') ; but the line preceding in- 
 dicates a doubt whether it should not rather be read 
 1133 ' his firstborn,' and thus be viewed as explicative 
 of the person previously named. In Prov. 30^, the 
 line prefixed to the second of the first three words 
 evidently means that this may otherwise be pointed 
 l^ll or 1311, and thus translated ' and one who 
 speaks,' or 'and utterance,' either of which render- 
 ings would be as suitable as that indicated by the 
 Massoretes. 
 
 See also Isa. 49^^, i Chron. 12*". 
 
 (/) The pointer may call attention to unique forms 
 (aira^ Xe^Oyaeya), whose genuineness or signification is 
 thereby questioned. 
 
 Ps. SS'-^ opens with the expression i^lSiri 1 ni33 
 Cin, in which the line is prefixed to the verb-form 
 in order to show that this is absolutely unparalleled 
 by any other from the same ' root,' — if root there 
 be; the meaning of the word is quite uncertain, 
 though Gesenius renders it 'observe insidiously.' 
 Frequently, however, it is read |l1j3'iri ('leap,' or 
 ' skip '), but a more simple and suitable emendation 
 is llJJlJil (' tremble ' for fear). 
 
 Ps. 72^'', which somewhat interrupts the even flow 
 of the poem, begins with the words pN3 1 "iSTIEia ^^^, 
 showing the pointer-line post-fixed * to a compound 
 expression difficult to explain, especially because the 
 supposed noun nB3 occurs nowhere else in Scripture, 
 * See p. 30, footnote. 
 
Unique Forms of Words 6 
 
 o 
 
 and no satisfactory meaning has yet been attached 
 to the form, though it has variously been alleged to 
 signify ' abundance,' or ' a handful.' 
 
 In Ps. 89®, which begins a direct address to the 
 Almighty, there first appears a pointer that may 
 merely be an anticipation of the second ; this is 
 placed beside a unique form. After the question, 
 ' Who is like unto thee ? ' there follows the remark- 
 able expression i^l ' Tpn, the first word of which 
 occurs nowhere else, and is really difficult to explain, 
 though some commentators render the words by ' a 
 strong one [is] Jah.' 
 
 In Ps. 55^®, the opening word, marked by the line, 
 is nW^, which some expositors read as niD'B'' and 
 explain as ' desolations ' ; but the Qeri is HID li''^l 
 ' let death deceive [them],' while a bolder rendering 
 would be niO Oy'WI 'let death overtake them.' 
 
 Deut. 27* contains the expression iK^^ ' rispn, 
 showing the pointer beside the opening word, which 
 occurs here only. Perhaps this is merely an aural 
 error of transcription for tipE'n which appears else- 
 where (Isa. 7* etc.) in similar circumstances, bearing 
 the meaning ('be quiet') that should most probably 
 be attached to the form here. 
 
 The opening words of Ps. 55^^ are usually rendered, 
 ' Cast upon the Lord thy burden.' But the Hebrew 
 term 13n^, forming the object in this brief sentence, 
 appears nowhere else in Scripture, and is of wholly 
 uncertain origin, so that its meaning can only be con- 
 jectured. The early scribe who here inserted the line 
 has thereby recorded his perplexity with this word, 
 which some later interpreters have supposed to mean 
 
64 The Note-Line 
 
 ' grief.' The form still awaits a satisfactory explana- 
 tion. In I Kings ig^, attention is called by the line to 
 the unique form n^''3K (with the article prefixed), for 
 which 'P^M 'food,' would rather have been expected. 
 
 See also Gen. 38^*, Josh. 20", Judg. 6^, Job ig^, 
 Jer. Ill", Ezek. 17**. 
 
 (11) The pointer is frequently employed to mark peculiar 
 or abnormal constructions in grammar. Such divergences 
 are various, but they may be conveniently classified. 
 
 [a) Irregularities in the use of the article are sometimes 
 noted by the line. 
 
 (a) The absence of the article may be marked at points 
 where it should normally appear. 
 
 Thus, in 2 Kings 20^^, attention is called to the 
 construction in 3it3n iDa* 1 HK ; in Ps. 146'', we are 
 invited to consider pxi D''DB' 1 nK^V, all the more be- 
 cause the article is used before the object immediately 
 following (viz. ' the sea ') ; in Isa. 63^, we are called 
 to note SO ' nt ID where the omission of the article 
 from the last term may be regarded as an instance of 
 haplography, due to the influence of the preceding 
 demonstrative (see similar instances in Job 38^ 42^) ; 
 in Deut. 31^, the sign distinctly notes the article as 
 absent in the expression T'llfi? "^■?i' ' ^'•'^ ; while its 
 presence, on the other hand, is marked with equal 
 distinctness in vv.^- ^, where we find the expression 
 ^"33^ -l^nn 1 Nin ; in Lev. 1 1^^ -i^n 1 bl is all the more 
 noteworthy because similar expressions in the pre- 
 ceding verses, and following in the same verse, have 
 the article ; in 2 Sam. 20^, the line calls attention to 
 
Article abnormally present 65 
 
 the double omission of the article from the two con- 
 secutive defined nouns in the expression ' the ten 
 women, the concubines.' Highly instructive is the 
 expression D''i3n ^2b i B''Sri ('the man clothed with 
 the linen garments ') found in Ezek. g" and lo^, with 
 which must be compared D^'ian m^r\ {^'xn, the fuller 
 construction previously given in 9^. The absence of 
 the article is similarly noted in n-ii:p •'Jp 1 nfbp (' three 
 branches of the lampstand ') Ex. 2582 and 371* ; and 
 in the unvarying expression ^V10 ?nj< 1 nx ('the tent 
 of tryst') in Ex. 31^ etc. The line prefixed to the 
 defective expression N^n np^pa in Gen. 32^3 marks it 
 as notable, and invites comparison with the full con- 
 struction Ninn np)ji3 given in the verse immediately 
 preceding. 
 
 (/S) At other times, the pointer calls attention to the 
 abnormal presence of the article: 
 
 Thus, in 2 Kings 25* and Zech. i^, the sign has 
 been placed before '^\?^, which properly signifies 
 'to-night' (or 'this night'), but must in both pas- 
 sages — as the context shows — be rendered ' by night,' 
 i.e. n7v. In Jer. 38^, the irregular attachment of the 
 article to a construct noun is noted in the expression 
 ^/Tspp I -lian 'the cistern-prison of Malchiah,' and 
 a like irregularity is marked in Ezek. 21 2^, where we 
 find OpK'n^ DDijiri 'the divination of Jerusalem.' In 
 Isa. 63II, the line is prefixed to D^Vlsn ' he who 
 brought them up,' a Hiphil participle to which a 
 pronominal suffix as well as the article is attached ; 
 the same accumulation is again marked, anticipat- 
 ively, in Ps. 81^^, where we find the form 'A>VyS\ 'he 
 
 5 
 
66 The Note-Line 
 
 who brought thee up.' The line likewise calls atten- 
 tion, in Num. 'f- ^, to the definite forms of expression 
 
 niijjjjn 'Tiss' I ns and ni^J3;n vans i nsi ('the two 
 
 waggons,' ' and the four waggons '), instead of 
 which the context rather leads us to expect indefinite 
 expressions, -without the article and the accusatival 
 sign ('two waggons,' 'and four waggons'); and 
 again, in Num. 35I*, to D^"!J?n B'^f 1 HK, instead of 
 which we certainly rather expect an indefinite ex- 
 pression (viz. 'three cities'). In Prov. 30^^, the 
 presence of the article in ~^^}J] 'the eagle,' is marked 
 as abnormal when the form is compared with like 
 nouns, in succeeding clauses, without the article ; 
 similarly, in Ps. 65^*, t^'sn is noted as not in accord- 
 ance with the corresponding noun, which wants the 
 article, in the second parallel member of the verse. 
 
 See other instances in i Sam. 11'', Ps. 104^^ 106*^ 
 (latter half, two cases) 129^, Jer. 31^^ 48^''. 
 
 (5) The pointer sometimes marks unusual constructions 
 of nouns. Such instances may advantageously be classi- 
 fied. Thus — 
 
 (a) Attention is called to cases in which a noun is found 
 in the absolute state, when the construct might rather have 
 been expected. 
 
 In Neh. a^^ vve find DJjp 1 U'VVA ' a few men,' 
 instead of t2V0 ''B'JS, or D^tsyip D'K'JN ;' and in i Sam. 
 iqS we find D^nJ r\f>^ 'three kids,' though the con- 
 struct form riK'pa' occurs in the next clause. 
 
 (^) On the other hand, uncommon uses of the construct 
 state may be noted by the line. 
 
Unusual Noun-Constructions 67 
 
 Instances are l^i? '??''5' 'lying [in] the grave,' Ps. 
 886; K3an p05)3 I nnjj 'those passing through the 
 valley of Baca,' Ps. 84^ ; D'33N "i^^n nmri ' five smooth 
 stones,' I Sam. 17*"- See also Zech. 8^'^, Ps. 127^, 
 I Kings 2^1 ('blood shed causelessly'). 
 
 (7) Circumlocutions for expressing the genitival idea by 
 means of ?, may be indicated by the line. 
 
 Examples are iS?? ' P.i? 'the horn of his people,' 
 Ps. 1481*;^ ninH^ I □■'Jiia 'priests of Jehovah,' 2 Chron. 
 26"; njn''i> 1 n2& 'the sabbath of Jehovah,' Deut. 5I*. 
 
 (S) Abnormal insertion of a word between a constrmct 
 noun and its genitive may be noted by the pointer. 
 
 Cases are "i^i?. DB^'dipp 'a place of burial there,' 
 Ezek. 39^^ ; and the second clause in Ex. 2&- ^, wrhich 
 must be rendered ' and the breadth of the second 
 curtain [was] four cubits.' 
 
 (e) The line may mark a noun placed absolutely and 
 without inflection at the beginning of its own clause, 
 sometimes for the sake of emphasis. 
 
 Examples are 5103 in Ex. 21^2; ^"iK in Ezek. 40^'^; 
 nisiB'ri in Isa. 22^ ; D^DE' in Ps. 89^ 
 
 (^) Singular for plural. 
 
 Thus ri'Da instead of ''^133 'in the houses of,' 2 Kings 
 1729. 
 
 (rf) A suffixed noun, instead of the absolute form followed 
 by a ' dative.' 
 
 In Ps. 115'^ 'their hands' is noted as an irregular 
 construction for 'hands [are] to them,' as in vv.^-^ 
 
68 The Note-Line 
 
 (But the sign is not repeated at the similarly irregular 
 form following [' their feet'].) 
 (c) The line sometimes calls attention to abnormal 
 arrangement of attributives, which should succeed their 
 principals instead of being placed in front. 
 
 Illustrations are HE'D i nt 'this Moses,' Ex. 321-23; 
 wpn^ I nr 'this bread of ours,' Josh, g^^ ; ^''n'SK 1 HT 
 ' this God,' Ps. 4815. See also i Chron. 2626. 
 id) The omission of the relative sign "lE'K is sometimes 
 marked by the line. 
 
 Instances are ina 1 Dyn ' the people [whom] he 
 
 chose,' Ps. 33I2; W^? ' '2^''? 'on the day [when] he 
 
 delivered,' Ps. 18I; inan 1 nB'S 'blessed [is he whom] 
 
 thou dost choose,' Ps. 65^. See also Ps. 74^. 
 
 [e] The line may mark want of agreement between subject 
 
 and predicate. 
 
 In Ps. 55^2, attention is called to the plural pre- 
 dicate ^PpH, whose subject ('his mouth') is singular,* 
 and in Ps. 66* similarly to the formal incongruity 
 in "^ linw*. I n?^^? ' all the earth shall worship 
 thee.' 
 (/) The line frequently calls attention to noteworthy 
 constructions of verbs. Such cases may conveniently be 
 classified thus — 
 
 (a.) The sign often marks an unusual regimen of a verb 
 in relation to its object, especially when the completion of 
 its essential idea is effected by means of a preposition not 
 ordinarily thus employed. 
 
 * But perhaps the g-enuine reading- is p7n (adj.) 'smooth.' 
 
Unusual Regimen of Verbs 69 
 
 In Ps. i8i, we are called to observe the construc- 
 tion niiT'p I "la'l, as the preposition commonly em- 
 ployed is bs ; in v.''', note is made of the simple 
 accusative in the expression nin' 1 S<"iipK, instead of 
 the indirect government by means of ?f?; and in v.^^, 
 the exceptional construction irT'E'DP i ipn rwjl (instead 
 of the normal connection by means of the preposition 
 QV) is similarly marked. In Ps. 31^^, attention is 
 called to the unusual construction 'nn^^ 1^-? ' upon 
 thee did I trust ' ; the preposition ^^ appears in v.^, 
 but the connection of the verb with its object is 
 normally affected by means of 3. In Ps. 137^, note 
 is made of the abnormal regimen in the expression 
 ^3np I 'JiB*? P3"jri ' let my tongue cleave to my palate,' 
 where the preposition 3 would rather have been ex- 
 pected ; and of the construction DilS ''33^ 1 nin^ ibf 
 'remember, O Lord, the children of Edom,' in v.^, 
 where the direct accusative could have been used 
 instead. Other instances, in which a preposition is 
 abnormally introduced, particularly between a verb 
 and its object, are in i Sam. i^i inoK "JW 1 nxin 
 ' thou wilt behold the distress of thine handmaid ' ; 
 in Ps. 146'' Q''\>^^vb I tiBBip nw 'executing judgment 
 for oppressed ones ' ; and in v.** D''")?."'^^ "'P'K' ' ni]T_ 
 ' the Lord preserveth strangers.' See also Josh, i^^, 
 Ps. 4oi», 138^, Eccles. 6^, Jer. 46^8, Ezek. iS^". 
 
 On the other hand, the absence of a connecting 
 preposition, between a verb and its object, may be 
 marked by the line, as in Deut. 3^^ ('go up [to] the 
 top of Pisgah'), Ezek. ii^^ ('and I cried [with] a 
 loud voice'; compare i Sam. 28^^, Neh. 9* etc., 
 where 3 is used). See also Ps. z^^, 18''. 
 
70 The Note-Line 
 
 Another unusual construction is noted in Jer. 18^" 
 na^ I nbr • remember that I stood ' (lit. ' remember 
 my standing '). See also Deut. 28^^, 2 Sam. 20^". 
 
 (;8) The line may note the uninflected use of a verb, in 
 the form of the absolute infinitive, when a finite form 
 would be expected in less vivid and impassioned or more 
 finished style. 
 
 See Esth. g'^^, where we read : ' But the rest of 
 the Jews that were in the royal provinces gathered 
 together and stood pbJJl 1 'hr\\>i) for their lives . . .' 
 Isa. 22I3 'But behold joy and gladness, slaughtering 
 of oxen pija I i'i^) and slaying of sheep. ..." See 
 also Ps. 126^, Jer. 32** 35^^ (double line). 
 
 (7) The pointer may mark the employment of a. participle 
 and a pronoun, instead of an ordinary finite form of the 
 verb. 
 
 Illustrations are Num. 10^" Wn3X 1 D''yDb ('we are 
 journeying'); Deut. 5^2 ybK*^ Umx 1 D''aD''-DS< ('if we 
 are again to hear ') ; 2 Kings 10^ D''J)p'tJ' DPX . . . DS 
 (' if ye hearken'). 
 
 [g) The pointer often calls attention to unusual forms or 
 uses oi conjunctions. 
 
 Thus, in 2 Sam. 231° ''3 ' IJ? ('until') is marked as 
 being less common than IK'S IV; in i Sam. 5^ '''inN is 
 noted as abnormally joined (instead of It?'^? '''i'.nK) with 
 a finite verb ; in Job 4^" ^X is marked as employed 
 for the fuller '3 fJN ('how much less'); in Num. lo^^ 
 |3-pj; I 13 is pointed out as an unnecessary amplifica- 
 tion of ''3 (' because ') ; in Ps. go^ l^']^? is marked as 
 followed by the perfect, instead of the more usual 
 
Change of Construction 71 
 
 imperfect, even in narrating what is past (see Gen. 
 371^, Ex. ji^, Jer. i^ twice). 
 
 [h) The pointer frequently marks an abrupt change of 
 construction during the course of a sentence. 
 
 In Mai. 2^^, after the feminine has been employed, 
 in the first part of the verse, in describing the wicked- 
 ness of apostate Judah, a sudden change to the 
 masculine is marked in the latter half, commencing 
 n"l!ini ppn 1 "la. in Ps. 10^, after beginning has been 
 made with the singular, there comes a transition to 
 the plural, in the forms ib'Sri'; and I^B'n : the line has 
 been inserted into the text to note the change. 
 Similarly, in Ps. 32®, after the singular has been 
 used in the preceding verses, note is made, by the 
 pointer, of transition to the plural in the expression 
 Vnri"PS<. In Gen. 14^, after the preposition ns has 
 been prefixed to the names of the first two kings, it 
 is omitted — and the inserted line calls attention to 
 the fact — before the names of the remainder. In 
 the middle of Ex. 12^, the line gives forewarning of 
 a sudden change in construction : ' for, every one 
 that eateth leaven, — that soul shall be cut off ' : a 
 similar example appears in v.^'- Lev. 11^'' presents 
 a more lengthy illustration : ' And everything that 
 goeth . . . — whosoever toucheth their carcase shall 
 be unclean.' The line in Ex. 34^^ marks striking 
 changes of construction, — first, from the second 
 person singular 'thou,' next to the third person 
 plural 'they,' and then to the indefinite third person 
 singular ' one.' The pointer at the beginning of 
 Deut. 4^ marks a rapid and remarkable transition 
 from the second person singular to the second person 
 
72 The Note- Line 
 
 plural : D3ns 'RIB^ ' HK"! < See [thou], I have taught 
 you.' Change from the second person to the third 
 is expressly noted by the pointer at the opening of 
 Ps. 135^ ' He sent signs and wonders into the 
 midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his 
 servants.' In Ex. 35^^, the line inserted in the ex- 
 pression 3? 3*"13 I ^3 notes the sudden occurrence of 
 the singular form (instead of ''5''1^) in the midst of 
 plurals. In Jer. 46^^^, change from the singular of 
 the imperative to the plural of the cohortative is pre- 
 sented in the expression nniE'Jl 1 noip (but probably 
 the first of these forms should be '^^''P^)- 
 
 See also Gen. 37^", Lev. 10^, Ps. 5^, Jer. 131" 30'^. 
 
 (?) The insertion of the line may be prompted by a 
 desire for a more suitable arrangement of verses. 
 
 In Ps. g6i^,the first two words at the beginning, 
 viz. 'before the Lord,' cut off by the line which 
 follows, certainly find a more fitting position at the 
 end of the preceding verse. (But the line may 
 likewise call attention to the remarkable repetition 
 immediately following, viz. ' for he comes, for he 
 comes.'*) See also Zech. i^'''. 
 
 (12) The note-line is frequently inserted to point out the 
 order of words as remarkable at least, if not questionable. 
 The cases in which a peculiar arrangement of the members 
 in a sentence is thus noted may naturally be disposed in 
 two different classes. 
 
 {a) Certain words may purposely be placed in unusual 
 positions for the sake of emphasis. 
 
 * See p. 48. 
 
Unusual Order of Words 73 
 
 Thus, in Neh. 2^, the subject is marked by the 
 line as intentionally placed before its predicate, for 
 emphasis : ' Why is thy face sad, seeing- that thou 
 art not ill ? ' In Job 14I*', the object is noted by the 
 sign as purposely put first, to give it special promi- 
 nence : '[Even] stones the waters wear away.' Lev. 
 11^^, which treats of unclean animals that were not 
 to be eaten, distinguishes them as ' not cleaving the 
 hoof, and not chewing the cud': these objects are 
 placed in the beginning of their respective clauses, 
 and have the line inserted beside them to certify that 
 the words are thereby intentionally emphasised. 
 Similarly, the line in 2 Kings 5^^ seems to have been 
 inserted where it now appears, to assure us that the 
 unusual arrangement of the members in the sentence 
 was made for the purpose of producing special em- 
 phasis : ' Surely he will come out to me/' 
 
 [b) More numerous are instances in which the line marks 
 inadvertefit displacement, by an early transcriber, of words 
 from their natural order in the sentence. 
 
 In Ruth 4I1, the sign calls attention to the order 
 in which Jacob's two wives are mentioned, viz. 
 ' Rachel and Leah ' (not ' Leah and Rachel ') ; and 
 in the same book, i^, the names of Naomi's sons 
 are similarly marked as given in the order, ' Mahlon 
 and Chilion,' whereas, in 4*, the order is ' Chilion 
 and Mahlon.' In 2 Sam. 3I*, we are called by the 
 presence of the pointer to observe the unusual order 
 of the words 'David my servant,' because the normal 
 arrangement (see yS- «■ 26 j^ig. 20 gtc.) is 'my servant 
 David ' ; and in the same book, 4", the order of the 
 
74 The Note-Line 
 
 names of those who murdered Ishbosheth is specially 
 noted as ' Rechab and Baanah,' because, in v.^, men- 
 tion had first been made of Baanah-, then of Rechab. 
 Similarly, in Jer. 14I®, the prefixed line calls attention 
 to the order of the words, ' the famine and the 
 sword,' inasmuch as vv.^^-^^-^^ had previously pre- 
 sented these in reverse order. In Judg. 21^^ IJvX is 
 properly marked as placed rather late in the sentence, 
 for it should immediately follow l'*^'; and in Ps. 
 49^1 13 should not begin but come second in the 
 sentence, so that this may be read, ' He seeth that 
 wise men die.' In Ps. 28^ 'my rock' should not 
 be separated from niiT; by ^7'?^, but should come 
 between these words, where the line appears. Josh. 
 19^^ shows ?"li23 ('by lot') with a double note-line* 
 as placed rather late within its own proposition, 
 where it should occupy a position nearer the verb. 
 In Ex. 29^^, the line, though inserted prematurely,! 
 points to the fact that the relative clause 13in It^X 
 comes too late ; it should immediately follow its 
 antecedent, ' the breast of the wave-offering.' In 
 Ps. 18^° njni is marked as appearing rather late 
 within its own proposition (see the parallel in 2 Sam. 
 22^", where it rightly comes earlier) ; for the same 
 reason ''3ns in Ps. 86^, nin"' in Ps. 108*, injJI in Ps. 
 lor', and ''B'S] in Ps. 142^ have the line prefixed to 
 them. The line in Ps. 119^^^, after Q^ai, shows that 
 this word, as the predicate, should stand first in the 
 verse ; and the sign in Isa. lo^* indicates that "'l^ 
 ('my hand') should be placed earlier, immediately 
 after its verb. In i Sam. 14*^ ^20 is noted as 
 * See p. 28. t See p. 25. 
 
Strange Statements 75 
 
 appearing too early ; similarly, in Isa. 4* DOi'' is 
 marked as introduced too soon, and thus disturbing 
 the close connection between 'cloud and smoke.' 
 In Ezek. 26^^, and again in 38^*, the interrogative N?n 
 is pointed out as awkwardly suspended at the be- 
 ginning of its own clause, while its verb, which 
 should follow as soon as possible after, is not intro- 
 duced till near the end of the sentence. Isa. 66^" 
 presents an excellent illustration of perplexity caused 
 through transposition of words and clauses ; the 
 introduction of the lines is obviously intended to 
 assist in reducing the whole to better order. 
 
 See also Gen. 17", Lev. 20^, Num. 9^° 31^" (cf. 
 the proper order in v.*^), Jer. 42^, Ezek. 24'^'^, Mic. 
 5*, Ps. 3I 24''-^ 3913 69^ 116I, I Chron. 2^^ (cf. the 
 normal order in 9^), Neh. 8^'^, 2 Sam. 6^. 
 
 (13) The line frequently points to a strange expression 
 or startling statement, calculated to raise doubt as to its 
 accuracy.* This sense of difficulty apparently led to the 
 insertion of the line, which may accordingly be regarded, 
 in such cases, as essentially a query introduced by an 
 observant scribe. 
 
 In Judg. i', we find the sign at the remarkable 
 statement that ' seventy kings ' (D'??'p ' O'V??"), with 
 their thumbs and their great toes cut off", gathered 
 their meat under his table; the number seems 
 incredible, — even though we should take the ' kings ' 
 to be but petty chiefs, — and we should probably read 
 
 * For the present, we have to consider mainly the question of fact. 
 At a later stage (p. 78), attention will be turned to the removal of such 
 difficulties by means of textual emendations. 
 
76 The Note- Line 
 
 'seven.' In Josh. 5^, the mark is placed at the 
 statement, ' For forty years (nsf Diyans 1 ''3) the 
 children of Israel walked in the wilderness ' ; obvi- 
 ously, the number is merely approximate, and the 
 correct reading probably is D^WIXS ('nearly forty'). 
 A querying line is similarly placed after the state- 
 ment, in I Chron. 29^^, that ' Solomon sat on the 
 throne of Jehovah' (nin^ KD3). In Judg. 2o33, the 
 mark is placed at the beginning, where we read that 
 ' all ' the men of Israel rose up out of their place to 
 set themselves in battle-array; this statement is 
 somewhat surprising in view of what is immediately 
 added, that ' the ambush of Israel ' simultaneously 
 arose from their place, for attack. Similarly, in 
 Lev. 4'', after it had been ordained that the officiating 
 priest is to put ' some of the bullock's blood ' (vv.^- ') 
 on the horns of the altar of incense, it is added that 
 he should pour out ' all the blood ' at the foot of the 
 altar of burnt-offering : by the insertion of the line, 
 attention is reasonably directed to ?3 as a strange 
 reading. In i Sam. 18^", we read that ' an evil spirit 
 of God' ( I nVT I Q''n^K nn) fell upon Saul; the insertion 
 of the double note-line is of course substantially a 
 query by the scribe. In Ex. 18^^, where we read 
 that Jethro brought a burnt-offering and sacrifices, it 
 is added that Aaron came, ' and all the elders of 
 Israel,' to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law be- 
 fore God ; but an observant transcriber has inserted 
 the interrogatory line at 'all.' In Jer. 7^^ the line 
 obviously calls attention to what is certainly a 
 remarkable prohibition ; the prophet is actually 
 forbidden by the Lord to intercede on behalf of 
 
Anthropopathic Expressions 'j'] 
 
 the people. Similarly, when a like utterance is 
 repeated later, in ii^'^, the line is inserted at the 
 equally remarkable reason given for forbidding 
 intercession, ' because I will not hear in the time 
 that they cry.' 
 
 See also Deut. 28°^, i Sam. 14^^ 22^*, 2 Sam. 13^^, 
 I Kings lo^", Jer. 12^*. 
 (14) The insertion of the line was frequently prompted 
 by a spirit of reverence in the scribe, who thereby noted 
 anthropopathic expressions, or any phrase that might seem 
 to detract from the Divine dignity. The sign may there- 
 fore be regarded, in some instances, as meant to remind 
 the reader that such expressions must not be interpreted 
 literally. 
 
 Thus, in Ps. 13^, the line has been inserted in the 
 earnest but not strictly proper question of the dis- 
 tressed writer addressed to the Lord, ' How long wilt 
 thou withdraw * thy face from me ? ' Similarly, in 
 Ps. 2'f', which begins, ' Withdraw not thy face from 
 me,' the expression is marked as anthropopathic ; in 
 Deut. 16^^^, containing the words, 'Thou shalt rejoice 
 before the face of the Lord thy God,' and again in 
 v.i^, which contains the command, ' Three times in 
 the year shall all thy males appear before the face of 
 the Lord thy God, the words signifying 'face' are 
 noted by the line ; the mark is also found in the 
 command, Deut. 14^^ 'Thou shalt eat before the 
 Lord thy God . . . the tithe of thy corn ..." 
 Notably also the line appears, Deut. 23^^, in the 
 reason assigned for the command to the Israelites 
 * See the author's Studies in Hebrew Synonyms, p. 71. 
 
78 The Note-Line 
 
 that they should keep the camp clean, viz. that the 
 Lord ' walketh ' * in the midst of it. 
 
 Again, in Num. 10^^, at the words, ' Arise, O 
 Lord,' the line appears to suggest that such language 
 is almost too familiar. Specially remarkable is Ps. 
 44^*, containing the intensely earnest cry, ' Awake ! 
 why sleepest thou, O Lord ? ' and showing the line 
 beside both verbs, to mark the feeling in the mind 
 of the inserting scribe that such language was not 
 strictly admissible. Similarly, in Isa. 37^^, the line 
 calls attention to the impassioned utterance of 
 Hezekiah in his prayer for heavenly help, ' Incline 
 thine ear, O Lord, and hear ; open thine eyes and 
 see.' t Exception is further taken, through the in- 
 sertion of the line, to the description in Ps. 78®^, that 
 ' the Lord awaked as one that had been asleep ' ; and 
 in I Kings 19* to the words of the wearied and weak 
 Elijah, ' It is enough now, O Lord ; take away my 
 life,' as unbecoming and hardly reverent even in the 
 mouth of an honoured prophet. 
 
 See also Ex. 346, Num. &^- 26. 
 
 (15) Specially frequent is the insertion of the line by 
 later transcribers to mark difficulties caused by a pre- 
 decessor's substitution of a questionable reading. For the 
 original word, he had inadvertently written another re- 
 sembling it in form or sound, but diff'ering in sense. 
 
 The principle on which the later scribes introduced 
 
 * This anthropopathism, however, is not marked in Gen. 3*, where 
 the Lord is described as 'walking- in the gfarden.' See subsequent 
 remarks on this subject, p. 112, 
 
 t Only some editions exhibit the line in Ps. 86', at the words, 
 ' Incline thine ear, O Lord.' 
 
Suspected Readings 79 
 
 the sign was simple. No attempt was made on their 
 part to amend the passage ; they practically left it as 
 it was. But if a single word was found intractable, it 
 was marked as lying under doubt. Reverence for the 
 sacred text would doubtless suggest this conservative 
 course. 
 
 These suspected readings vary much in character. 
 Some difficulties can be solved very simply : the restora- 
 tion of a single letter may suffice to give the reading we 
 require. In other cases, more than one letter must be 
 altered ere a satisfactory solution is obtained. More 
 complicated instances involve the correction of several 
 words. Yet all such emendations, even when conjectural, 
 must be strictly regulated by sound principles, derived 
 by induction, after careful observation and experience of 
 similar changes proved to have taken place elsewhere in 
 the Hebrew Scriptures. But after all there will remain 
 some passages unsolved, — perhaps insolvable.* 
 
 Simple illustrations will now be given of instances in 
 whjch the correction is easy. Let it be observed, how- 
 ever, that the following emendations are effected without 
 much regard to the testimony of the Septuagint or other 
 ancient Versions, inasmuch as many of the difficulties 
 noted by the line had already crept into the Hebrew text 
 before these translations were made.f 
 
 Gen. 29!^, according to the Massoretic text, in- 
 forms us that when Laban heard the ' tidings ' (VDtJ') 
 of Jacob, his sister's son, who had just arrived from 
 * See p. 90. t See p. 20. 
 
8o The Note-Line 
 
 Canaan, that he ran to greet him. The line after 
 I'OB', however, indicates the doubt of the scribe 
 regarding this reading; and his suspicion is con- 
 firmed by the Septuagint, in which ovo/mu points to 
 DE-' as the correct term, so that the expression 
 originally was 'the name of Jacob.' 
 
 Lev. 16^^ forms part of the directions regarding 
 the mode in which Aaron was to enter the holy place 
 on the Great Day of Atonement : ' he shall put the 
 incense upon the fire [in the censer] before the Lord, 
 that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy- 
 seat.' For the first time in this chapter, the pointer- 
 line appears in front of the expression ' the cloud of 
 incense,' for which the phrase occurring in the 
 Hebrew received text is nnbjjin JJV. But why is the 
 line here at all ? Because the intelligent scribe who 
 inserted it felt confident that I^I? is inappropriate, and 
 that the true reading rather is something similar, 
 viz. ]'4'V ' smoke.' 
 
 The Massoretic text in Ps. 84^^ represents Jehovah 
 as a ' sun (K'^tJ') and shield,' but the combination of 
 figures is somewhat incongruous. This has been 
 perceived by the scribe who inserted the line after 
 'sun,' which he felt to be a textual difficulty. The 
 ingenious suggestion of Houbigant, that we should 
 read 1W ('preserver,' or 'guard'), forms the best 
 solution of the difficulty. If both predicates be taken 
 as participles, the resultant rendering becomes, ' The 
 Lord is a protector and preserver.' 
 
 The line at the beginning of Josh. 6^^, in the 
 expression *1D3 1 Pbl 'and all silver,' was evidently 
 introduced by a scribe who thought that the first 
 
Suspected Readings 8i 
 
 word should rather be v^l, as in the context immedi- 
 ately following' ; the opening words should therefore 
 be, ' and vessels of silver.' * 
 
 Deut. 12^^ gives directions regulating the slaughter 
 of animals which were to be used merely as human 
 food, and not offered in sacrifice, away from the 
 central altar. 'Thou mayest slay, and eat flesh.' 
 The corresponding Hebrew, actually found in the 
 Massoretic text, is 1E5'3 n^3«1 i nam ; but it will be 
 
 ' ttt:-t; :•' 
 
 observed that a scribe has with good reason in- 
 serted the note-line after the first verb, which should 
 rather be natpn, inasmuch as Hat properly signifies to 
 slay animals for sacrifice (see Ex. 3^* 5^- ^- ^^ etc.), 
 whereas nai3 signifies to slaughter animals for use 
 merely as human food (see Gen. 43^^, Ex. 21^^, 
 I Sam. 25I1 etc.). 
 
 Ezra 4^ records that the aliens who had been 
 settled in the land of Israel, after the mass of the 
 Hebrews had been carried to Babylon, came to 
 Zerubbabel after the Return from the Captivity and 
 desired to share in the worship of Israel's God. 
 ' Like you,' they said, ' we seek your God, and to 
 him have we been doing sacrifice.' In the Massoretic 
 text, the Hebrew corresponding to the last clause is 
 D'naf WTOX I NPI, but the marginal note rightly calls us 
 to read i?! instead of the first word. It will further 
 be observed, however, that an early scribe had already 
 noted the textual difficulty, and inserted the usual 
 signal-line, t 
 
 * Reference has already been made to this passage in another 
 connection : see p. 21. 
 
 t On the coincidence of the QerJ with the note-line, see p. 13. 
 
 6 
 
82 The Note-Line 
 
 In Ps. 54, containing- 9 verses, the pointer 
 appears only in v.^, and there at the form C'lT 
 ('strang-ers'), which has obviously been regarded 
 by the observant scribe as too mild a term to 
 suit the context ; the similarly sounded D^iy 
 ('adversaries') must be restored, as more appro- 
 priate. 
 
 In Gen. i8^\ Jehovah is represented as saying 
 concerning the wickedness of the people in Sodom, 
 ' I will go down, that I may see whether they have 
 done wholly (i^73 ' IS^V) according to the cry of it, 
 that is come unto me.' It will be perceived that the 
 pointer has been inserted before ' wholly,' which 
 certainly demands a somewhat unusual construction 
 in its favour, if it be the genuine reading. But it 
 is more probable, as has already been suggested, 
 that the correct reading is Dp3 ('all of them'); and 
 this may have been the view of the scribe who intro- 
 duced the sign. 
 
 In Gen. 19® (the first place in this chapter, con- 
 taining 38 verses, where the line appears, — the only 
 other instance being v.^*, where another textual 
 difficulty is noted), the mark is placed before nNpiVC'S, 
 the short and sharp command addressed to Lot by 
 the wicked Sodomites who assailed him at his own 
 door. It has long been perceived that these two 
 words, taken in their usual meaning, ' Come thither,' 
 present a contradiction : the insertion of the pointer 
 here records the difficulty felt by the scribe. Instead 
 of imposing on ^i a meaning directly opposed to 
 what it bears elsewhere, and then rendering the two 
 words by 'Be off!' (as in the Septuagint avoffra 
 
Suspected Readings 83 
 
 6Ket), it certainly suits the context better to amend 
 •^^rL! into DPn, and then render the expression ' Come 
 here ! ' 
 
 In Jer. 44^ (the first point at which the line ap- 
 pears in this chapter), the mark is prefixed to the 
 expression nnin'_ 'apD ('the kings of Jndah,' plural) ; 
 but in the next clause we find VB'J ('his wives,'* 
 the pronominal suffix being singulaT^. The differ- 
 ence between these two expressions, in number, 
 might well lead us to conclude that an early scribe 
 had inadvertently added 1 to the Hebrew term for 
 ' king,' through the influence of the initial letter in 
 the next word 'Judah.' With the observant scribe 
 who inserted the line, we may safely assume that 
 the correct reading is n'lin'' TjpD ('the king of 
 Judah'). 
 
 In Ruth 2^', the opening words "lOK ''3 ' D3, given 
 as reported to Naomi by her daughter-in-law, and 
 describing what Boaz had done, are noted by the 
 Hebrew scribe as doubtful, for the usual meaning of 
 the first two words, combined, is 'Even if; the 
 construction is certainly unusual. But by changing 
 the first word into ^^< we obtain an excellent and 
 appropriate statement, ' He actually said ! ' (See 
 Neh. 9I8, Gen. 3I.) 
 
 In Ps. 22, the line does not appear till v.^", where 
 it is significantly prefixed to 'Hb ('my strength'). 
 The suspicions of the scribe who placed it there have 
 been confirmed by the judgment of J. Olshausen, 
 Ewald, and others. These have pointed out that 
 parallelism requires us to restore the form to ''SH 
 * Not 'their wives,' as given in the English Versions. 
 
84 The Note-Line 
 
 (' my palate '), so that the first part of the verse may 
 run thuS' — 
 
 ' My palate is dried like a potsherd, 
 And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws.' * 
 
 In Hos. 9I, after the opening words, ' Rejoice not, 
 O Israel,' the pointer fitly introduces an expression 
 which, as it stands in the Massoretic text, does 
 not accord with ordinary constructions in Hebrew 
 grammar. The words D'SJ?? ^T% have been ren- 
 dered 'for joy, like [other] peoples,' but the whole 
 result is unsatisfactory. Guidance to a better read- 
 ing, however, is afforded by the Septuagint t firjBe 
 evcf>paivov, which at once gives us 7Jn"?X1, forming a 
 satisfactory parallel to the beginning of the verse. 
 The following context further seems to warrant the 
 emendation of D'By3 into ''I3V3, so that we may render 
 the verse, thus far, as follows : — 
 
 ' Rejoice not, O Israel, 
 Nor exult like my people.' 
 
 In Ps. 104^, which forms one of several verses 
 declaring Jehovah's absolute mastery over the waters 
 of the mighty deep, one is certainly startled on find- 
 ing the statement, ' they go down to the place which 
 thou didst found {^Ip)) for them.' Hence the old 
 scribe appropriately placed the pointer before the 
 suspected term. A little consideration leads us to 
 think that instead of the verb laid under suspicion, 
 
 * For other emendations necessary in this verse, see Notes on the 
 Hebrew Text of the Book of Psalms. 
 t See also the Syriac and Vulgate. 
 
Suspected Readings 85 
 
 we should read one of similar sound, viz. niVJ ('thou 
 hast appointed '). 
 
 Ex. 16^^ records Moses' reproof of the Israelites 
 who transgressed the Divine command, and went out 
 to seek for manna though none was to be found. 
 One of the injunctions impressed anew on the way- 
 ward and unbelieving ones runs thus : ' Sit ye each 
 one where he is.' The received Hebrew text is 
 Vnnn ty'N 1 UE'; but the scribe who inserted the 
 pointer evidently thought, with good reason, that 
 the verb actually in the text should rather be in3B' 
 ' Rest ye ' ; and certainly the dominant idea in the 
 whole episode is the Divine command to rest on the 
 seventh day. 
 
 Ps. 109^* presents an excellent instance in which 
 the pointer precisely locates a textual difficulty that 
 can easily be solved by observing the laws of parallel- 
 ism. A strict translation of the whole verse, as given 
 by the Massoretes, is the following : — 
 
 ' Let them curse. 
 But thou shalt bless ; 
 They arose and were ashamed. 
 But thy servant shall rejoice.' 
 
 That the harmony of the whole is obviously broken 
 by the third line, was perceived by the old transcriber 
 who introduced the pointer thus, 1B'3»1 1 IDiJ. By a 
 very simple emendation we obtain the true reading, 
 viz. IB'3'' ''Bp, which in English becomes — 
 
 ' Those who rise against me shall be ashamed.' 
 
 When this change is made in the third line, the 
 
86 The Note-Line 
 
 demands of parallelism are satisfied, and the whole 
 verse runs smoothly. 
 
 2 Chron. 2^ relates, in part, Solomon's proposals 
 to the King of Tyre, with the view of obtaining 
 workmen and material for building the Temple in 
 Jerusalem. Among other things, the Jewish monarch 
 promises to give to the foreign artisans what is de- 
 scribed in the Massoretic text as ni3n i a^tsn ; this 
 expression, however, as we see from the insertion of 
 the pointer, has naturally been regarded as unintel- 
 ligible. It cannot fairly, on grammatical grounds, 
 be rendered 'beaten wheat,' as in the English Ver- 
 sion ; nor is the difficulty much lessened by proposing 
 to read ni3D ''tsn. But guidance is given in the 
 parallel passage, i Kings 5^^, where the reading is 
 nP3D D''t3nj in which the second word is doubtless 
 contracted from riPbKO, so that the expression may 
 be rendered ' wheat [as] food.' This satisfies the 
 requirements of the passage. 
 
 Deut. 28^5, according to the Massoretic text, may 
 be rendered thus : ' The Lord shall deliver thee [to 
 be] smitten before thine enemies ; by one way shalt 
 thou go out against him, but in seven ways shalt 
 thou flee before him.' When we observe that the 
 pointer has been inserted before ^33 (' smitten'), and 
 when we further remember that the dominant idea 
 here is the craven flight of the Hebrews before their 
 enemies, we conclude that the intelligent scribe who 
 inserted the line thought the true reading was a 
 similar form, viz. ^I'nJ ('driven away'), which should 
 unhesitatingly be restored. 
 
 Ps. 37^* opens with a strange expression, rightly 
 
Suspected Readings 87 
 
 marked with the pointer, C'Vf'] inns 1 ann, which is 
 commonly translated, ' The wicked have drawn the 
 sword.' But this is a forced rendering- of the verb, 
 which really means ' opened.' The proper verb to 
 use in such a connection — if ' drawn ' be the true 
 reading — is ^sh^ (see Num. 22^^- ^^, Josh. 5^^, Judg. 
 gio 2o2- 16. 17. 46 etc.) ; but as it is hardly probable that 
 this form has been exchanged for that which now 
 appears in the Massoretic text, it is likely that we 
 should read ''"'in, which bears a suitable meaning 
 ('sharpened'), and might naturally be displaced by 
 the received reading, which it resembles in soiind 
 and form. 
 
 Ps. 78^1 immediately follows a brief description of 
 Israel's discontent and unbelief in the wilderness, 
 when the people did not trust the power and good- 
 ness of the Lord as ample guarantees that they would 
 lack no good thing. ' Therefore Jehovah heard, and 
 burst forth in wrath.' But the Massoretic text ex- 
 hibits the pointer before the first verb ('heard'), 
 which certainly may seem rather tame an expression 
 for indicating the result, in the Divine mind, of the 
 people's sin. This term 3'^^, therefore, has been 
 marked as a suspected reading. But what can be 
 suggested as more appropriate ? The simplest solu- 
 tion appears to be that we must read QVJ, which, from 
 its similarity in sound, would very naturally be set 
 aside, as somewhat uncommon, in favour of a more 
 familiar word. After making restoration of the more 
 appropriate term, the opening of the verse runs more 
 smoothly, thus, ' Therefore the Lord was righteously 
 indignant, and broke forth in wrath.' 
 
88 The Note-Line 
 
 In a subsequent portion of the same Psalm, the 
 continued discontent and unbelief of the people are 
 portrayed. Then at v.^^ we read of the result : 
 'The anger of God ascended upon them.' But the 
 Massoretic text exhibits the verb found here with 
 the line prefixed, showing doubt in the mind of the 
 scribe whether nbv was the genuine reading. Possibly 
 the correct form is PV 'smoked,' as in Ps. 74I, Deut. 
 2918, Ps. 8o5 etc. 
 
 In Prov. 16^", the line properly marks the first 
 word as a questionable reading. Simply rendered, 
 the verse would run thus : ' Divination [is] upon the 
 lips of a king ; in judgment, his mouth will not 
 transgress.' Elsewhere, Dpp always signifies divina- 
 tion practised by sorcerers or false prophets, and of 
 course it is utterly condemned. No good end can 
 therefore be served by forcibly attributing to the term 
 the sense of a ' Divine sentence ' (Auth. Version) or 
 'oracle' (Targ.), which it cannot legitimately bear. 
 Most probably we must amend the form, and read 
 KJK'p 'truth.' It further appears necessary to change 
 the unsuitable verb-form ?!/'?'!, in the second part of 
 the verse, into IVt?'' ('waver'). The verse will then 
 run more smoothly thus : ' [If] truth [be] upon the 
 lips of a king, his mouth shall not waver in [pro- 
 nouncing] judgment.' 
 
 Jer. 29^2 records the sentence pronounced by the 
 Lord upon the false prophet Shemaiah, who had 
 misled the people. According to the received text, 
 it is declared that ' he shall not have a man dwelling 
 (or "sitting") among this people.' But a scribe, 
 by enclosing 3K'i'' within a pair of note-lines, has 
 
Suspected Readings 89 
 
 indicated his hesitation in accepting this as the 
 correct reading; and certainly the word wants force. 
 Probably the true reading is ^K' 'aged,' and the 
 Divine judgment, therefore, was that no member of 
 Shemaiah's family should live to mature years ; the 
 curse thus accords with that which was uttered long 
 before on the sons of Eli for their sins (i Sam. 2^^- ^^). 
 
 Prov. 10^®, according to the received text, runs 
 thus : ' As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the 
 eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.' 
 But a glance at the Hebrew shows that a note-line 
 preceding C^w? ('to the teeth') calls attention to the 
 form as questionable. Most probably the observant 
 scribe deemed that a similar form, liSf"^? (' to the 
 tongue '), was more appropriate, and more likely to 
 be correct. 
 
 Isa. 61^ exhibits the note-line at the beginning of 
 the verse, where an undoubted difficulty is felt. In 
 this passage, the Messiah lucidly sets forth the joyful 
 work to which- the Lord has appointed him — 'to 
 bring good tidings to the lowly, to bind up the 
 broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and 
 release to prisoners ; to proclaim the year of the 
 Lord's good pleasure, and the year of vengeance 
 of our God, to comfort all mourners.' But next 
 (v.5) comes the expression li»V \^3N^ 1 DiL''^, which, 
 most naturally rendered 'to place [or 'set'] for the 
 mourners of Zion,' is neither complete in itself, 
 nor presents an idea appropriate to the context. 
 Of several emendations which have been proposed, 
 the simplest and most suitable seems to be that 
 instead of OVi>b we should read nSB"^, and thus 
 
go The Note-Line 
 
 obtain the rendering 'to gladden the mourners of 
 Zion.' 
 
 See also Ex. f-"^"^. Num. ii^i, Judg. i8^ i Sam. 
 61S 3o2*, I Kings i^^ 6^9, Job ayis, Ps. is"-* za^o 
 jog20. 25 12 ii. 2^ jef. ^13 2515 ^^14^ 2ech. io«. 
 
 (i6) Other passages marked by the line present diffi- 
 culties which have not yet been solved, and may remain 
 insolvable. The pointer may thus be regarded as inviting 
 solutions. Some specimens of such passages will now be 
 given. These, let it be observed, chiefly occur in the 
 poetic portions of Scripture, though some are likewise 
 found in prose writings, more especially the Books of 
 Samuel. 
 
 In Ex. 17^^, forming part of the account given 
 of Amalek's discomfiture at Rephidim, we read 
 that Moses built a memorial altar, and named 
 it 'Jehovah Nissi.' The Hebrew is ''D? i nin^, 
 showing the line as practically a point of inter- 
 rogation inserted by a transcriber who felt in doubt. 
 The next verse likewise awaits explanation. 
 
 In Deut. S'^^, the second pointer, in particular, 
 calls attention to an obscure expression abruptly 
 introduced in the description of the ' great and 
 dreadful wilderness.' The difficulty is not solved 
 but merely lessened in ordinary Versions, which 
 render 3"if5>'1 fjiB' i cnj by ' [wherein were] fiery 
 serpents and scorpions.' 
 
 I Sam. 12^1 forms part of Samuel's exhortation to 
 erring Israel that had madly determined to have a 
 visible king. The insertion of the line marks the 
 
Difficulties still unsolved 91 
 
 point at which some words have been inadvertently 
 omitted by an early transcriber. The blank is usually 
 filled up thus : ' And turn ye not aside, for [then 
 should ye go] after vanity.' 
 
 1 Sam. 14^^ introduces an episode in the history 
 of Saul, who is here represented, according to the 
 reading in the Massoretic text, as proposing to his 
 followers, ' Let us go down after the Philistines by 
 night, and plunder among them till the morning 
 light, and we shall not leave a man among them.' 
 An observant scribe long ago felt the difficulty of 
 conceiving how the nocturnal plundering among the 
 enemy should precede, and even be a means of 
 killing every one; he accordingly inserted the pointer 
 at the troublesome expression Dn3 nn31, which has 
 not yet been satisfactorily amended. 
 
 2 Sam. 20* mainly gives details of Joab's prepara- 
 tions for assassinating Amasa ; the brief clauses 
 describing the arrangement of his robe and his 
 concealment of his weapon have fallen into some 
 confusion, and a few words still present problems 
 which even the most skilled interpreters cannot satis- 
 factorily solve.* The pointer has been inserted 
 where the greatest difficulties begin. 
 
 Ps. 71^^ brief as it is, very properly contains the 
 pointer to mark the extreme difficulty felt by inter- 
 preters in attempting to make suitable sense of the 
 whole. The Authorised Version runs thus — 
 
 ' Thou shalt increase my greatness. 
 And comfort me on every side.' 
 
 * See the Commentaries of Wellhausen, Driver, H. P. Smith, 
 Klosterraann, Budde, and others. 
 
92 The Note-Line 
 
 The Revisers have given a slightly different render- 
 ing— 
 
 ' Increase thou my greatness, 
 And turn again and comfort me.' 
 
 But we still await a satisfactory solution of the 
 problems associated with the four Hebrew words 
 forming this verse. 
 
 Isa. 23^^ has the line fittingl)' inserted at the 
 beginning to mark a series of difficulties — textual, 
 grammatical, and exegetical — running through this 
 somewhat lengthy verse, the Revisers' rendering of 
 which is the following: — 
 
 ' Behold, the land of the Chaldseans ; 
 This people is no more ; 
 The Assyrian hath appointed it for the beasts of 
 
 the wilderness ; 
 They set up their towers, 
 They overthrew the palaces thereof; 
 He made it a ruin.' 
 
 The general obscurity still remaining is only too 
 palpable ; and the large number of alternative 
 renderings placed in the margin only prove more 
 conclusively that the best of modern Hebraists 
 together felt unable to understand this verse, and 
 to make it intelligible to others. 
 
 The extreme difficulty felt in determining the 
 true text and thus ascertaining the exact meaning 
 of Ps. 73^" may be perceived from the varied render- 
 ings of competent modern authorities ; but the old 
 scribe who long ago inserted the pointer had already 
 thereby signified that he was baffled in his endeavour 
 
Difficulties still unsolved 93 
 
 to make good sense of the verse, particularly the 
 latter half. The Authorised Version (which is not 
 much changed by the Revisers) substantially runs 
 thus — 
 
 ' As a dream when [one] awaketh, 
 [So], O Lord, when [thou dost] awake, 
 Thou shalt despise their image.' 
 
 The Septuagint rendering may be represented thus — 
 
 ' As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, 
 
 In thy city thou shalt scorn their image.' 
 
 Delitzsch gives the following rendering : — 
 
 ' Like a dream, as soon as one awaketh, 
 O Lord, when thou art aroused. 
 Thou dost rid thyself of their shadow.' 
 
 The textual difficulties, however, still await solution. 
 At the middle of Isa. 33^*, the pointer appears in 
 the expression lU' 1 ''!?, which is repeated in the next 
 clause. The difficulty perceived and noted by the 
 old transcriber still remains ; for even after violating 
 the normal construction of the verb, there is but 
 small accord between the context and the resultant 
 rendering — 
 
 ' Who among us can dwell with devouring fire ? 
 Who among us can dwell with eternal burnings ? ' 
 
 Ps. 132^'' exhibits the pointer inserted to indicate 
 the transcriber's inability to understand the verse, 
 read in the light of the usual meaning attached to 
 the several words — 
 
 ' There will I cause a horn to sprout for David, 
 I have prepared a lamp for mine anointed.' 
 
94 The Note-Line 
 
 There is apparent incongruity among the ideas 
 presented in the first line especially. 
 
 Prov. 212° has justly received the line to mark 
 the incomprehensibility of the verse in its present 
 state. Fairly rendered, the v^hole assumes the 
 following form in English : — 
 
 ' [There is] desirable treasure and oil in the abode 
 
 of a wise man, 
 But a prating fool [of] a man will swallow it up.' 
 
 It is not wonderful that even the most competent 
 expositors have confessed their inability to under- 
 stand this verse. 
 
 Prov. 24I*, also marked by the line, is likewise 
 difficult to understand. After an exhortation in the 
 preceding verse to eat honey and the honeycomb, 
 because they are good and sweet, this verse con- 
 tinues — 
 
 ' So, know wisdom for thyself; 
 If thou hast found [it], then there is an end. 
 And thy hope will not be cut off.' 
 
 Such a text might well baffle the ablest exegetes. 
 
 Zech. 38, with the line at the beginning, also 
 belongs to this class. The whole verse, as it stands, 
 shows little internal connection with the preceding 
 and succeeding context ; and even when viewed 
 alone, little coherence is exhibited between its 
 several clauses. A fair translation of the whole 
 might run thus — 
 
 ' For, behold the stone which I have put before 
 Joshua; 
 Upon one stone, seven eyes. 
 
Difficulties still unsolved 95 
 
 Behold, I engrave its graving, saith the Lord of 
 hosts, 
 
 But I will take away the iniquity of that land in 
 one day.' 
 The mention of a ' stone ' is quite unexpected ; but, 
 apart from this, the later mention of ' one stone ' leads 
 us to expect some reference to another ; yet there is 
 no mention of a second. Moreover, the removal of 
 ' the iniquity of that land ' is an idea not essentially 
 connected with any other in the context. 
 
 Ps. 9 is obviously an acrostic poem, whose con- 
 secutive verses were arranged in the order of the 
 Hebrew alphabet. The received text, however, is 
 incomplete. A signal break appears at v.^, where 
 beginning should be made with the letter T ; but this 
 no longer appears as the initial of a verse. At this 
 point, instead, we find ^''ixn, which is followed by 
 the significant pointer. The variety of renderings 
 suggested shows the perplexity of even the most 
 competent interpreters to make good sense of the 
 verse.* The following may be taken as a fair 
 rendering : — 
 
 'The enemy, — desolations are finished for ever. 
 
 And cities hast thou destroyed. 
 
 Their remembrance has perished.' 
 
 It is hard to discover unity of thought underlying 
 the different clauses exhibiting such sudden transi- 
 tion from one subject to another. 
 
 The line at the beginning of Nah. i^^ calls atten- 
 
 * See, among others, the Authorised English Version and its 
 marginal rendering, the Revised EngUsh Version, the renderings of 
 Gratz, Ewald, Hupfeld, Baethgen, etc. 
 
g6 The Note-Line 
 
 tion to the series of difficulties which follow. The 
 variety of renderings proposed by diiferent trans- 
 lators reveals their perplexity. The Authorised 
 English Version presents the following : ' Thus saith 
 the Lord, Though [they be] quiet, and likewise 
 many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he 
 shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, 
 I will afflict thee no more.' In the margin, how- 
 ever, is given an alternative rendering of the obscure 
 words succeeding the introductory formula : ' If [they 
 would have been] at peace, so [should they have 
 been] many, and so should they have been shorn, 
 and he should have passed away.' The Revisers, 
 in the text, thus render the verse, after the initial 
 formula : ' Though they be in full strength, and like- 
 wise many, even so shall they be cut down, and he 
 shall pass away. Though I have afflicted thee, I 
 will afflict thee no more.' And for the last sentence, 
 they propose in the margin, as an alternative render- 
 ing, ' So will I afflict thee, that I shall afflict thee no 
 more.' The rendering of the Septuagint translator 
 abundantly proves that he also was unable to present 
 an acceptable representation of the Hebrew text. 
 - His version may fairly be put as follows : ' Thus 
 saith the Lord who rules over many waters. Even 
 thus shall they be separated, and the report of thee 
 shall not be heard any more.' A verse so difficult 
 to be understood might well receive the significant 
 line. 
 
 In 2 Kings 4^^, the opening words of Elisha to 
 the Shunammite woman, when seeking to give her 
 some reward, have been marked with the line as cer- 
 
Difficulties still unsolved 97 
 
 tainly peculiar, — so peculiar, indeed, as to constitute 
 the sign a query whether the reading be correct : 
 'Behold, thou hast feared for us all this fear' (HSn 
 nsin n-l-inn-b-nK 1 n"|in). The verb with its cognate 
 noun found in this passage always elsewhere in- 
 dicates trembling fear for one's self (see i Sam. 13'^ 
 16*, Ezek. 26I8 32!^ Gen. 27^^ i Kings i*^ etc.), but 
 not anxious concern for another's safety or comfort, 
 which is the sense required by the context. No 
 solution has yet been found for the difficulty marked 
 by the ancient scribe. 
 
 See also i Kings 9^' 20^", Ps. ss^"' 77^ 113*, 
 Jer. 11^^ 12^ 31'') Zech. g^^. 
 
III. 
 
 APPLICATION OF RESULTS. 
 
 9. The Line as an Indicator of Difficulties in 
 THE Text. 
 
 Facts already adduced now warrant the formulation of 
 an important principle for criticism of the Massoretic 
 text. This principle may be enunciated thus — 
 
 The note-line frequently indicates, more or less 
 precisely, the spot where textual difficulties exist. 
 
 By marking suspected passages, the early transcribers 
 have lightened our labour. It now remains for us to 
 advance the work they began, by pursuing proper 
 methods in the emendation of the text. 
 
 These early editors, indeed, did not note every difficulty 
 they perceived.* Moreover, some marks have been mis- 
 placed,! while others have wholly disappeared. J Further, 
 even of those which remain, we must put out of account, 
 for our present purpose, instances in which the note-line 
 merely indicates the repetition of a letter or a word.§ 
 But even after making all these deductions, there remain 
 
 * See below, p. 106 f. t See p. 33. $ See p. 105. § See p. 37 f. 
 
 98 
 
Textual Difficulties located 
 
 99 
 
 passages in which the mark demands our best attention, 
 as locating a textual difficulty awaiting solution. 
 
 Many illustrations have already been given incidentally* 
 The following are additional instances, in which reason- 
 able restoration seems possible : — 
 
 In Ex. 141", the line before VOi indicates a doubt 
 as to its genuineness ; the term certainly seems too 
 mild in its meaning ('moving,' or 'marching') to 
 be applicable to the Egyptians who were pursuing 
 the Israelites. Probably the true reading is HNB'J 
 'rushing,' a comparatively rare word, similar in 
 sound to that in the received text, which might 
 naturally be substituted by a coypist. 
 
 In Ps. 17^, attention is called to the strangeness of 
 the object mentioned in the petition pIS 1 nini nj?DB', 
 a simple rendering of which would be, ' Hear, O 
 Jehovah, righteousness.' To 'hear righteousness,' 
 however, is inconceivable ; and failure has ever 
 followed attempts to explain away the difficulty 
 inseparably associated with the inappropriate object.! 
 But when we consider the nature of the other objects 
 in the succeeding parallel clauses, viz. ' Attend unto 
 my cry, give ear unto my prayer,' it is easy to see 
 that the object in the first line, which now concerns 
 us, must be something similar (viz. a cry that claims 
 to be heard), and in form will probably resemble 'fl^T 
 and '^fSri, the objects in the second and third lines. 
 
 *Seep. 78 fF. 
 
 t The Septuagint is e'uriKovcrov, Kijpie, rijs SiKaioaivq^ iiov ( = 'p]x) ; 
 the English Version is ' Hear the right, O Lord ' ; Baethgen's 
 German rendering is ' Hore, O Jahve, eine gerechte Sache.' 
 
loo The Note-Line 
 
 The reading ^n\>^ 'my cry for help,' must at once 
 commend itself as the original of which we are in 
 search. 
 
 In Ps. 69", for the noun 'rh^J^, preceding the line, 
 we must restore the verb-form ''H'jisnx ; and after the 
 pointer, for iisn nv read the similar forms '^Sl. 1^^, so 
 that the first half of the verse may be rendered 
 thus: — 'As soon as I pray unto thee. Lord, do thou 
 graciously receive me.' 
 
 In Ps. 95, containing 11 verses, the line occurs 
 only once, viz. in v.^", at a point in a statement 
 which, strictly rendered, proves a rather startling 
 utterance. The Lord is represented as speaking 
 thus : ' Forty years did I loathe (DIPN) the genera- 
 tion, and I said, They are a people erring in heart, 
 seeing that they do not know my ways.' One 
 cannot think, however, of God as 'loathing' his 
 chosen people, and still less continuing to do this 
 for forty years. But by reading the marked word as 
 a passive (tiip^), and adding the demonstrative 
 ' that ' (Ninn) after the repointed "IW?, as testified 
 by the Septuagint, the Latin,* and other Versions, 
 we obtain a reasonable rendering, ' Forty years 
 was I loathed by that generation.' 
 
 In Job 36^^, which treats of God's beneficent 
 arrangements in distilling rain from heaven, an 
 observant scribe has recorded his suspicion regard- 
 ing that part of the text which represents 'man,' 
 D'lX as the object on which the rain is poured. 
 It is surely safe to conclude that the correct reading 
 is the similar form i^^"]^. 'ground,' for which the 
 * Generation! illi ; ry yeveq, iKcivr}. 
 
Textual Difficulties located ioi 
 
 other would easily be substituted. With good 
 reason also it has been already suggested that for 
 the succeeding word, 3"], we should read D''3''3"! 
 'rain-drops.' 
 
 Num. 15^°, as it stands in the Massoretic text, 
 may be rendered thus : ' But the soul that acts with 
 a high hand, whether a native or a stranger, — he 
 reproaches the Lord ; and that soul shall be cut off 
 from the midst of his people.' It is to be observed, 
 however, that an intelligent transcriber has marked 
 the first verb ntyvn 'acts,' as a questionable reading; 
 and certainly this word is disappointingly vague. 
 But if we change this term into the similar though 
 less common pE'Vn ' oppresses,' which might very 
 naturally be discarded by an earlier scribe in favour 
 of the more familiar word, we obtain a better render- 
 ing. After this change, the first half of the verse 
 runs thus : ' But the soul that oppresses with a 
 high hand either a native or a stranger, — he re- 
 proaches the Lord.' 
 
 At first sight, Deut. 9^1 reads so smoothly that 
 one might fancy there is nothing to amend. Moses 
 is represented as reminding the Israelites of the way 
 in which he acted after they had made the idol- 
 calf: 'The calf I took, and burned it in the fire, 
 and beat it in pieces, pounding it small, to dust ; 
 and I cast the dust of it into the brook that de- 
 scended out of the mountain.' But the appearance 
 of the line in the expression E'X3 1 iriN fpm) ' and I 
 burned it in the fire,' is an incentive to examine the 
 passage more carefully. It then turns out that ink 
 is not likely to be the pronominal accusative ' it,' 
 
I02 The Note- Line 
 
 but rather iW, 'the wood of it,'— for what Moses 
 burned in the fire could not be a solid mass of g-old, 
 or even the gold plating which encased the calf,*^ — 
 i.e. the inner portion of the idol, entirely made of 
 wood, which alone could be 'burned.' But this 
 result leads us to venture on another emendation 
 further on, — to change ilBV ' its dust ' into ilSN 
 'its ashes,' the proper designation of unconsumed 
 residuum of wood, after fire has done its work.t 
 
 In Ps. i^, the line is found prefixed to the state- 
 ment that ' the wicked shall not arise [or, stand up] 
 in the judgment.' A little reflection shows that the 
 verb ^Op^ has been reasonably suspected by the 
 scribe who inserted the mark ; the idea which it 
 conveys does not commend itself as appropriate, 
 in view of the context. It would appear that we 
 must replace the suspected form by the Niphal ^P|*, 
 and thus obtain the declaration that ' the wicked 
 shall not be acquitted in the judgment.' 
 
 lo. Unaccountable Insertions of the Line. 
 
 Though most of the instances in which the line appears 
 in the text of the Old Testament have now been arranged 
 under suitable categories, there yet remain certain pas- 
 sages in which its presence still awaits a satisfactory 
 explanation. It may be that the insertion is due to 
 mere inadvertency. As there are proved cases of omis- 
 
 * The metal would be melted in the fire. 
 
 t Similar substitution of these resemblant Hebrew forms has like- 
 wise taken place in Num. 19^', 2 Kings 23". 
 
Unaccountable Insertions 103 
 
 sion,* so there may presumably be cases of insertion for 
 which no satisfactory ground can be discovered. Good 
 and sufficient reasons have been given for the insertion 
 in the vast majority of passages where it occurs : that no 
 good reason can be conceived for its presence in a small 
 residuum of cases need excite no surprise. The following 
 appear to be some of these instances : — 
 
 Deut. 78 ' Thee hath the Lord thy God chosen to 
 be to him a special people.' It is difficult to see 
 why the line has been inserted at ' chosen.' 
 
 Deut. 17^ ' At the mouth of two witnesses, or 
 three witnesses, shall one who is to die be put to 
 death.' No reason appears for the presence of 
 the line before the expression ' two witnesses.' 
 
 Deut. 19I5 ' At the mouth of two witnesses, or 
 at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be 
 established.' Here also it is not easy to perceive 
 why the line is inserted before ' two witnesses.' 
 
 Josh. 10^ ' And there assembled together and 
 went up the five kings of the Amorites, — the king 
 of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron,' etc. There is 
 no apparent reason for the presence of the pointer 
 at 'the five kings,' inasmuch as these are all dis- 
 tinctly specified, and there is no unusual construc- 
 tion requiring to be noted. 
 
 Josh. 12^ 'Now these are the kings of the 
 country whom the children of Israel slew. . . .' 
 The presence of the pointer at the opening of this 
 chapter, in a verse containing no remarkable con- 
 struction or statement, remains to be explained. 
 * See pp. 3, 28, losf., iiif. 
 
I04 The Note-Line 
 
 Josh. 23^° ' One man of you shall pursue a 
 thousand; for the Lord your God,— Ae fighteth for 
 you.' Why the line appears before ' the Lord 
 your God ' is not obvious. 
 
 Josh. 23I* 'There hath not failed one thing of 
 all the good things which the Lord your God hath 
 spoken concerning you.' Neither at the expression 
 'of all the good things,' nor anywhere else in this 
 verse, does there seem any reason for the presence 
 of the pointer. 
 
 Judg. 10^ 'And the children of Israel again did 
 evil in the eyes of the Lord. . . .' The line appears 
 twice in this verse, first at the beginning, and then 
 in the middle ; but at neither point is there anything 
 remarkable that seems really to require the insertion 
 of the pointer. 
 
 Similar instances, irreducible to any of the cate- 
 gories previously formed,* will occasionally present 
 themselves to an observant reader. After patient 
 consideration, however, some reason, more or less 
 probable, can generally be discovered for the inser- 
 tion of the line, and the action of the notating 
 scribe will thus be amply justified. The sum-total 
 of intractable cases will then be found comparat- 
 ively small. 
 
 II. Want of Uniformity in the use of the Line. 
 
 After so many details have been given regarding the in- 
 sertion of the note-line, it becomes necessary to make some 
 * See p. 34 ff. 
 
Insertion not uniform 105 
 
 remarks regarding its wo«-insertion. Consideration of so 
 many different classes of instances in which it does appear 
 naturally prepares us to expect it again under similar 
 conditions. Nevertheless, such expectations are frequently 
 disappointed : the line does not appear at many points 
 where we might reasonably look for it.* The general 
 rule which we had framed fails to apply, and numerous 
 exceptions come into view. 
 
 Some observations, then, must now be made regarding 
 the non-appearance of the sign where it might be expected. 
 The following are the results of careful examination : — 
 
 (i) In the same passage of the Hebrew Scriptures, 
 different manuscripts and printed editions vary as regards 
 the insertion of the pointer ; some copies have it, while it 
 does not appear in others. The most probable explana- 
 tion of this variation seems to be that the line was 
 originally present at all those points where it now occurs 
 in one copy or another, but that later scribes either in- 
 advertently omitted the sign, or intentionally refrained 
 from inserting a mark which they deemed unnecessary. 
 
 In Ps. i^, many printed editions show v ' IB'^, 
 but the line is absent from others ; in Ps. i^, certain 
 editions have D!< ' ''3, but others want the line ; in 
 Ps. loo^, some copies exhibit the reading 13TOi<. ' N?!, 
 while in others there is no intervening line ; in Ps. 
 (^- 11, the line is inserted after the first word, in some 
 
 * In his treatise on tlie Prose Accents, Wiclces remarks, perliaps 
 too strongly (p. 127), that 'the failure of the sign is more con- 
 spicuous than its presence.' 
 
io6 The Note-Line 
 
 editions, but absent in others ; in Gen. i6^ many 
 editions present the reading a";3N nm i nB>, while 
 others have no line. The same remark applies to 
 E'X I B-'K .in Prov. 6'^'', and to 'ns "'DJ' i ''IK ''»^ in Prov. 
 23^"; '''P^ ' '^K in Ps. 222; niX3V 1 'D''n'Ss in Ps. 59«. 
 Most instructive, however, are the editorial notes in 
 ordinary printed Bibles at 2 Chron. 16^ ai^^-" and 
 30I9, informing- us that the line usually appearing 
 there is not found in some copies. 
 
 (2) Of two parallel texts, one may have the line, while 
 it is absent from the other. 
 
 Notably, in Ps. 18, the line is frequently inserted, 
 whereas ti is not found anywhere throughout the 
 parallel passage, 2 Sam. 22. In Ps. 14^, the line is 
 placed beside DB', but not given in Ps. 53^. In Ps. 
 105^, the line is found, but not in the parallel verse, 
 I Chron. 16^"; in Ps. 96', the sign appears, but not 
 in the parallel, i Chron. i&-^ ; in i Kings 12^, the 
 line notes textual difficulties,* but it does not appear 
 in the parallel account, 2 Chron. 10^. 
 
 (3) Usage varies in relation to the repetition of the line 
 at successive occurrences of the same remarkable reading in 
 a passage. Thus — 
 
 [a) Some editors habitually repeated the line at every 
 recurrence of the saine case, throughout a whole pas- 
 sage, or at successive occurrences of different cases within 
 the same verse. 
 
 Excellent examples of continued insertion of the 
 line at successive occurrences of the same word are 
 
 * See remarks by Kittel and Klostermann in their Commentaries ; 
 also Kamphausen's notes in Kautzsch's German translation. 
 
Insertion not uniform 107 
 
 seen in 3^0 i 3'3p Ezek. 4o5- "■ i"- (^wzce) i^- ^- ^^- ^• 
 
 33. 36. 43 _^j5. 6. 7. 8. 10. H. 12. 16. 17. 19 421^- ^'' 4'3l^ ' alsO in 
 
 ^33 I ^J)_l Ezek. 482- 3- i- s. 6. 7. 22. 24. 25. w. 27^ b^t «o^ in 
 yv_8.^2i. 28_ In Lam. i^^ and 2^-^-'', the line is placed 
 with 'pS for the purpose of calling attention to the 
 occurrence of this Divine name rather than nini ; but 
 there is no line in 3^1- ^^- ^^. Similarly, the continued 
 occurrence of the singular expression C^iPP ' 2n''JE' is 
 noted in Num. v^^- ^^- ^^- ^^' 3^- *^- *8- ^*- ^i' 73. 79_ 
 
 The same principle of repeated insertion of the 
 line may be applied when two or more peculiarities, 
 of different character, occur in the same verse : in 
 Ps. 42®, no less than three lines are inserted at dif- 
 ferent points. See also Ps. lo^^. m jgi ^2* 42" 44^*. 
 But such repetition within the same verse is rare. 
 
 (6) Other scribes, however, contented themselves with 
 inserting the line at the first case only, and left the reader 
 mentally to supply the mark at later instances of the same, 
 or of a different character. This is the general rule. 
 
 This practice of inserting the line only at 't^ve. first 
 occurrence of a peculiarity is much more common 
 than repeated insertion. In Lam. i^^, only the first 
 appearance of ''J^^< instead of niiT; is marked; the 
 second is unmarked. In Gen. i^", the line is placed 
 before the unexpected form V^f only at its first 
 appearance, not at the second. In i Sam. 20^^, the 
 line is inserted to call attention to the first occasion 
 on which the letter » appears thrice in succession ; 
 at the second occurrence in v.-', there is no line. 
 In Deut. 31^, attention is called, by insertion of the 
 line, to the first occurrence of the expression 135) i<in, 
 
io8 The Note-Line 
 
 but not to the second. In Zeph. 2^, the line notes 
 the unnecessary insertion of the negative at its first 
 occurrence, but not at its second. The first occur- 
 rence of the short form i'^ffl^?' in Hag. i^^ (cf. the 
 full form in v.^) is noted, but not its later occurrences 
 in ii* 2^. The first occurrence, in Hag. 2*, of the 
 short expression nini 1 DHi (without the addition of 
 niNay) is noted by the insertion of the line, but not 
 its later occurrences, in vv.^*- ^'- ^^- In Gen. 24^^, 
 Abraham's trusty servant is represented as employ- 
 ing a remarkable designation of the Deity, 'Jehovah, 
 the God of my master Abraham ' ; this is noted there 
 on its first occurrence, by the inserted line ; but 
 though the same expression is repeated in vv.^'^- *^- *^, 
 the mark is not inserted in any of these later instances. 
 Isa. 36^ shows the pointer beside ' Rabshakeh,' on 
 this its first occurrence in the narrative, but after- 
 wards the sign is omitted (vv.*- "• i^- ^^- ^^). In Prov. 
 1 8 the line calls attention to the rare noun •T'r?, at 
 this its first occurrence ; but though it appears 
 again only in 4^, the mark is not repeated. In Neh. 
 4I (v.''' in English), the introductory 'n^l is marked as 
 superfluous ; but though it is followed by the same 
 construction in vv.®- ", where also it is unnecessary, 
 it is not there marked as such. Similarly, in Isa. 
 7^^, the cognate njni has the line showing that it 
 may be omitted without injuring the context ; but 
 it is not inserted in vv.^^-^^-^^, though the conditions 
 are similar. In Gen. 23^'^, the questionable reading 
 Di^^!! is marked, but not its later occurrence in v.^". 
 
 See also i Sam. 12^, Ps. 115^, Isa. 33^*, i Chron. 
 29^; and compare Judg. 18^ with vv.^"-^'^. 
 
Insertion not uniform 109 
 
 But the same principle may likewise be applied 
 when two or more noteworthy peculiarities, differing 
 in character, appear in the same verse ; it may be 
 deemed sufficient to note only the first, on the ground 
 that readers, after their attention has been called to 
 one noteworthy form, .should be prepared to find 
 others that might follow. Thus, in Ps. 10®, the line 
 is placed only at at?*', the first word requiring emen- 
 dation (into 1^^), but others following might with 
 equal reason be marked. In Ps. 22^®, several altera- 
 tions must be made ; but only the first difficulty is 
 marked by the line. Hos. 7^^ is the only place in 
 the chapter which shows the pointer, and this at the 
 beginning of the verse ; but other words, besides 
 the first, require emendation. Similarly, Hos. 13^ 
 is the only verse in the chapter which has the line, 
 and this after the opening word ; yet other emenda- 
 tions are necessary, not only in this verse, but 
 throughout the chapter. 
 
 (c) Strangely, also, the line is sometimes actually not 
 found at the first occurrence of a peculiarity, but is in- 
 serted at a later instance of the same character. Such 
 cases are, however, comparatively rare. But the following 
 are examples : — 
 
 Examination of Judg. 1 1^^- ^^ shows that the line 
 calls attention only in the second of these verses to 
 the unusual expression, 'Jehovah, the God of Israel.' 
 In Lev. 13*8.52^ ti;jg i-afg technical terms for 'warp' and 
 'woof are marked only at their second occurrence, 
 but not at the first. In Gen. ii^-*, it is only on the 
 second occurrence of the rare form nan, that the 
 
no The Note-Line 
 
 noting line appears. In Neh. 2^^, attention is called, 
 by the insertion of the line, to the remarkable desig- 
 nation, ' Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite ' ; yet 
 the same expression is found earlier, in v.^", though 
 unmarked. In Ezek. 18^", the unexpected insertion 
 of 3 between the preceding verb and its object PJ? * 
 is noted by the inserted pointer ; yet the same con- 
 struction appears, unmarked, in the preceding verse. 
 In 2 Chron. &^- ^^, the line calls attention to the note- 
 worthy expression yoB'n 1 nriNl; but, strangely, it does 
 not appear at ^% first occurrence, in v.^^; not sur- 
 prising, however, considering the general usage, is 
 its absence in the later verses, ^"^ ^^. In Jer. 30^^, the 
 line is inserted at the recurrence of an expression 
 ('because of the abundance of thine iniquity,' etc.) 
 which is not noted in v.^*. 
 
 (4) Most striking, however, is the fact that numerous 
 instances are found, throughout the Scriptures, of single 
 words as well as expressions so remarkable as to demand 
 special consideration, yet these are -without the note-line 
 we now expect to find. This non-appearance may be 
 accounted for variously. 
 
 («) One sufficient reason for the absence of the pointer 
 may be that these peculiar readings are possibly irregular- 
 ities 'which have originated since the line was introduced 
 in olden times ; and that later transcribers, unaware of its 
 true design and use, though generally retaining it where 
 they found it already inserted, failed to extend its legiti- 
 
 * See the normal construction, with the accusative directly sub- 
 ordinated by the verb, in Isa. 53'^, Cf. p. 69. 
 
Notable Absence of the Sign i i i 
 
 mate application to more recent instances of suspected 
 readings. Certainly, it would be an incalculable benefit 
 if all doubtful readings could be indicated by a simple 
 and convenient sign, like the pointer. A few specimens 
 will now be given of textual difficulties, still unmarked 
 by the line or any other sign, which, presumably, are of 
 comparatively recent origin. 
 
 Jer. 3'- abruptly begins with what is really a con- 
 nective or intermediary, and not an opening word, 
 viz. IBS? ('saying'). The Massoretic reading is 
 certainly strange, yet no editorial note marks the 
 word. Cf. p. 54 ff. 
 
 In Ps. 93^, the second {^3? 'he is clothed,' is not 
 marked as a striking repetition, which surely must 
 have originated after the early scribes had begun to 
 insert the line. Cf. p. 39. 
 
 In Ps. 137, though the line calls attention to 
 singularities in vv.^- ^- ^- ^- (twice) ^, peculiar readings 
 are to be found in other verses also, all unmarked. 
 
 In Prov. I, the only verses marked by the pointer 
 are vv.*- ^^- '^ , which certainly contain notable read- 
 ings. But unmarked textual difficulties occur in 
 other verses also, viz. vv.^^- 1^- ^''- ^^ etc.* 
 
 Prov. 19 exhibits note-lines only in vv.^-", where, 
 certainly, difficulties of the text occur ; but other per- 
 plexing readings appear in vv.^-^^- ^^- ^- ^^ etc. 
 
 Prov. 22 shows the line only in vv.^-^**; but 
 
 * On these and other instances in the Book of Proverbs, see the 
 recent Commentaries of Toy and Frankenberg-, and Notes on the 
 Hebrew Text of the Book of Proverbs. Some assistance may also be 
 derived from Kautzsch's Text of Proverbs (edited by Haupt). 
 
112 The Note-Line 
 
 emendations must likewise be made in vv.*- ^- ^- ^ 
 etc. 
 
 In Prov. 3, the line does not appear till v.^^, 
 where an obvious emendation is necessary ; but 
 unmarked textual difficulties likewise exist in 
 yy_4. 6. 10. 11. 12 etc. 
 
 Still more remarkable are Prov. 2, 13, and 14, 
 which do not contain a single note-line, yet present 
 points at which changes must be made ; such are 
 36.7.8.9 etc., 131- *• 5. 6. 7 etc.; also 147.9.12.14 etc. 
 
 Ps. 69 exhibits eight points at which the line 
 appears, viz. in yv.''- ^- ^■''■^^■^^■^^- ^. In all these 
 cases, indeed, something noteworthy is indicated ; 
 several of the verses even contain more than one 
 remarkable form; but other verses in the same Psalm 
 present equally remarkable readings, requiring atten- 
 tion, at which, however, no mark is placed. Thus, 
 in v.^'', for nris 'thou,' we must read the accusatival 
 sign nX; and for 'iIsp' 'they relate,' we should put 
 IBDJ 'they add.' In v.^^, for INT 'they have seen,' 
 read W"!^ 'let them shout.' 
 
 In Ps. 71, the line is found at seven points, viz. in 
 yy_3. 6. 15.18.20. 21. 22 . jj^j. unmarked difficulties are to be 
 found in vv.*- 1"- ^^- 1* etc. 
 
 In Ps. 82, containing 8 verses, the line appears 
 only in v.^, near the beginning, though the main 
 difficulty is at the end. But emendations must be 
 made in vv.^- *• ''• ^, though these contain no sign. 
 
 See also i Sam. 13I, 2 Sam. 15^, Ezek. i6^. 
 
 (b) Another obvious reason for irregularity in the inser- 
 tion of the line is the varying judgment of the same scribe 
 at different times, or the difference of opinion between one 
 
Irregularity of Insertion 113 
 
 scribe and another, as to the expediency of marking peculi- 
 arities in the text. Subjective standards always vary. 
 Want of uniformity — or even positive inconsistency — in 
 the insertion of the note-line is thus quite natural. A few 
 illustrations will make this clear. 
 
 We have already seen* that the repetition of a 
 name, used in addressing- the person who bears it, is 
 regularly marked by the line in Gen. 22" (' Abraham, 
 Abraham'), 46^ ('Jacob, Jacob'), i Sam. 310 ('Samuel, 
 Samuel ') ; yet the pointer is absent from a precisely 
 parallel case in Ex. 3* (' Moses, Moses '). 
 
 Attention has already been called t to the remark- 
 able repetition of the line in the case of the expression 
 2'aD I T3D in Ezek. /^d'- "• i" etc. It might have been 
 expected that the transcribers — earlier or later — who 
 showed themselves so punctilious in copying the 
 latter portion of the book would have been equally 
 attentive in noting repetitions when these occur in 
 the earlier chapters; yet in 21^* 37.n yr, 'a sword, 
 a sword,' remains unmarked, and, still more notably, 
 mv njj? njy • overturn, overturn, overturn,' in v.^^- 
 ' See also Ezek. f lo^i ijis i66- 23, 
 
 Similarly, in Judg. 13'', the line is inserted, in 
 accordance with the general rule, t to mark the 
 striking recurrence of the same letter consecutively 
 in the expression IV. ' ■'JjlE'n'PN ' drink not wine,' yet 
 the sign is absent from the same expression pre- 
 viously occurring in v.*. 
 
 In I Chron. 2*, after mention of Er, there follows 
 the explanation that he was 'the firstborn of Judah.' 
 * See p. 39. t See p. 37. 
 
 8 
 
114 The Npte-Line 
 
 This has been fitly marked with the line, by a scribe, 
 as really superfluous; yet the same expression re- 
 mains unmarked by the transcriber of the earlier 
 account in Gen. i8^. 
 
 The usual form of the name of King- Hezekiah is 
 W'ptn (see 2 Kings iS^ etc., Isa. 36^ etc.); the short 
 form njprn in Prov. 25I is there fitly marked by the 
 note-line prefixed, but not in 2 Kjngs i8i- 1"- "■ (twice) 
 15- 16, though the ordinary form likewise appears in 
 vv.^- 1^ of the same chapter. Similarly, in i Chron. 
 4*1, the lengthened form 1^^7J^] is rightly marked 
 with the line, as rare; yet in Isa. i^, where also 
 this third form appears, it is left unmarked. 
 
 Compare also Ps. 18 with 2 Sam. 22. 
 
 An eminent instance in which the note-line, though 
 specially desirable, is wholly absent, is the Song- of 
 Deborah (Judg. 5), abounding in textual difficulties, 
 some of which remain unsolved, in spite of earnest 
 efforts by competent scholars.-* 
 
 It has now become evident that the insertion of the 
 line to mark noteworthy readings was, at most, occasional. 
 Careful consideration has proved that while the sign 
 appears in many instances of remarkable or even question- 
 able readings, others equally remarkable are without the 
 sign. All this, however, must not be allowed to lessen 
 
 * See, among- many others, the recent commentaries of Moore and 
 No-wack on the Book of Judges, as well as Monographs on the Song 
 by Bruston, Segond, and Rothstein. 
 
Guide in Textual Criticism 115 
 
 regard for the line when it does appear. And even 
 though, from various causes, we may be unable at times 
 to discover a satisfactory reason for the presence of the 
 mark, such instances will prove to be comparatively rare ; 
 while, in the vast majority of passages, it will be found a 
 most important guide in examining the Hebrew Text of 
 the Old Testament. 
 
NOTE. 
 
 The principles observed in preparing the following list of passages 
 which contain the note-line are these : — 
 
 1. No distinction has been made between 'Paseq' and ' Legar- 
 meh, ' as there is no difference. See p. 17. 
 
 2. Independent examination has been made of the entire Hebrew 
 Bible : the excellent printed editions of Ginsburg, Letteris, Baer 
 (so far as completed), and others have been used. The lists of 
 ' Paseq ' and ' Legarmeh ' given by Ginsburg (in his magnificent 
 Massorah, for which all scholars are profoundly grateful, and in his 
 brief Monograph on the Paseks throughout the Scriptures), by 
 Wickes (in his Treatise on Prose Accents, p. 127 ff.), and by Baer, 
 have all been consulted, but likewise largely augmented. 
 
 3. In verses containing two adjacent note-lines which might pos- 
 sibly form a pair (see p. 28), it has not always been possible to 
 determine whether they are thus correlated, or are independent. 
 
 4. When the line appears in some editions but not in others (see 
 pp. 3 and 105), the fuller recension has been followed. 
 
 116 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 LIST OF PASSAGES IN WHICH THE 
 NOTE-LINE APPEARS. 
 
 
 Genesis. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 37. 2, 20, 22. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 38- 
 
 24, 29. 
 
 I. 
 
 S, 10, 21, 27, 
 
 29. 3°- 
 
 39- 
 
 8, 10, 23. 
 
 -^, 
 
 S, 21, 22. 
 
 
 40. 
 
 13, 19. 20 (twice). 
 
 3- 
 
 14, IS, 22 (twice). 
 
 41. 
 
 S. 22, 48. 
 
 6. 
 
 16. 
 
 
 42. 
 
 13, 21, 22. 
 
 7- 
 
 2, 21, 23 (twice). 
 
 43- 
 
 II. 
 
 8. 
 
 20. 
 
 
 45- 
 
 S-, 
 
 II. 
 
 4- 
 
 
 46. 
 
 2 (twice), IS- 
 
 12. 
 
 17- 
 
 
 47- 
 
 29. 
 
 13- 
 
 10, 16. 
 
 
 48. 
 
 7- 
 
 14. 
 
 2, IS- 
 
 
 
 
 15- 
 
 I. 13- 
 
 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
 17- 
 
 8, 13, 14, 20. 
 
 
 2. 
 
 II. 
 
 18. 
 
 IS (thrice), 2J 
 
 . 25. 
 
 3- 
 
 8. 
 
 19- 
 
 9, 14 (twice), 
 
 16. 
 
 4- 
 
 18. 
 
 21. 
 
 14, 17. 
 
 
 6. 
 
 S- 
 
 22. 
 
 II, 12, 14. 
 
 
 7- 
 
 17, 19, 20. 
 
 23- 
 
 6 (twice), 17. 
 
 
 8. 
 
 5- 
 
 24. 
 
 7. '2, 30. 
 
 
 9- 
 
 14. 
 
 26. 
 
 18, 28, 32. 
 
 
 10. 
 
 S- . 
 
 27. 
 
 I. 
 
 
 II. 
 
 2, 3, 7- 
 
 28. 
 
 9- 
 
 
 12. 
 
 iS. 19. 29- 
 
 29. 
 
 9, '3- 
 
 
 13- 
 
 12, 17, 18. 
 
 3°- 
 
 8, 16, 20, 32. 
 
 
 14. 
 
 10, 20, 21. 
 
 31- 
 
 29. 33. S'. 
 
 
 IS- 
 
 18, 26. 
 
 32- 
 
 23- 
 
 
 16. 
 
 S, 22, 29, 32. 
 
 35- 
 
 S- 
 
 
 17- 
 
 6, 7> iS- 
 
 36. 
 
 12, 43- 
 
 
 18. 
 
 12. 
 
 117 
 
ii8 
 
 The Note-Line 
 
 Exodus — continued. 
 
 CHAI' 
 
 19- 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
 
 23- 
 
 25- 
 
 4 (thrice), 10 (twice). 
 
 32- 
 10, 24. 
 
 17, 31- 
 _ 32. 
 
 26. 2, 8. 
 
 27. 16, 18, 20. 
 
 29. 22 (twice), 27. 
 
 30. 4, 13, 34. 
 
 31- 7- 
 
 32. I (twice), 23, 34. 
 
 33- 7. 16. 
 
 34. 6 (twice), 7, IS, 23, 27. 
 
 35- 16, 22, 35. 
 
 36. I. 
 
 37. 16, 18, 27. 
 
 38. 9, 24. 
 39- 39- 
 
 Leviticus. 
 4. 7, 18. 
 S- 12. 
 
 7. 12, 16, 21, 34. 
 
 8. 2, 23, 26. 
 
 10. 3, 6 (twice), 9 (twice), 12, 14, 
 
 16, 17. 
 
 11. 3, 26, 27, 32, 35, 42, 45. 
 
 12. 6. 
 
 13. 3, 21, 26, 45, 49, 52, 55, 59. 
 
 14. 6, 28, SI. 
 16. 13, 17, 27. 
 
 19- 34- 
 
 20. 2, 5. 
 
 21. 10. 
 
 22. 3. 
 
 23. 17, 20, 21. 
 25. 16, 22. 
 
 27. 16. ' 
 
 Numbers. 
 
 3- 2, 4, 38. 
 
 4. 7, 9, II, 16, 19, 26 (twice). 
 
 S- 22. 
 
 6. 20, 25, 26. 
 
 7. 7, 8, 13, 19, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49, 
 
 55. 61, 67, 73, 79, 84, 88. 
 
 8. 
 
 19. 
 
 
 
 
 9- 
 
 10. 13 
 
 
 
 
 10. 
 
 29>3i 
 
 32 
 
 '35- , . , 
 
 
 II. 
 
 i5> 19. 
 
 20, 
 
 25, 26 (twice), 31 
 
 32 
 
 14. 
 
 14. 3S 
 
 
 
 
 IS- 
 
 30. 31- 
 
 
 
 
 16. 
 
 7 (twice), 
 
 17- 
 
 
 17- 
 
 12, 17, 
 
 21 
 
 ,28. 
 
 
 18. 
 
 15. 19- 
 
 
 
 
 19- 
 
 2,9- 
 
 
 
 
 20. 
 
 5. 21. 
 
 
 
 
 21. 
 
 I. 
 
 
 
 
 22. 
 
 20. 
 
 
 
 
 26. 
 
 2,58. 
 
 59. 
 
 62. 
 
 
 30- 
 
 13- 
 
 
 
 
 31- 
 
 19, 30 
 
 (twice), 52. 
 
 
 32. 
 
 h 29. 
 
 33 (thrice). 
 
 
 35- 
 
 5. i4> 
 
 16. 
 
 
 
 Deuteronomy. 
 
 J- 7. 28, 33, 41. 
 
 ^- 7. 14- 
 
 3. 10, 20, 27. 
 
 4- S. 32. 34. 47- 
 
 5. 4, 8 (thrice), 12, 14, 15, 16, 22, 
 
 24. 
 
 6. 4, 10, 22. 
 
 7. I, 6, 12, 26 (twice). 
 
 8. 15 (twice). 
 
 9- 4i 5. 7. 21. 
 
 11. 2, 25. 
 
 12. 15. 
 13- 6, 7. 
 
 14. 23, 28. 
 
 15. 10. 
 
 16. II, 16 (twice). 
 
 17. 3, 6, 8. 
 
 18. 14. 
 
 19- 15- 
 
 22. 6 (twice), 22, 24. 
 
 23- 15- 
 
 25. 19. 
 
 26. 2, 5. 
 
 27- 3. 9- 
 
 28. 12, 13, 20, 25, 55, 57, 68. 
 
 30. 9 (twice). 
 
 31. 3, 6, 8, 10, 16 (twice), 20, 24. 
 
 32. 39- 
 
List of Passages 
 
 119 
 
 Joshua. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 3- 3. 13- 
 
 I. II (twice), 15 (twice). 
 
 4. II. 
 
 3- 4- 
 
 I Samuel. 
 
 S- 4, 6, 14. 
 
 I. II. 
 
 6. 5, IS, 19, 24. 
 
 2. 15, 16, 19. 
 
 7- 7- , 
 
 3- 9, lo- 
 
 I, 33 (foui" times). 
 
 4. 18 (twice). 
 
 9. 10, 12. 
 
 S- 4, 9- 
 
 ID. 5, II, 12, 23, 27. 
 
 6. 8, 15, 18. 
 
 11. 20. 
 
 7. 1,6, 10, 14. 
 
 12. I. 
 
 9- 9, 10, 12, 16, 24. 
 
 13. 3 (twice), 21, 30. 
 
 10. 3, 18. 
 
 14. 6. 
 
 II. 7. 
 
 15. 7, 18, 25, 55. 
 
 12. 2, 3, 21, 24. 
 
 17. 4. 
 
 13- .S, 8. 
 
 18. 19. 
 
 14- 3, 6, 12, 36, 47 (twice). 
 
 19. II, 47, 51 (thrice). 
 
 1 6- S, 7- 
 
 20. 4, 6 (twice), 9. 
 
 17. 23, 25 (thrice), 28, 40, 
 
 21. 13,32. 
 
 18. 10 (thrice), 27. 
 
 22. 4, 5. 7, 9. i6, 20, 22 (four 
 
 19. 9. 
 
 times), 32. 
 
 20. I, 9, 12, 21, 25, 41, 42. 
 
 23. 10, 12, 14. 
 
 21. 10. 
 
 24- 7, 13, 31- 
 
 22. 3, 17, 18. 
 
 
 24. 10 (double), 16. 
 
 Judges. 
 
 1. 7. 
 
 2. 7, 12 (twice), 15, 18, 19. 
 
 25. I3(twice), 14, 20,25,29,31,34 
 
 26. 6, 7, 16, 19, 23. 
 
 27. I. 
 
 28. 12, 15. 
 
 29- 3- 
 
 30. 21 (double), 22, 24. 
 
 31- 4, 7- 
 
 3- 3, 20. 
 
 4. 6. 
 
 6. 2, 8, 24, 31. 
 
 7. 4. 
 
 8. 12. 
 
 2 Samuel. 
 
 9- 28, 54. 
 
 .. 2, 6, 10. 
 
 ID. 4. 6 (twice). 
 
 2. 1,7, i6. 
 
 II- 17, 23, 39. 4°- 
 
 3. 8, 12, 13, 18, 21. 
 
 12. I (twice). 
 
 4- 9- 
 
 13- 7- 
 
 6. 2, 5, 16. 
 
 14. 15, 17, 19. 
 
 7. 12, 24, 28. 
 
 IS- 19- 
 
 10. 14. 
 
 16. ^, 3, 29, 31. 
 
 II. 1, ^. 
 
 18. 2, 7, 10, 19. 
 
 12. 9, II, 18, 23. 
 
 19. 1, 8, 16. 
 
 13. 29, 32, 36. 
 
 20. ID, 16, 25, 28, 31, 33, 35. 
 
 14- 7, 17, 19, 26, 32. 
 
 21. 19, 22. 
 
 15. 20, 21, 30. 
 
 
 16. 8. 
 
 Ri;th. 
 
 17. 18, 21. 
 
 1. 2, 13. 
 
 19. I, 7 (twice), 10, 36, 38. 
 
 2. 21. 
 
 20. 3, 8, 10. 
 
I20 
 
 The Note-Line 
 
 2 Samuel — continued. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 21. i6, 20. 
 
 23. 8, 10, 18. 
 
 24- 2, 3, 13 (twice), i6, 17 (twice). 
 
 1 Kings. 
 
 !• 13. 25. 32, 36. 
 
 2- 3. 30. 3'. 37- 
 
 3. 12, 14, 15 (twice), 26. 
 
 4. 19. 
 
 5. 4, 19, 20. 
 
 6. 27, 29. 
 
 7. 2, 23, 24, 25 (twice), 29 (twice), 
 
 38, SI- 
 
 8. 20, 25, 32, 36, 47, S3, 54, 59, 
 
 65 (twice). 
 
 9. IS, 19, 23. 
 
 10. 10, 22. 
 
 11. 14, 22, 32, 33,34, 36. 
 
 12. 2, 16, 27, 32 (tlirice), 33. 
 13- '. 4. 6, 9, II. 
 
 14. 21. 
 
 IS- S. 13. iS- 
 
 16. 2, 7 (twice). 
 
 17. 10. 
 
 18. s, 10, 12 (twice), 23, 36, 40, 45. 
 19- 4. 7. 8, 10, 13, 14. 
 
 20. 6, 13, 2S (twice), 29, 30, 39. 
 
 21. 2 (twice), 15. 
 
 22. 8, 13, 38. 
 
 2 Kings. 
 1. 6, 13, 17. 
 
 ^. 4, s, 12, 14, 23. 
 
 3. 16, 17. 
 
 4. 6, 13, 19. 
 
 S- 8, II, 20, 22. 
 
 6. 32 (twice). 
 
 7. I (twice), 6, 9. 
 
 8. 14, 18. 
 
 9- 7- 
 
 10. S( 6 (twice), 25. 
 
 11. 4, II, IS, 19. 
 
 12. 22. 
 
 13- 3. 14. 16, 21. 
 
 17- 29, 36, 41 (twice). 
 
 18. 4, 12, 14 (thrice), 17. 
 
 19. 4 (twice), 6, II, 16, 23, 3S, 37. 
 
 CHAI*. 
 
 20. s. 13. 14. 17- 
 
 21. 8. 
 
 22. 12, 14, 17, 19. 
 
 23- 3. 12, 13 (twice), 19, 26. 
 
 24. 2 (twice), 3, 14, 20. 
 
 25. 4 (twice), 16, 17 (twice), 19, 25. 
 
 1 Chronicles. 
 
 2- 3. 25. 
 
 3- I- . 
 
 4- 41, 42- 
 
 5- i4> 26. 
 8. 38. 
 
 9- 20, 44. 
 
 10. 4. 
 
 11. 23. 
 
 12. 18, 20, 37, 40. 
 13- 6. 
 
 15. 2, 18, 27, 29. 
 
 16. 39. 
 
 17. 22, 25. 
 
 18. 8. 
 
 19. 2. 
 
 20. I (two), 2, 6. 
 
 21. 12 (two), 15 (two), 18. 
 
 22. 3, s, 18. 
 24. 31. 
 
 26. 8, 26. 
 
 27. I (four), 4. 
 
 28. 10. 
 
 29. 2, 6, II, 21, 23. 
 
 2 Chronicles. 
 
 2. 3. 9- 
 
 3- S- 
 
 4- 2, 3, 4 (two). 
 
 5- ■>• 
 
 6. 10, 16, 23, 27, 32, 37. 
 
 7- 3. 9> 22. 
 
 8. I, 6. 
 
 g. 8, 9, 21. 
 
 10. 16 (two). 
 
 12. 6, 7, 13. 
 
 13. s, 8, 12. 
 
 14. 6. 
 
 IS- ,3. 16. 
 
List of Passages 
 
 I 21 
 
 2 Chronicles — continued. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 i6. 8. 
 
 17. 10. 
 
 18. 3, 7, 12. 
 
 19. 10 (two), II. 
 
 20. I, 7, 8, 22. 
 
 21. 3, 6, 12, 18, 19 (two). 
 
 23. 10, 14, 20. 
 
 24. 5, 20, 23, 24. 
 
 25. 16. 
 
 26. IS, 17, 21. 
 28. 7, 9. 
 
 30. 10, 19, 21, 25. 
 
 31. 2, 21. 
 
 32. 22, 31. 
 33- 8, 14. 
 
 34. 3, 9, 12, 20, 22, 25, 27. 
 
 35. 18, 21 (two), 25. 
 
 36. 23. 
 
 Ezra. 
 
 2. I. 
 
 3- 8. 
 
 4. 2. 
 
 5- 6, 8, 15. 
 
 6. I, 9 (three), 12. 
 
 7- II. 17- 
 
 8. 35. 36. 
 
 9- 7. 8, 13- 
 
 10. 9, 14. 
 
 Nehemiah. 
 
 1. 4. 
 
 2. I, 2, 6, 12 (two), 13, 19. 
 
 3- 14. 34- 
 
 4. I, 10. 
 
 5- 14- 
 
 6. 17. 
 
 7. 6. 
 
 8. 3. 6, 7 (two), 17, 18. 
 II- 33- 
 
 13. IS (two), 23. 
 
 Esther. 
 
 '■ ^,3. 5. 6 (two), 8, 14, 15, 18 
 
 ^. 12, 14, IS- 
 
 3. 1, 7, 12. 
 
 4. 7. 
 
 CHAl'. 
 
 5- I. 14- 
 
 7. 8. 
 
 8. 9, II, 15. 
 
 9. 7 (three), 8 (three), 9 (four), 
 
 i6, 27 (two). 
 10. I, 3. 
 
 Job. 
 
 1. i, 16, 17 (two), 19. 
 
 2. II. 
 
 3- 13. 26. 
 
 4. s. 16, 19. 
 
 5- S. 6, 19. 
 
 6. 10. 
 
 7. 20, 21. 
 9. 24. 
 
 10. 3, 17, 22. 
 
 11. 6 (two), 15. 
 
 12. 3, 4, 6. 
 
 13. 14, 27. 
 
 14- S. 13, 19- 
 
 15. 23, 24, 28, 30. 
 
 16. 4, 9 (two), 10, 12. 
 
 18. 2. 
 
 19. 3, 12, 27, 29. 
 
 20. 20, 23, 29 (two). 
 
 21. 8, 17, 28. 
 
 24- 5. 12, 13. 14. IS. 17. 18, 20, 24. 
 
 26. 14. 
 
 27- 9. 13 (two). 
 
 28. 3, 4, 28. 
 
 30. I. 
 
 31-2, 34, 35, 40. 
 
 32. 2, 6 (two), II. 
 
 33- IS. 23. 26, 27. 
 
 34. 10, 19, 20, 29, 33. 
 
 35- 13- 
 
 36. 16, 28. 
 
 37. 4, 6, 12 (two), 14, 21. 
 
 38. 1,2. 
 
 39. 25. 
 
 40. 6, 9, 23. 
 42. 3, S (two). 
 
 Psalms. ' 
 
 I- i. 2, 3, s- 
 2. 2, 12. 
 3- 1.8. 
 
122 
 
 The Note- Line 
 
 Psalms — continued. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 4. 2. 
 
 5- 2. 3. S (two), 7, 9, 1 1 . 
 
 6. 7, 1 1 (in some editions), 
 
 7. 6 (two), 7, 10. 
 
 8. 3. 
 
 9. 7, 14, 17, 21. 
 
 10. 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13 (two), 14 
 
 (three). 
 
 11. 1, 4. 
 
 12. 3, 5, 8. 
 13- 2. 3. 6. 
 H- S- 
 
 15- 3, 4. S- 
 16. 9, 10. 
 
 17- I. 3. H- 
 
 18. I (two), 7 (two), 8, 9, 1 2, 14, 
 
 16, 31, so (two), 51. 
 
 19. 5 (two), 7, 10, 14, 15. 
 
 20. 2, 6, 7, 8. 
 
 21. s, 10. 
 
 22. 16, 24, 27, 28, 30. 
 
 23- 5- 
 24. 7, 9. 
 
 25- S. 7- 
 
 26. I. 
 
 27. I (two), 2, 3, 4, S, 9. 
 
 28. I, 5, 7, 9. 
 
 29. 9, II. 
 
 30. 6, II, 13. 
 
 31. 3 (twol 12, 14, 15, 21, 23. 
 
 32. 4 (two), 6, 8, 9. 
 33- 12. 
 
 35. I, 10, 13, 21, 26. 
 
 36- 5. 7- 
 
 37- I. 7. 14. 20, 28, 34. 
 38. 12, 13. 
 
 39- 4> 5. 6, 7. 12, 13 (two). 
 
 40. 3, 4, 6 (two), 10, II, 15, 16, 
 
 17 (two), 18. 
 
 41. 3, 7, 8, 10, 14 (two). 
 
 42- 3. S (three), 6, 9 (two), 10, 11, 
 
 12. 
 
 43- I. 2. 4> S- 
 
 44. 2, 3, 9, 24 (two). 
 
 45. 2 (two), s, 13. 
 
 47. 9, 10. 
 
 48. 9, II, 12, 14, 15. 
 
 49. II, 12, 14, 15. 
 
 CHAl'. 
 
 50. 1, 6, 7, 16, 21. 
 
 51. 6, 16, 18. 
 52- 2, S- 
 
 54- 5- , , ^ 
 
 55. 16, 20 (two), 22, 23, 24 (two). 
 
 56. 1, 7, 8, 10. 
 57- 2, 4> S. 7> lo- 
 ss. 7- 
 
 59. 2, 8, 12, 17. 
 
 60. 2, 8, 9, 10. 
 
 61. 3. 9- 
 
 62. 4, s, 9, 10, II, 12, 13. 
 
 63. 2 (two). 
 
 64. 6. 
 
 65- S. 6, 8, 10, 14. 
 
 66. 4, 6, 7 (two), 8. 
 
 67. 4, 5, 6. 
 
 68. s, 7 (two), 9, 17, 19 (two), 20, 
 
 21, 24, 28, 31, 36 (two). 
 %■ I. 3. 5. 7. 14. 16, 21, 36. 
 70. 4, 5, 6. 
 71- 3. 6, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22. 
 
 72. I, 4, 16, 17, 18, 19 (two). 
 
 73. 8, 10, 20, 28 (two). 
 
 74. 2 (two), 18. 
 75- 2, 9. 
 
 76. 6, 8. 
 
 77. 3, 4, 8, 17, 18, 19. 
 
 78. 4, 5, 6, 8, 20, 21, 31, 38, 55, 65. 
 
 79. I, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13. 
 
 80. 2, 3. 
 
 81. 6, II. 
 
 82. 5. 
 
 84. 3, 4 (three), 7, 12. 
 
 85. 9. 
 
 86. 8, 9 (two), II, 12, 14. 
 
 87- 4. S- 
 
 88. 6, 14. 
 
 89- 2, 3, 9 (two), so (two), 52, S3. 
 
 90. 2, 10, 17. 
 
 91- 4. 7. IS- 
 92. 8, 10. 
 
 93- 3. 4. S- 
 
 94- 3. 14. 17, 23. 
 
 95- 10- 
 
 96. s> 10, 13. 
 97- 7. 8, 9- 
 98. I, 3, 6. 
 
 99- 4. 6. 
 
List of Passages 
 
 123 
 
 Psalms — continued. 
 
 CHAP 
 
 
 
 
 100. 
 
 3. 
 
 4- 
 
 
 lOI. 
 
 2, 
 
 3. S, 6, 7. 
 
 
 102. 
 
 3. 
 
 20, 27. 
 
 
 103. 
 
 I, 
 
 17, 22. 
 
 
 104. 
 
 8, 
 
 14, IS, 24, 25, 35 (two) 
 
 105. 
 
 3. 
 
 45- 
 
 
 106. 
 
 I. 
 
 S, 7, 47, 48 (two). 
 
 108. 
 
 4. 
 
 8, 9. 10. 
 
 
 109. 
 
 14 
 
 , 16, 20, 21, 25, 
 
 28. 
 
 no. 
 
 I, 
 
 4- 
 
 
 III. 
 
 I. 
 
 9, 10. 
 
 
 112. 
 
 I. 
 
 9, 10. 
 
 
 113- 
 
 I, 
 
 4.9- 
 
 
 "S- 
 
 I, 
 
 7, 1 8. 
 
 
 116. 
 
 I, 
 
 3. 19- 
 
 
 117. 
 
 2. 
 
 
 
 118. 
 
 'S, 27- 
 
 
 119. 
 
 52, 69, 104, 128, I 
 
 56. 
 
 122. 
 
 S- 
 
 
 
 125. 
 
 3- 
 
 
 
 126. 
 
 6. 
 
 
 
 127. 
 
 I 
 
 (two), 2. 
 
 
 128. 
 
 3- 
 
 
 
 129. 
 
 8. 
 
 
 
 131- 
 
 I 
 
 (two), 2. 
 
 
 132. 
 
 II, 12, 17. 
 
 
 133- 
 
 2, 
 
 3- 
 
 
 134- 
 
 J. 
 
 
 
 135- 
 
 1) 
 
 9, II, 21. 
 
 
 137- 
 
 *» 
 
 3, 6, 7 (two), 9 
 
 
 138. 
 
 '> 
 
 2. 
 
 
 139- 
 
 16, 19, 21. 
 
 
 140. 
 
 S. 
 
 6. 
 
 
 141. 
 
 4 
 
 (three), 5, 8. 
 
 
 142. 
 
 4. 
 
 5, 7. 8. 
 
 
 143- 
 
 I, 
 
 3. 5. 0, 7. 8, 9. 
 
 10, II. 
 
 144. 
 
 I 
 
 (two), 12. 
 
 
 146. 
 
 3 
 
 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 
 
 
 147. 
 
 I 
 
 8, 20. 
 
 
 148. 
 
 1 
 
 4. 13. 14- 
 
 
 149. 
 
 i 
 
 9- 
 
 
 150. 
 
 i 
 
 Proverbs. 
 
 
 1. 
 
 9 
 
 22, 27. 
 
 
 3- 
 
 28. 
 
 
 5- 
 
 2T. 
 
 
 6. 
 
 3 
 
 (two), 9, 10, 14 
 
 22, 27. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 7. 12. 
 
 8. 13, 21, 29, 31, 34. 
 
 9- 7- 
 10. 26. 
 
 IS- 25- 
 
 16. 10, II. 
 
 19. 7, 10. 
 
 21. 20, 29. 
 
 22. 3, 29. 
 
 23- 5. 7. 29 (two). 
 
 24. 12, 14, 16, 20, 27, 31, 34. 
 
 25. I, 13, 20, 28. 
 
 26. I. 
 
 27. 10, 12, 14, 22, 27. 
 
 28. 10, 24. 
 
 29. 13. 
 
 30. I, 4 (three), 8, 9, 15 (two), 17, 
 
 19, 20. 
 31- 4. IS- 
 
 1. 6, 13. 
 
 2. 3, 12. 
 4. I, 8. 
 
 S- 17- 
 
 6. ^. 
 
 7. 24. 
 
 8. 14. 
 9- 3- 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 Canticles. 
 
 i. 13, 14. 
 
 2- 7- 
 
 3- 5- 
 
 4. 8, 12 (two), 14. 
 
 S- 2. 
 8. 4, 14. 
 
 Isaiah. 
 ,. 4. 
 ^- 2, 3. 
 
 3- 7- 
 
 4- 3. 4> S- 
 
 5- 19- ^ 
 
 6. 2 (two), 3. 
 
 7. 18. 
 
 8. 4. 
 
 9- 3. i6- 
 10. 13, 14, 20, 27. 
 
124 
 
 The Note-Line 
 
 Isaiah — con tinued. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 II. II (two). 
 13. 8. 
 
 IS- 5- 
 
 17. 9. 
 
 18. 2, 7. 
 
 19. 16. 
 
 21. 2 (two), 8, 15. 
 
 22. 2, 13 (two), 24. 
 23- '> 13. 17- 
 
 24. 3 (two). 
 
 25- 7- 
 26. 3. 
 
 27- 9. 13' 
 28. 12. ■ 
 
 3°- 25- 
 
 31- 4- 
 
 33- H- 
 
 36. 2. 
 
 37. 2, 4 (two), 6, II, 17, 24, 36, 38. 
 39- 2, 3, 6. 
 
 40. 28. 
 
 41. 22. 
 
 42. 5. 
 
 45- 1. 14- 
 
 47. I. 
 
 48. I. 
 
 49. 5, 8, 21, 25. 
 
 50. I, 4, 10, II. 
 52. I. 
 
 54- 2. 
 56. 4. 
 
 57- 19- 
 
 58. -. 
 
 60. g. 
 
 61. 3, II. 
 
 63- 1. 3: 7, 9. li- 
 es. 8, 13 (two). 
 66. 12, 19, 20 (three). 
 
 Jeremiah. 
 
 I- 10, 13, IS- 
 
 2. S. 13. 24- 
 
 4- I, 3> 10, 13. 19 (double), 22. 
 
 5- 15- 
 
 6. I, II, 14, 16. 
 
 7- 9. i4> 16. 20. 34- 
 8. I, 2, II. 
 
 CHAP. 
 9. 2, 22. 
 
 10. 2. 
 
 11. s, 14, 16, 19. 
 
 12. S, 14. 
 
 13. 10. 
 
 14. 13, 16. 
 
 15. II, 12. 
 
 16. 3> S- 
 
 17- S. 8, 16, 24, 25 (two), 27. 
 
 18. 20. 
 
 19. 4, II. 
 
 20. 4. 
 
 21. 7 (three). 
 
 22. 3, 6, 30. 
 
 23- 6, 19- 
 
 24. 8 (two). 
 
 25. 3, 25, 26. 
 
 26. 2, 8, 10, 15, 18. 
 
 27. 12, ,18. 
 
 28. 1, 3, II, 14. 
 
 29. 16, 18, 21, 32 (double). 
 
 30. 8, II, IS, 18, 23. 
 
 31. 6, 14, IS, 34. 36, 39- 
 32- 8, 17, 35, 36, 43, 44. 
 33. 2, 10, 12, 16. 
 
 34- I- 
 
 35. s, IS (double). 
 
 36. 23, 27, 32. 
 
 37- 7- 
 
 38. 4 (two), 6, II, 20. 
 
 39- 4- 
 
 40. I, 7, 8, II (two), 14. 
 
 41. I, 2, 9, 10. 
 
 42. 6, 16. 
 
 44- 9; 14. 17. 25. 26 (double), 30. 
 
 45- 4- 
 
 46. 16, 28. 
 
 47- 2. 
 
 48. 20, 27. 
 
 49- 12, 28, 37 (two), 39. 
 
 50. 14, 29, 34. 
 
 51. 2, 6, 24, 37 (double), 59. 
 
 52. 3, IS, 20, 25. 
 
 Lamentations. 
 
 1. 1, IS, 16 (two). 
 
 2. 1, s, 6, 7, 8, 19. 
 5. 21. 
 
List of Passages 
 
 125 
 
 EZEKIEL. 
 CHAP. 
 
 1. I, 4, 27. 
 
 3- 6, 13, 27 (two). 
 
 4- 9- 
 
 5- I. 7- 
 
 6. 13. 
 
 7. II. 
 
 8. I, 3, 6, 10. 
 
 9. 2 (two), 3, II. 
 
 10. i. 
 
 11. 13. 
 
 12. 25. 
 
 13. II, 18 (two), 20. 
 
 14. 4, 6, 21. 
 16. 14. 43. 52- 
 17- 3> 9. 24- 
 18. 20. 
 
 20. I, 30, 32, 39, 40. 
 
 21. 3, 20, 24, 27. 
 
 22. II. 
 
 24. 6, 17, 21. 
 26. 15, 16. 
 
 28. 2, 25. 
 
 29. 3, 12. 
 
 32. 24. 
 
 33. II (two), 25 (two). 
 
 34. 2, 8 (two). 
 
 35. 12 (two). 
 
 36- 3. 5. 6, 36. 
 
 37- 2. 9- 
 
 38. 8 (two), 10, 13, 14, 18, 19. 
 
 39- 9- II. 17 (two). 
 
 40. I, 5, 6, 14, 16 (two), 17, 25, 
 
 29. 30. 33, 36, 43. 47- 
 41- 5. 6, 7. 8, 10, II, 12, 16 (two), 
 
 17. 19- 
 
 42. 10, 13 (two), IS, 20. 
 
 43. 12. 
 
 45- I- 
 
 47. 9, 12 (two), 16, 17. 
 48- I. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 21 (three), 
 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 35. 
 
 Daniel. 
 
 2. 23, 24, 35. 
 3- 2, 5, 15. 
 
 4. 6, 9, IS (two), 20, 22 (two), 
 29, 31. 33- 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 
 5- 
 
 2. 7. 
 
 12, 
 
 21. 23, 29. 
 
 6. 
 
 8, II 
 
 . 27 
 
 (two). 
 
 7- 
 
 9, 28 
 
 , 
 
 
 8. 
 
 3,5, 
 
 7- 
 
 
 9- 
 
 12, 
 
 13. 
 
 IS. 17, 18 (two), 19 
 
 
 (two). 
 
 24, 27. 
 
 10. 
 
 12, I 
 
 3- 
 
 
 II. 
 
 6, 14 
 
 , 17 
 
 , 18. 
 
 12. 
 
 7- 
 
 
 HOSEA. 
 
 I. 
 
 1. 
 
 
 
 2, 
 
 23- 
 
 
 
 3- 
 
 4- 
 
 
 
 4- 
 
 3- 
 
 
 
 S- 
 
 I. 
 
 
 
 7- 
 
 16. 
 
 
 
 9- 
 
 1,4, 
 
 7- 
 
 
 13- 
 
 2. 
 
 
 
 14. 
 
 4- 
 
 
 Joel. 
 
 
 
 [No insertions.] 
 
 
 
 
 Amos. 
 
 I. 
 
 I, 2. 
 
 
 
 8. 
 
 9, 11 
 
 . 
 
 
 9- 
 
 8. 
 
 
 Obadiah. 
 
 
 
 [N 
 
 3 insertions.] 
 Jonah. 
 
 I. 
 
 3' 
 
 
 
 4- 
 
 6,8. 
 
 
 MiCAH. 
 
 !• 
 
 I. 
 
 
 
 3- 
 
 II. 
 
 
 
 4- 
 
 I. 2, 
 
 9- 
 
 
 s- 
 
 4.6. 
 
 
 Nahum. 
 
 I. 
 
 12. 
 
 
 
 3- 
 
 19. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Habakkuk. 
 
 3- S. 16. 
 
126 
 
 The Note-Line 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 1. I. 
 
 2. 2, 
 
 3- " 
 
 IS- 
 
 > 1 = 
 
 Zephaniah 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 Haggai. 
 
 1, 
 2. 
 
 12 
 
 4, 
 
 (two). 
 
 12, 20. 
 
 
 
 
 Zechariah 
 
 1. 
 
 3- 
 
 4- 
 
 6, 
 8, 
 7- 
 
 8, 
 9- 
 
 7- 
 
 CHAP. V 
 
 6. 15. 
 
 8. 17. 
 
 9. II. 
 
 10. 6. 
 
 11. 12. 
 
 12. 10. 
 
 13. z, 4, 9. 
 
 14. 2, 8, 12 (two). 
 
 Malachi. 
 
 ^- 5. ". i4> 17- 
 3- I. S- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abnormal forms noted by the 
 line, 58. 
 
 Abrupt transitions noted, 53. 
 
 Absence of the line remarkable, 
 105 if. 
 
 Absolute use of nouns, 67 ; ab- 
 solute use of verbs, in the in- 
 finitive, 70. 
 
 Accentual system in the Hebrew 
 Scriptures, II, 15, 17. 'Paseq' 
 not an accent, 11, 16. 
 
 Adjacent similars noted by the 
 line, 37 ff. 
 
 Alliteration noted, 43. 
 
 Anacoloutha indicated, 57. 
 
 Anthropopathic expressions, 77. 
 
 Antiquity of the note-line, 10, 19. 
 
 Arrangement of verses noted as 
 questionable, 72. 
 
 Article : its abnormal omission or 
 insertion, 64 if. 
 
 Attributives abnormally placed, 
 68. 
 
 Chang'e of construction noted, 71. 
 Circumlocution for the gfenitive, 
 
 67. 
 Classification of instances in 
 
 which the note - line appears, 
 
 34 ff. 
 
 Coincidence of note-line and Qert, 
 13 ; of note-line and Sebirtn, 
 14. 
 
 Confirmation of textual peculiar- 
 ities by the Septuagint, 20. 
 
 Conflate readings noted, 43, 51. 
 
 Conjunctions peculiarly used, 70. 
 
 Conservatism of Hebrew Scribes, 
 6,79. 
 
 Consonants the original constitu- 
 ents of the Hebrew text, 14, 
 
 19- 
 
 Construct state noted when pecu- 
 liar, 66. 
 
 Constructions noted when pecu- 
 liar, 64. 
 
 Criticism of the text furthered by 
 the line, 78 ff., 98 ff. 
 
 Dagesh, 15. 
 
 Darga, 17. 
 
 Difficult readings solved, 78 ff. ; 
 
 difficult readings left unsolved, 
 
 90. 
 Difficulties indicated, 78, 98 ; 
 
 difficulties often left unmarked, 
 
 20. 
 Discordant subject and predicate 
 
 noted, 68. 
 Displacement of words from their 
 
 natural order, 73. 
 Divine names marked as peculiar, 
 
 34- 
 Double note-line, 28. 
 Doubtful insertions of the line, 
 
 102. 
 
 Early origin of the note-line, 10, 
 
 19. 
 Editions of printed Hebrew Bibles 
 
 vary in their insertion of the 
 
 line, 3, 105. 
 
 127 
 
128 
 
 Index 
 
 Emendation of suspected read- 
 ings. 79- 
 
 Foreig-n names noted, 58. 
 Frequency with which the line is 
 used, 2, 3. 
 
 Grammatical constructions noted, 
 if abnormal, 64. 
 
 Inadvertent repetitions, 48. 
 Infinitive with finite verb, 42 ; in- 
 finitive instead of finite verb, 
 
 7°- 
 
 Insertion of note-hne : its posi- 
 tion, I flf. ; repeated insertion, 
 3f., 107; rules for insertion, 
 22 ; insertion of word between 
 a construct and its genitive, 
 67. 
 
 Intentional insertions, 49. 
 
 Interpolations, 49. 
 
 Irregular forms noted, 60. 
 
 Irregular insertions, 30 ff., 104 ff. 
 
 Kethib and Qeri, 12. 
 
 Legarmeh and ' Paseq,' 2 (foot- 
 note), 17. 
 
 Manuscripts vary in inserting the 
 
 line, 3, 105. 
 Mappiq, 15. 
 
 Massoretes and their signs, 10 ff. 
 Merka, 17. 
 Metheg, 17. 
 
 Misplacement of note-lines, 32 f. 
 Munach, 17. 
 
 Needless letters or words noted, 
 44 ff. 
 
 Non-appearance of the line re- 
 markable, no. 
 
 Note-line misnamed ' Paseq ' or 
 'Pesiq,' I, 6; early origin, 10 f., 
 19 f; irregular insertions, 2, 3; 
 indicator of difficulties, 20, 78, 
 90 f. , 98 f. ; number of insertions 
 in one verse, 2f., 7f. ; not an 
 'accent,' 11. 
 
 Nouns in unusual construction, 
 66. 
 
 Object of the note-line, 4. 
 
 Omission of the line, 3, 105 ff., 
 113; omission of letters or 
 words noted, 54 ff. ; omission of 
 relative, 68. 
 
 Order of words noted, 72. 
 
 Origen's Hexapla, 33. 
 
 Origin of the note-line, 4, 10, 21. 
 
 Ortenberg on the irregular inser- 
 tion of the line, 32. 
 
 Pair of note-lines, 28. 
 
 Parallel texts vary in use of the 
 line, 106. 
 
 Participle with pronoun instead 
 of finite verb, 70. 
 
 Paseq : signification of the word, 
 1 ; misleading name, loff. 
 
 Peculiar constructions noted, 64 ; 
 peculiar forms noted, 58 ; pecu- 
 liarities not alwavs marked, 
 io6ff. 
 
 Place for inserting note-line in a 
 verse, 22 ff. 
 
 Pleonasms noted by the line, 50. 
 
 Poetic terms noted, 58. 
 
 Post-insertion of the note-line, 
 
 so- 
 Premonitory insertion of the line, 
 
 25- 
 
 Proofs that the line is very an- 
 cient, 19. 
 Proper names noted, if peculiar 
 
 S9- 
 Purity of text, 7, 1 10. 
 
 Qerf and KethJb, 12 ff. 
 
 Questionable arrangement of 
 words in a sentence, 72 ; ques- 
 tionable statements noted, 75 ; 
 questionable readings, 78. 
 
 Raph^, 15. 
 
 Rare words noted, 58. 
 Readings questioned, 78. 
 Rearrangement of verses noted, 
 72. 
 
Index 
 
 129 
 
 Relation of note-line to other ] Syro-Hexaplar, 33. 
 marks, I2ff. 
 
 Relative sign omitted, 68. 
 
 Remarkable order of words in a 
 sentence, 72. 
 
 Repeated insertion of the note- 
 line, 9 ; repeated letters or 
 words generally marked by 
 the line, 37 ff., 48 ff.; repeated 
 peculiarities not always noted, 
 106. 
 
 Rules for insertion of the note- 
 line, 22. 
 
 Text questioned, 78. 
 
 Textual criticism furthered by the 
 
 note-line, 78 f., 98 f. 
 Transition from one subject to 
 
 another, 53. 
 
 SebJrin, I3ff. 
 
 Separation rarely indicated by 
 the note-line, 2, 38. 
 
 Septuagint confirms readings 
 noted by the line, 20. 
 
 SiUflq, 3. 
 
 Similar words, when adjacent, 
 noted by the line, 41. 
 
 Single insertion of the line, 7 ff. 
 
 Strange statements noted, 75. 
 
 Substitution of readings, 78 ff. 
 
 Sudden change of person or sub- 
 ject, 53. 
 
 Superfluities noted, 44. 
 
 Suspected readings, 78 ff. 
 
 Synonymous expressions noted, 
 so- 
 
 Unexplained insertions of the 
 
 line, 102. 
 Uniform insertion of the line not 
 
 observed, 104. 
 Uninflected verbs noted, 70. 
 Unique forms noted, 62. 
 Unnecessary letters or words 
 
 noted, 44 ff. 
 Unusual forms noted, 58. 
 
 Variety in use of the line, 
 
 104 ff. 
 Verb - constructions noted, when 
 
 peculiar, 68 ; verbs noted, when 
 
 uninflected, 70. 
 Verse - arrangement marked as 
 
 improbable, 72. 
 Vowel-marks in the Massoretic 
 
 text, II, 14. 
 
 Wickes (Dr. W.) on the accents 
 
 and ' Paseq,' 11, 18. 
 Word-arrangement noted, 72. 
 
Printed hy 
 
 Morrison & Gibb Limited 
 
 Edinburgh.