DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14722#0026
HEBREW PENTATEUCH OF HIS LATE ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE DUKE OF SUSSEX.
liXPL ANATION 0!? THE PLATE.
Figure 1. Commencement of the Book of Genesis; the first line
in g-old, g-reatly reduced in size ; the two following lines are
the Hebrew text of the iirst verse; and the third and fourth
are the same in the Chaldaic Targum Onkelos.
Figure 2. The upper part of the illuminated heading of the book
Ecclesiastes.
Figure 3. Part of the Dominical sections, written in the Eab-
binical character.
Figure 4. The heading of tbe book of Lamentations.
Fig-ure 5. The lower portion of the illuminated title of the book
of Numbers.
^JpHE venerable character of the Hebrew Scriptures, together with the elegance of the mannscript frorn
whence the accompanying fac-similes have been made; cannot but confer much interest upon the
accompanying plate.
Without entering, on the present occasion, into the history of the Hebrew language in its origin and
changes, or inquiring into the antiquity of the Hebrew characters, it will be necessary to premise that Hebrew
manuscripts are divisible into three kinds :—
lst, The Samaritan, which are confined to the Pentateuch alone (all the other sacred books of the
Old Testament being rejected by the Samaritans), and written in the ancient Hebrew characters, which were
in use previous to the Babylonish captivity. These are of the greatest rarity.
2nd. The Chaldaic, written in the present Hebrew square characters, which were adopted during the
seventy years' captivity. The Chaldaic writing has been employed by the Hebrews ever since the time of
Esdras the Scribe, as appears from the Hebrew Sicles of the time of the Machabees, and great numbers of
ancient monumental inscriptions. It consists of 22 letters, all of which, according to the custom of Eastern
nations of suppressing the vowels, are syllables. The vowel points, to the number of 14, and 29 accent points,
were afterwards added; but these are not of high antiquity, as Origen, Jerome, and the Talmud are silent
respecting them.
3rd. The Rabbinical, in the rounded Hebrew characters, used by the Rabbis in their writings, as well as in
their commentaries on the different sacred books, the Talmud, &c. This is either written with the letters
separated, or united into a cursive hand.
In addition to these, might also be added several other kinds of writing of great antiquity, whereof the
alphabets are given in the Nouv. Traite de Diplom. 1. pl. 8, Col. IV., as well as others to be found in the
Cottonian MS. Titus, D 18, but that they have been entirely disused for ages.
Chaldaic Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament are of two kinds :—
lst. The rolled MSS. which are used in the synagogues, in writing which many minute particulars were
obliged to be observed. No vowel points are introduced, the reader not being eligible until he could dispense
with them ; nor are any ornaments or flourished letters permitted.
2nd. The square MSS. in private use, in which the vowel points are allowed to be introduced, and the
initial letters are occasionally illuminated with colours and gold; but the latter are of rare occurrence. They
have generally the Targums or Chaldee paraphrases written verse by verse alternately with the text, or in
parallel columns on the margin of the page; the larger Masorah being placed above and below, and the lesser
Masorah between the columns, written in small letters. The writing of these manuscripts is distinguished into
two kinds—the Spanish (including that of the Levant) and German; the former perfectly square, simple, and
elegant j the latter crooked, intricate, and inelegant. By some writers a third kind, the Italian, is adopted,
which is intermediate between these two; but it is generally united with the Spanish.1
1
1 Nouv. Tr. de Diplom. vol. i. p. 671 ; Horne, Introd. vol. ii., p. 80.
THE DUKE OF SUSSEX.
liXPL ANATION 0!? THE PLATE.
Figure 1. Commencement of the Book of Genesis; the first line
in g-old, g-reatly reduced in size ; the two following lines are
the Hebrew text of the iirst verse; and the third and fourth
are the same in the Chaldaic Targum Onkelos.
Figure 2. The upper part of the illuminated heading of the book
Ecclesiastes.
Figure 3. Part of the Dominical sections, written in the Eab-
binical character.
Figure 4. The heading of tbe book of Lamentations.
Fig-ure 5. The lower portion of the illuminated title of the book
of Numbers.
^JpHE venerable character of the Hebrew Scriptures, together with the elegance of the mannscript frorn
whence the accompanying fac-similes have been made; cannot but confer much interest upon the
accompanying plate.
Without entering, on the present occasion, into the history of the Hebrew language in its origin and
changes, or inquiring into the antiquity of the Hebrew characters, it will be necessary to premise that Hebrew
manuscripts are divisible into three kinds :—
lst, The Samaritan, which are confined to the Pentateuch alone (all the other sacred books of the
Old Testament being rejected by the Samaritans), and written in the ancient Hebrew characters, which were
in use previous to the Babylonish captivity. These are of the greatest rarity.
2nd. The Chaldaic, written in the present Hebrew square characters, which were adopted during the
seventy years' captivity. The Chaldaic writing has been employed by the Hebrews ever since the time of
Esdras the Scribe, as appears from the Hebrew Sicles of the time of the Machabees, and great numbers of
ancient monumental inscriptions. It consists of 22 letters, all of which, according to the custom of Eastern
nations of suppressing the vowels, are syllables. The vowel points, to the number of 14, and 29 accent points,
were afterwards added; but these are not of high antiquity, as Origen, Jerome, and the Talmud are silent
respecting them.
3rd. The Rabbinical, in the rounded Hebrew characters, used by the Rabbis in their writings, as well as in
their commentaries on the different sacred books, the Talmud, &c. This is either written with the letters
separated, or united into a cursive hand.
In addition to these, might also be added several other kinds of writing of great antiquity, whereof the
alphabets are given in the Nouv. Traite de Diplom. 1. pl. 8, Col. IV., as well as others to be found in the
Cottonian MS. Titus, D 18, but that they have been entirely disused for ages.
Chaldaic Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament are of two kinds :—
lst. The rolled MSS. which are used in the synagogues, in writing which many minute particulars were
obliged to be observed. No vowel points are introduced, the reader not being eligible until he could dispense
with them ; nor are any ornaments or flourished letters permitted.
2nd. The square MSS. in private use, in which the vowel points are allowed to be introduced, and the
initial letters are occasionally illuminated with colours and gold; but the latter are of rare occurrence. They
have generally the Targums or Chaldee paraphrases written verse by verse alternately with the text, or in
parallel columns on the margin of the page; the larger Masorah being placed above and below, and the lesser
Masorah between the columns, written in small letters. The writing of these manuscripts is distinguished into
two kinds—the Spanish (including that of the Levant) and German; the former perfectly square, simple, and
elegant j the latter crooked, intricate, and inelegant. By some writers a third kind, the Italian, is adopted,
which is intermediate between these two; but it is generally united with the Spanish.1
1
1 Nouv. Tr. de Diplom. vol. i. p. 671 ; Horne, Introd. vol. ii., p. 80.