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The Sopherim in effect produced an Authorized Version, which it was the business of
the Massorites to preserve for all time. The student who uses The Companion Bible will
be familiar with Appendices Nos. 31, 32 and 33, where some of the labours of the
Sopherim are recorded.
With the labours of the Massorites the final stage in the history of the Hebrew text is
reached. The word "Massorah" is derived from masar, "to deliver something into the
hand of another". The labours of the Massorites had a twofold object--the exhibition of
a perfect *orthoepic standard for the Hebrew language, and the recording of a correct and
inviolable text of the Hebrew Scriptures.
To accomplish their task the Massorites first collected all that could be found in the
Talmud concerning the traditional vowel points and punctuation, and produced a text
provided with a series of points indicating vowel sounds. The Hebrew Bible at that time
had neither chapter nor verse, and the Massorites divided the several books into
parashiotts--greater sections, sedarim--orders, perakim--chapters, and pesikim--verses.
When the division was completed, the number of verses in each book was notified by a
technical word. The middle verse, or clause, and the middle letter were registered, and
the number of letters in each book counted. Notes were made of places where words or
letters appeared to have been altered, omitted or added, and a whole mass of intricate
detail recorded that still leaves the mind overwhelmed by its sheer mass. The results of
this prodigious labour were placed in the margin of the Scrolls, and those who know
anything of the labours of Dr. Ginsburg will have some idea of the range and
distribution of these notes. The Massorites, moreover, introduced a series of accents that
were intended to answer four purposes:--
(1).
To certify the meanings of words.
(2).
To indicate the true syllables.
(3).
To regulate the +cantillations of synagogue reading.
(4).
To show the emphasis of an expression.
The Massorah is truly called, "A Fence to the Scriptures". It does not contain
comments; but registers only facts. However trivial some of the calculations of the
Massorites may appear to modern eyes, for example the counting of the number of
occurrences of each letter in a given book, they had the effect of fixing the text, so that in
literal truth, not one jot or tittle could pass away or be lost. If we consider the Massoretic
labours, together with the minutely detailed instructions to the copyist, we shall realize
how very certain we may be to-day that we have the text of the Hebrew Scriptures
unaltered as it left the hands of the Sopherim who, under Ezra, began the great work of
standardization.
[* -- Pertaining to correct pronunciation.
+ -- "A chanting: recitation with musical modulation."]