The other books of the Bible are of less importance, but the exclusion of error on the part of the copyist, though it has not the same, has yet a high degree of certainty, inasmuch as they too formed part of the holy, national literature. If a mistake should be clearly proved, it would not be contrary to our religious principles to admit it. But we shall find, after thorough study and examination of the impugned passages, that there is in each case far greater doubt as to the correctness of any of the numerous emendations suggested [[55]]than of the traditional and Massoretic text before us. It may frequently occur that some emendations appear strikingly correct, and yet after due reflection they are found more doubtful than the original. It is therefore our duty thoroughly to examine each proposed emendation, and to hesitate long before admitting the incorrectness of the received text and the correctness of the emendation.
One of the means of preserving the text of the Scriptures in its integrity has been the Massorah. The notes which are found in the margin of Biblical books form part of the Massorah. At first the Massorah was part of the oral tradition; exceptional forms of letters, punctuation, and words were probably taught vivâ voce, and learnt by heart, especially by scribes, readers, and teachers. Where a confounding with other and similar forms was apprehended, attention was called to the fact, and by certain notes and rules it was guarded against. The material for the Massorah increased in the course of time, in the same degree as, with the multiplication of copies of the Scriptures, the number of misreadings and misinterpretations increased. Although these notes were arranged and written down at a late period, they helped to preserve the Biblical text in its integrity, and it is therefore stated in the Mishnah (Aboth iii. 13): “Massorah (tradition) is a fence to the Law.”
As to the name of the author of each book or section, and the time and place of its composition, we are guided by the headings where such are extant; in the absence of these we are left to the resources of our own judgment or fancy. There is no reason whatever [[56]]to doubt the correctness of these headings, as the religious and learned authorities of the time were trustworthy men, who would not add a heading where none was handed down to them by tradition. Several books and many psalms are therefore left without a heading; there was no sure tradition about them. How far the heading of a book or section extends, whether it was meant only for the beginning or for the whole of it, is in some cases doubtful, and must be decided by the nature and contents of the book. For instance, the second part of Isaiah, from chap. xl. to the end, has no heading of its own; it is therefore open to discussion whether the heading in the first verse of the first chapter describes only the first thirty-nine or all the sixty-six chapters of the book. It is possible that Psalms, ascribed, according to their heading, to David, consist of two or more parts, of which one only was composed by David. The names of the books do not necessarily imply a reference to the author. The Book of Joshua, e.g., may have received its name from its contents, the history of the Israelites under Joshua being contained in it. The two books of Samuel could not have been written by Samuel, not even the whole of the first book, since the death of Samuel is therein recorded; but they owe their name to the fact that the first book commences with the history of Samuel.
The Books of the Bible, תנ״ך
The collection of books known by these names are ספרי קדש or כתבי קדש “holy books” or “holy writings,” because the authors of these books were holy men [[57]]their object is a holy one, viz., to train man to holiness, and the contents of the books is holy, free from all blemish and error. The books vary greatly in character, in style, and in purpose, but truthfulness is common to all of them. Whether they narrate events or proclaim God’s decrees, or instruct or edify their hearers, what they say is true.
The name Bible is derived from the Greek βιβλιον, “book.” תנ״ך (pronounced tenach) has no meaning in itself, and is a word formed of the initials of תורה נביאים כתובים. Sometimes אנ״ך (the initials of the Chaldee אוריתא נביאין כתיבין) is used instead of תנ״ך. Another name is מקרא “text for reading,” as opposed to vivâ voce tradition. A passage quoted from the Bible is called קרא or מקרא or כתוב. Christians call the books of the Hebrew Bible the Old Testament as distinguished from the New Testament.
1. תורה Law.
The Torah or Law is divided into five books, and is therefore called חומש or Pentateuch (Fivefold or Five-book). The names of the five books are: (1) בראשית Genesis (Creation); (2) שמות Exodus (departure, scil., of the Israelites from Egypt); (3) ויקרא Leviticus (on the laws concerning the Levites or priests), also called תורת כהנים “law of the priests;” (4) במדבר Numbers; (5) דברים Deuteronomy, a Greek term denoting “second-law” or “repetition of the law,” a translation of the Hebrew משנה תורה.
These names are derived from the beginnings of the books. The Hebrew names are either the first word [[58]]of the book, as is the case in the first and the third books (בראשית and ויקרא), or the first characteristic word, as is the case in the other three books (שמות the second word, במדבר the fifth, דברים the second). The English or Greek names describe the subject-matter of the first section of the book. This applies also to the rest of the Biblical writings.