[737] Elias Levita in præfat. tertia l. Masoreth hammasoreth.
[738] Buxtorf. in comment. Masor. c. 7.
[739] Buxtorf. in comment. Masor. c. 8.
[740] R. Asarias. R. Gedalia. Buxtor. in comment. Masor. c. 11.
[741] Pirke Aboth. c. 1.
[742] Talmud. Sanhedrim. c. 2. fol. 21.
In the second place we are to consider the work, what the men of this great Synagogue, being the true Masorites, did: their work may be reduced to these particulars. 1. When this great Council was assembled, they, among whom Ezra was chief (who was assisted with the inspiration of Gods Spirit)[743] determined what Books were Canonical, what spurious and Apocryphal. Secondly,[744] the authentick and Canonical Books, were purged by them, of all errors crept into the Text in time of their captivity. Thirdly,[745] they digested the Old Testament into twenty two books, according to the number of the Hebrew letters. Fourthly, they distinguisht it into great Sections and Verses; for though the Law was not so confusedly written, without any space or note of distinction between word and word that it seemed all one continued verse, or as the Kabbalists speak, תיבה אחת Theba achath, one word, until the time of the Masorites; yet it was not so distinguisht into Sections and Verses, as now we have it. Fifthly, they added their censures and critical observations, concerning the irregularity of many words, in respect of the vowels and accents. Sixthly, they numbered the verses, words, and letters of every Book, to prevent all possibility of corrupting the Text in future times; for now they say, the gift of Prophesie should cease. Lastly, they noted the different writing, and different reading, for the understanding of which we must know, that in the Hebrew Text many words are written with more, many with fewer letters, than they are pronounced; many words written in the Text which are not pronounced, &c.[746] In the margin the difference is expressed: whence the difference in the Text they term כתב Cethib, Scriptionem, the writing; the difference in the margin they term קרי Keri, Lectionem, the Reading: because they do read according to that in the margin. This difference is thought by some[747] to be a correction of the Bible, according to several copies after their return from Babylon: but, that it is of Divine Authority, containing many mysteries known to Moses, and the Prophets successively (though many of them unknown to our Age) and that it was not any correction, but the difference it self primarily and purposely was intended by the Prophets, and holy Penmen of the Scripture, evidently appeareth by the diversity of readings in those books which were written by Haggai, Zachary, Malachi, Daniel, and Esra: They being the Authors of their own books, needed no correction at that time, themselves being present, yet in them this different reading is used.
[743] Buxtorf. in comment. Masor. c. 11.
[744] Tertull. l. de habit. muliebr. Chrysost. hom. 8. ad Hebræos. Irenæus adver. hæres. lib. 3. c. 25. August. de mirab. sacræ, script. l. 2. circa finem.
[745] Genebrard. l. 2. Chronolog.