OT Textual Criticism

How many components make up the Masoretic Text?

Who were mainly responsible for copying the biblical texts up until 300 BC?

Normative or "mainstream" Judaism rejected the textual tradition of the LXX very early.

Ancient Jewish sages knew that biblical manuscripts had variant readings, as they often argued against bad translations.

The second major Hebrew witness of the OT is the Alexandrian Pentateuch.

During the 1st and 2nd Temple periods documents were written on stone, clay, wood, pottery, papyrus, metal, and skins.

The less common causes of variant readings arise by confusion of letters, haplography, dittography, and metathesis. 

How was the Aramaic translation of the OT passed down from Ezra?

Textual criticism tries to uncover the ______ of a piece of literature by comparing available copies.

The OT and NT were translated into the Aramaic dialect of Syriac per- haps as early as the first century AD.

Despite the many variants, scribal errors don't affect 90% of the text, and variants don't affect any doctrinal issue.

What does textual criticism involve?

Except in the case of photographic copies of the same text, no two printed editions of the Hebrew Bible are identical.

What significant archaeological discovery was made in 1947?

Two types of variants can be noted: intentional and unintentional.

All the available Hebrew manuscripts, as well as the translations of the OT, are called "witnesses."

On the whole the MT is without doubt to be more highly valued than all the other textual sources.

The oldest Hebrew witness is an ornament that contains a portion John 17 and is largely in agreement with the MT.

According to the Babylonian Talmud, who had the task of revising manuscripts and restoring mistakes?

What is the abbreviation for the Septuagint?