The authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) for Rabbinic Judaism. It includes the consonantal text, vowel points (niqqud), and accentuation marks added by the Masoretes.

Historical Information

Meticulously copied, edited, and preserved by Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. They aimed to standardize and preserve the traditional text, pronunciation, and interpretation. Key manuscripts include the Aleppo Codex (c. 930 CE) and the Leningrad Codex (c. 1008 CE).

Usage

Primary source text for the Old Testament in most Protestant Bible translations (e.g., KJV, Luther Bible, RV1909, Riveduta, ASV/WEB) and the standard Hebrew text in Judaism.

Trustworthiness

Generally considered a highly reliable and accurately transmitted text, representing a specific textual tradition dating back to antiquity. The Dead Sea Scrolls largely confirmed its faithfulness while also showing the existence of earlier textual variations. It is a primary source for Old Testament study, though often compared with other ancient witnesses like the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls in textual criticism.