The Masoretic Text refers to the authoritative Hebrew text of the Old Testament. It was produced by Jewish rabbis known as Masoretes (or Masorites). They took great effort to copy, edit, and distribute the Hebrew text of the Old Testament without error. This enormous work is thought to have begun around the 7th century AD and was finished during the 10th century.
Their goal was to correct faults that had crept into the original text and to provide as close as possible the original Hebrew text. This was accomplished by carefully selecting available biblical scrolls combined with oral traditions.
The Masoretes Count Words And Add Vowels
The Masoretes developed a system that would ensure the accuracy of their copies would remain for future generations. They counted the total number of words and letters in each book, in addition to calculating the middle words and letters of the text. Each copy was compared to the original, and if it did not agree completely it was destroyed.
Because the earliest copies of the Hebrew Bible were written without vowels, the Masoretes also introduced vowels and accents to the Hebrew consonants in an effort to preserve correct pronunciation and vocalizations of the Hebrew.
The Masoretic Text Proves To Be Accurate
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 gave us the ability to see just how accurate the Hebrew Scriptures had been copied over the centuries. The Old Testament manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls dates back to the 2nd century BC. When the Masoretic Text, which was copied a thousand years later, is compared to these scrolls, they prove to be amazingly accurate. God has preserved his Word throughout the years.
Most English Bible translations today use the Masoretic Text as their main source for the Old Testament.
Follow THE BIBLE ANSWER on Facebook and Instagram!
