Читать книгу Judaism II - Группа авторов - Страница 24

The aforementioned precision with which the proto-MT text was copied is not contradicted by the inconsistency of MT in orthography (spelling). Since the generations prior to those of the proto-MT scribes created an inconsistent text in matters of spelling, it was precisely this inconsistent spelling that was transmitted exactly to the next generations.

The lack of internal consistency within proto-MT pertaining to the insertion of the so-called matres lectionis, the vowel letters אהו"י (aleph, heh, waw, yod) that were inserted gradually in the Hebrew language in the course of the centuries to assist readers, is visible in the following two areas: Differences between the relatively defective orthographic practice of the majority of the biblical books and the fuller orthography of the late books Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Qohelet, and Esther.