Hebrew Voices #174 – How We Got Our Hebrew Bible

November 23, 2023

In this episode of Hebrew Voices #174, How We Got Our Hebrew Bible, Nehemia brings on the world’s foremost expert in the Masoretic Text, Professor Yosef Ofer of Bar-Ilan University. They discuss how ancient Jewish scribes determined precisely which letters … Continue reading →

In this episode of Hebrew Voices #174, How We Got Our Hebrew Bible, Nehemia brings on the world’s foremost expert in the Masoretic Text, Professor Yosef Ofer of Bar-Ilan University. They discuss how ancient Jewish scribes determined precisely which letters to copy, the primacy of the Aleppo Codex, and Maimonides’s preoccupation with dividing the biblical text into paragraphs.

I look forward to reading your comments!

PODCAST VERSION:

Comments

DALE GOSSFebruary 22, 2026 at 12:40 PM

I listened to one of you podcasts today. I am a Gentile, 76 yrs, and very interested in the Old Testament as the foundation to the New Testament. I have never been able to learn a second language, I have to rely on others to translate. Therefore, I now question some of words used in the Bible based on recent emphasis on learning Hebrew so I can interpret myself God’s Word. Also, I have concerns of the New Testament being translated from a Geek or Latin version instead of the original Hebrew. The Disciples were Hebrews and figure the original writings were in Hebrew. If not they were dictated in Hebrew and written in Greek. How accurate is the translation if translated to English instead of going back to Hebrew first?

Renee MerkelNovember 26, 2023 at 5:05 PM

Hi! Very intetesting discussion! I was curious about that since I had heard of the Hebrew verb יָצַר having 1 or 2 yods:

Beresheit 2:7: וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם
 
Beresheit 2:8: וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר׃

Beresheit 2:19: וַיִּצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִן־הָאֲדָמָה כָּל־חַיַּת

The people who pointed it out said that Yah used 2 hands to create man, but only one to create the beasts… ie: more intimately involved in man. But v8 above kind of destroys that interpretation. 🥴
Would v7 be considered a “mistake” rather than “a message from Yah.”

LaneNovember 24, 2023 at 11:20 AM

Great interview, Deuteronomy 32 was briefly mentioned, can you expound on the differences in the Septuagint and the Masoretic texts of Deut. 32:8

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