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    but the Masorites point it Mosheh ; the Seventy call him Muv < n ) $ ; and the Vulgate renders it Mbyses . What , according to the points , is Aharon , and in the Seventy Aoigov , according to Wilson would be AerZn . The pointed name of God , Elohim , is written by Origen , EXws ^ , whilst it would be according to Wilson , AUim . The pointed Boktr is in Origen , BuMp , and in Wilson , B # k ? r . The pointed Maal is in Origen , MaaX , and in Wilson j MoL

    Of eight verses produced by Wilson from the Hexapla to prove the error of the Masoretic pronunciation , I do not think there is a single word which differs from it as much as Wilson ' s mode of pronouncing does in the above instances , whilst most of them are as conformable as those quoted . It is reasonable then to suppose , that the Masorites represented by their points the pronunciation of their time , and that it did not differ much from the pronunciation in the time of the Septuagint , 283 B . C , of Origen , A . D . 230 , and of Jerome , A . D . 390 .

    Most of those who argue for the points do it on the ground that the letters are all consonants ; but this is not necessary . There are three which have been called matres lectionis , viz . a , i , u , two of which are used occasionally as consonants in English and other languages . These , and perhaps He , ( constituting the letters Ehevi , or quiescent , ) may be considered as vowels , sounded at different times in a different manner , as we know to be the case in our own language . The Masoretic pointing , then , with respect to them , would be of the same nature with the marks in Sheridan's or Walker's

    Dictionary , directing when the sound of Aleph should be that of a in all , or in hat , or in Iiate ; when Yod should be sounded as i in bite or in bit , or as ee in feet ; and so in other cases . This hypothesis , without denying the existence of vowels in the Hebrew and other Oriental languages , corresponding with those in Greek , Latin , and the modern alphabets , still considers the points as useful . There are , however , a great number of Hebrew words in which none of these supposed vowels occur ; and in these we must supply the deficiency either by the Masoretic points , or according to a fanciful

    invention of some modern opposer of them . That the former comes nearer to the old pronunciation , as well as to the modern Jewish one , cannot be doubted , and therefore , though it may have some imperfections , it should be preferred . But , as observed before , if pronunciation only were concerned , the question would not deserve consideration . It is because the pointing marks a distinction in the meaning of words having the same consonants , which shews how the Jews understood them , that it is peculiarly valuable ; and , though some instances of a contrary nature may be adduced , yet in most cases we have reason to believe that it is a faithful version . As an

    instance , N 1 p > m many passages signifies , he shall call , whilst in the 23 d verse of the 2 d chapter of Genesis it signifies , it shall be called , being the future of Kal in the former , and of Niphal in the latter case . The context may enable us to discover this , but it is clearly and at once intimated by the points ; the one being fcTij ^ the other , W ^ iJ" ? the point in the Koph of the latter intimating that the Nun , which forms the conjugation , has been suppressed , or rather changed into Koph , and that the Koph is of course to be

    doubled . This and similar uses of the Dagesh are constantly occurring ; and contrivances of the same kind were introduced in other languages , when manuscripts were the only records . In many instances the sense may be ascertained without the points , especially by having constant recourse to the English or some other version ; but in others it is ni gj hly important that the biblical student should know the reading which the points designate . Similar assistance may be derived from the stops aud accents , which are found useful

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    On the Hebrew Points . 83

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    a 2

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1827, page 83, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1793/page/3/