Library Resources

Tools for Textual Criticism of the Bible (1104)

Old Testament

General Introductions
  • Besides your textbooks (Brotzman and Wurthwein), E. Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (3rd edition, 2012), is an excellent introduction to the textual criticism of the Old Testament: BS1136 .T6813 2012
  • For solutions to text-critical problems, see D. Barthélemy, Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament: BS1136 .C74 1982 v.1-5
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)
  • The main edition is BHS = R. Kittel, K. Elliger and W. Rudolph, eds., Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, available in the Reference section: REF BS715 .B5 1967
  • BHS is gradually being superseded by the volumes of BHQ = Biblia Hebraica Quinta, available in the Reference section: REF BS715 2004
Aramaic
  • You can find the Targums in Aramaic (A. Sperber, The Bible in Aramaic – BS708 .S632 1959) and English (M. McNamara, The Aramaic Bible – BS709.2 .B51987)
  • The Peshitta (Syriac) version is available in a critical edition: The Old Testament in Syriac, at BS711 1973
Samaritan Pentateuch
  • An old critical edition is August von Gall, Der hebräische Pentateuch der Samaritaner: BM920 1918
  • A new diplomatic edition is Stefan Schorch et al., eds., The Samaritan Pentateuch: a critical editio maior: BM920 2018
  • A helpful grammar is Ze’ev Ben-Hayyim, A Grammar of Samaritan Hebrew: PJ4860 .B4613 2000
  • A new English translation is now available: Benyamim Tsedaka, The Israelite Samaritan version of the Torah: BM925 .E54 2013
Septuagint
  • The best one-volume edition is A. Rahlfs and R. Hanhart, Septuaginta: id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interpretes: REF BS741 .R3 2006
  • A fully critical edition is Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum Graecum (Göttingen): BS741 .S4 A8
  • A Reader’s Edition was made by Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross: REF BS741 .L36 2018
  • The standard English translation is A. Pietersma and B.G. Wright, New English Translation of the Septuagint: REF BS742 .P54 2007
  • A helpful resource is Karen Jobes and Moises Silva, Invitation to the Septuagint (2nd edition): BS744 .J63 I5 2000
Latin
  • For the Vulgate, you can find R. Weber, Biblia Sacra iuxta Vulgatam versionem, at REF BS75 2007 .W4
Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)
  • The DSS are published in the series Discoveries in the Judean Desert, available on the lower floor: BM487 .A1
  • M.G. Abegg, et al., The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible is helpful for seeing the contents of the DSS at a glance in English translation: REF BS895 .A24 1999
Commentaries

The following sets often discuss text-critical issues. They are all available in the Commentary section on the upper floor

  • NICOT = New International Commentary on the Old Testament
  • ICC = International Critical Commentary
  • AB = Anchor Bible Commentary
  • WBC = Word Biblical Commentary

New Testament

General Introductions

  • Bruce Metzger and Bart Ehrman’s The Text of the New Testament: its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration: BS2325 .M4 T4 2005
  • Philip Comfort’s, Encountering the Manuscripts is a fine introduction: BS1938 .C65 2005
  • Hixson, Elijah, and Peter J. Gurry, eds. Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019: BS2325 .M98 2019
  • Wasserman, Tommy, Peter J. Gurry. A New Approach to Textual Criticism. An Introduction to the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method: BS476 .W366 2017
Greek Text
  • The main edition is fifth edition of The Greek New Testament, Aland et al., eds., (United Bible Societies) available at: REF BS1965 .N47 2014
  • The academic edition, with the same eclectic base text as UBS5, is the twenty-eighth edition of the Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) available at: REF BS1965 .N47 2015
Commentaries

There are a number of commentaries dedicated to discussing NT textual problems.

  • Comfort, P.W. New Testament Text & Translation Commentary: BS1904.5 .C66 2008
  • M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. Second Edition: BS2325 .M43 T4 1994

Many commentary series discuss text-critical issues. They are all available in the Commentary section on the upper floor:

  • NICOT = New International Commentary on the Old Testament
  • ICC = International Critical Commentary
  • AB = Anchor Bible Commentary
  • WBC = Word Biblical Commentary