The Kethib and Qeri forms, scattered here and there, throughout the Biblical Text, combine here, like a mosaic, to form a complete picture and give one a comprehensive system of language. The book The Kethib and Qeri analyzes this linguistic system acording to the manuscript 'Kether Aram Tsova' presenting the method of the most authoritative Masorite scholar, Rabbi Aharon Ben-Asher. This sistematic study examines the Biblical phenomenon of Kethib and Qeri interchanges by linguistic criteria.
The book consists of an introduction summarizing the research on this topic, and the following four chapters. Chapter One: Orthography deals with different orthographic realizations of words as הנער (K ) / הַנַּעֲרָה Q))Deut.22:15) ). Chapter Two: Morphology engages in morphological interchanges, as ואתי (K ) / וְאַתְּ (Q ) (Jud.17:2). Chapter Three: Syntax including various categories related to the syntax in particular the morpho-syntax like syntactic concord, as מגדיל (ישועות) (K ) / מִגְדּוֹל (ישועות) (Q)( Sam.22:512). And Chapter Four: Lexicon and Style deals with interchanges of K/Q in the domain of lexicon and style as העיר(התיכונה)(K ) / חָצֵר(התיכונה)(Q)(Kings. 20:42 ). Finally, a general summary of discussions and conclusions. Additionally, statistical data that indicate the validity of the findings with respect to occurrences of Kethib and Qeri in the Biblic Text in general.
The Kethib and Qeri System in the Biblical Text is an innovative linguistic analysis,that will be of great interest to scholars of Biblical Language,Bible Exegesis and Masoretic Text.
