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Biblical Manuscripts: Hebrew Manuscripts

A list of texts that can be found online to aid the study of textual criticism.

Hebrew Codices

The Aleppo codex was produced around 930 C.E. It is not a complete witness to the Masoretic text. The codex begins in Deuteronomy 28:17, so most of the Pentateuch is missing. Also missing are parts of Song of Solomon, all of Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The picture above is linked to the text online. You can find out more about the Aleppo codex by visiting this site. In order to display the site correctly, make sure flash player is turned on.

Codex Leningrad follows the Ben Asher tradition. It is used as the basis for Biblia Hebraica series. It dates back to 1009 C.E. Click on the image above to see the PDF version of the codex. You can find out more about the Leningrad Codex and view it in our library.

Codex B. M. Or. 4445 (London Codex) is a codex dating back to 920 or 950 C.E.  It contains portions of the Torah. The manuscript has been digitized and is linked above from the British Library. You can find out more about the manuscript by clicking on the picture and reading the description.

Codex Jerusalem 24º 5702 (a.k.a Sassoon 507 or Damascus Pentateuch) is a 10th century codex that contains the Torah. 

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Codex Cairensis is manuscript of the Former and Latter Prophets of the Hebrew Bible usually dated to the late 9th century C.E. Click here for more information about the manuscript and click here to view a transcription of the manuscript.

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The Burnt Codex (MS Add.1846) is an 11th - 12th century manuscript of the Samaritan Pentateuch. The beginning of the book of Genesis (up to 1:28) and the end of Deuteronomy (after 33:1) are lost. Click here to view the manuscript.

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British Library Hebrew  Manuscript Collection -  British Library’s Hebrew manuscripts collection is a vivid testimony to the creativity and intense scribal activities of Eastern and Western Jewish communities spanning  over 1,000 years.  In the collection there are  well over 3,000 individual objects, though for this project we are focusing on just 1,250 manuscripts.