H.F. van Rooy, «The Headings of the Psalms in the East Syriac Tradition Reconsidered», Vol. 89 (2008) 505-525
In the first half of the previous century the headings of the Psalms in the East Syriac tradition received a lot of attention, with important contributions by scholars such as Devreesse and Vosté. In 1960 Bloemendaal published an edition of these headings. Since 1960 a number of important new manuscripts became available, as well as a translation of the commentary of Theodore and a translation of the commentary of Diodore on the first fifty Psalms. This paper deals with the light shed on the history of the East Syrian headings particularly by two manuscripts not available to Bloemendaal. The examples discussed lead one to the conclusion that 6t1, used by Bloemendaal, must not be regarded as the paradigmatic witness in all instances.
516 H.F. van Rooy
of the original heading. This kind of variant occurs frequently, but it
is not the only kind of variant. There are about 30 Psalms where the
headings remained fairly consistent in all the manuscripts (58). In the
instances where shorter headings can be found, the shorter headings
are in most instances restricted to a number of manuscripts. There are
44 instances where the shorter heading occur in 13t3 and M428, in
some instances with one or a few other manuscripts having shorter
headings as well. In 31 instances the shorter heading occurs in 13t3,
with some other manuscripts in some instances, but without M428.
In 25 instances shorter headings occur in M428, and some other
manuscripts, but not in 13t3. Although these shorter headings are
important, the fact that they are restricted to just a small number of
manuscripts, make them of less importance than some of the other
possibilities discussed below.
3. Longer reading in 6t1, with shorter reading supported by 18>8dt1
and 12t4
There are a few headings where 6t1 has a longer reading than the
majority of manuscripts, with the shorter reading supported by
18>8dt1 and 12t4. In Psalm 10, only 6t1 and 13t1 have )BNtM at
the beginning of the heading. In Psalm 61, 6t1 adds nwLBQNd (to
receive) after oYL)$d, with 13t1 and 13t4 (He declares about the
things done to the people in Babylon and how they asked help).
Psalm 104 is a very interesting example. 6t1 has a slightly longer
reading than the majority of manuscripts, with 16t2 and 17t1:
)twKtPM oM )hL)d hNrdw9 twBr l( )(t$M
tY)hYMt htYr*B nM )dX lKd (dwMw htwdwB(d
hNM tNQtt)
He narrates the greatness of the help of God from the variety of his work
and he makes known that every one of his creatures was admirably
formed by him.
18>8dt1 and 12t4 (with 13t1, 13t2, 13t4, 17t2, 17t3, M25, M507
U, UP, M) do not have the reference to “helpâ€.
From Psalm 119-133, only 6t1 has )NQSMd at the beginning of
the heading. This refers to the “Songs of Ascents†of the Hebrew,
retained by the Septuagint.
(58) For the discussion of the variants in the headings, the information was
taken from BLOEMENDAAL, Headings, with the information of 12t4 and 18>8dt1
added to that.
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