THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL Moshe H. Goshen-Gottstein Shemaryahu ...

APPENDIX
Open and Closed Sections
In the present edition sections in the Hebrew manuscripts were recorded in the apparatuses
according to the type of the sources. In Apparatuses II and III the siglum § indicates an
interval functioning as a marker of a new sense unit, without differentiating between types
of intervals (i.e. whether “open” or “closed” sections, in masoretic terms). Such intervals
were recorded only in instances in which there was no correspondence between ` and other
manuscripts, that is when an interval was present in a manuscript but lacking in `, or when
present in ` but lacking in a given manuscript.
In Apparatus IV sections are treated differently, because the affiliation of a masoretic
codex (e.g. to the Ben Asher tradition) depends – among other factors – on the (dis)agreement
in reference to sections. Therefore in this apparatus sections were recorded with the
indication “closed” (q) or “open” (t).
The following table presents an overview of the material. It includes all intervals, specifying
“open” and “closed” types, in all extant sources: Judean Desert scrolls, recorded in
Apparatus II; the complete manuscripts and Geniza fragments, recorded in Apparatus III;
and the manuscripts recorded in Apparatus IV. * As a rule, a blank cell indicates a lacuna in
the manuscript, and means that it could not be determined whether a “closed” or “open”
section is involved. Lack of a section is marked by the symbol > (or ].
Corrections in section markings are indicated by the sigla used in apparatus IV: a single
apostrophe marks the original or prima manus reading; a double apostrophe marks the corrected
or secunda manus reading. Thus e.g. "t 'q means that the manuscript originally had
a closed section, but later was corrected to an open section. Doubtful readings, which usually
are due to the poor preservation of a manuscript, or cases in which the nature of the
correction could not be defined, are marked by a question mark (?).
The symbols used in the table:
t
dgezt dyxt
open section (a blank interval, followed by a text at the beginning of a new line)
q dnezq dyxt
closed section (a blank interval in the middle of a line followed by a text)
^ weqt rvn`a dwqt, a section within a verse
' prima manus (before a correction)
" secunda manus (after a correction)
? dubious reading
* The table of sections in MSS recorded in apparatus IV is justified to the right, like the apparatus itself.
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