The “Hebrew” psalms headings in the Syriac manuscript 12T4

Abstract

The oldest published description by Addai Scher of this Syriac manuscript dates from 1907. The manuscript is a liturgical document containing the Psalms (including Psalms 151-155) and Odes. Scher also mentions that every Psalm is preceded by headings ascribed to Eusebius, Athanasius and Theodore of Mopsuestia. What he did not mention is that the set of headings for each Psalm starts off with a heading in Syriac referred to as a Hebrew heading. The Peshitta does not contain the Masoretic Psalm headings. The Syro-Hexapla contains headings from the Septuagint and these are thus indirectly related to the Masoretic headings. The Hebrew headings of 12t4 are, however, not identical to those of the Syro-Heaxpla. Especially important are those cases where the Syro-Hexapla, following the Septuagint, disagrees with the Masoretic headings. In many of these cases 12t4 has variants, indicated by “another manuscript” or “other manuscripts”. In some of these cases the variants contain the heading of the Syro-Hexapla. This paper discusses a number of these headings with their variants. The author of this manuscript interpreted the headings of the Hebrew Old Testament independently of the LXX and the Syro-Hexapla, though it is also evident that he was influenced by them in some instances.