Tractate Soferim 8

אלו הן חלופי שירות תהלים בשירות שמואל וידבר ומפלטי לי אלי צורי משגבי ומנוסי ומאויבי כי אפפוני משברי נחלי סבבוני אקרא וישמע ויתגעש מוסדות השמים. וירא. וישת סוכות. חשרת. בערו גחלי. ירעם מן שמים חצים ויהום אפיקי מים ויגלו בגערת אפו משנאי משען ויוצא אותי בצדקתי אסור ממנה ואהיה לו ואשתמרה כצדקתי כבורי גבור תתבר תתפל ואת ועיניך על רמים תשפיל ואלדי באלדי. מי אל מבלעדי. מעוזי. ויתר ונחת וענותך תחתני. ארדפה. ואשמידם. ואכלם ואמחצם. יקומון ויפלו. ותזרני. תחתני. משנאי ואצמיתם ישעו. אל ה׳. כעפר ארץ. אדיקם ארקעם ותפלטני. עמי (תשימני) [תשמרני] יתכחשו לי. לשמוע. ויחגרו (ממסגרותיהם) [ממסגרותם] צור. ומוריד. תחתני. ומוציאי. ומקמי. חמסים. ה׳ ראשון. אומר מגדול:

Variants1In words, letters or vowels. between the poem2So H. V has the plural. of Psalm [XVIII] and Samuel32 Sam. 22. are the following: and … spoke;4Sam. 1; in Ps. 1 this is replaced by For the Leader, etc. and my deliverer;5Sam. 2 represents my by a suffix and pronoun; Ps. 3 omits the pronoun. my God, my rock;6Ps. 3; Sam. 3, the God who is my rock. my high tower, and my refuge;7Sam. 3; Ps. 3 omits and my refuge. from mine enemies;8In Sam. 4 the Heb. for from is the prefix mem, in Ps. 4 the preposition min. for … compassed me;9Sam. 5; in Ps. 5 for is wanting. the waves of;10Sam. 5; Ps. 5 the cords of. the floods of;11Sam. 5; Ps. 5 and the floods of. compassed me;12In Sam. 6 the Heb. is sabbuni, in Ps. 6 sebabuni. The meaning is the same. I called;13Sam. 7; Ps. 7 I cried. and … He heard;14Sam. 7; Ps. 7 omits and. then … did shake;15The Heb. in Sam. 8 is wayyithga‘ash, in Ps. 8 wattig‘ash. The meaning is practically the same. the foundations of heaven;16Sam. 8; Ps. 8 the foundations of the mountains. yea, He was seen;17Sam. 11; Ps. 11 yea, He did swoop. and He made;18Sam. 12; Ps. 12 omits and. pavilions;19Sam. 12; Ps. 12 His pavilion. gathering of:20Sam. 12; Ps. 12 darkness of. coals of fire flamed forth;21Sam. 13; Ps. 13 hailstones and coals of fire. thundered from heaven;22Sam. 14; Ps. 14 thundered in the heavens. arrows;23Sam. 15; Ps. 15 His arrows. and discomfited them;24In Sam. 15 the Heb. is wayyahom (ḳerë), but the kethib is the same as in Ps. 15 wayyehummem. the channels of waters;25Ps. 16; Sam. 16 the channels of the sea. and … were laid bare;26Ps. 16; in Sam. 16 and is wanting. by the rebuke of the Lord;27Sam. 16; Ps. 16 at Thy rebuke, O Lord. His nostrils;28Sam. 16; Ps. 16 Thy nostrils. from them that hated me;29Sam. 18; Ps. 18 adds and. a stay;30In Sam. 19 mish‘an; in Ps. 19 lemish‘an. The sense is the same. He brought me forth also;31The Heb. in Sam. 20 has a verb and pronoun; in Ps. 20 a verb with a pronominal suffix. There is no difference in meaning. according32V prints ‘in’ for ‘according’ in error. to my righteousness;33In Sam. 21 the Heb. is keẓidḳathi, in Ps. 21 keẓidḳi. The nouns are practically synonymous. I did not depart from them;34Sam. 23; Ps. 23 I put not away … from me. and I was;35In Sam. 24 the Heb. is wa’ehyeh; Ps. 24 wa’ehi is a shortened form of the same verb. toward Him;36Sam. 24; Ps. 24 with Him. and I kept myself;37Both Sam. 24 and Ps. 24 have the same verb, but the former adds a he at the end. according to my righteousness;38Sam. 25 keẓidḳathi; Ps. 25 keẓidḳi. according to my cleanness;39Sam. 25; Ps. 25 according to the cleanness of my hands. man;40In Sam. 26 the noun is gibbor (lit. mighty man), in Ps. 26 gebar (man). Thou dost show Thyself pure;41There is a difference in the form of the verb; in Sam. 27 tittabar, in Ps. 27 tithbarar. Thou dost show Thyself subtle;42Another difference in the form of the verb; in Sam. 27 tittappal, in Ps. 27 tithpattal. and … Thou dost save;43Sam. 28; Ps. 28 for Thou dost save. but Thine eyes are upon the haughty, that Thou mayest humble them;44Sam. 28; Ps. 28 but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble. and the Lord;45Sam. 29; Ps. 29 the Lord my God. by my God;46Sam. 30; Ps. 30 and by my God. who is God;47Sam. 32 reads ’el, Ps. 32 ’elo’ah. save;48Sam. 32; Ps. 32 except. A different preposition is used. V ba‘adi is an error for mibbal‘adë. my … fortress;49Sam. 33; Ps. 33 that girdeth me. who letteth … go forth;50Sam. 33; Ps. 33 and maketh. The former reads wayyater, the latter wayyitten. do bend;51Sam. 35 weniḥath, Ps. 35 weniḥathah, with the same sense. and Thy condescension;52Sam. 36 wa‘anotheka, Ps. 36 we‘anwatheka. under me;53Sam. 37 taḥteni, Ps. 37 taḥtai. I have pursued;54Sam. 38 ’erdefah, Ps. 38 ’erdof. and destroyed them;55Sam. 38; Ps. 38 and overtaken them. and I have consumed them;56Sam. 39; wanting in Ps. 39. and smitten them;57Sam. 39; Ps. 39 omits and. that they cannot arise;58Sam. 39, lit. ‘that they will not arise’; Ps. 39 that they are not able to rise. yea, they are fallen;59Sam. 39; Ps. 39 they are fallen. for Thou hast girded me;60Sam. 40 omits the alef from the verb. under me;61Sam. 40 taḥteni, Ps. 40 taḥtai. yea, them that hate me, that I might cut them off;62Sam. 41; Ps. 41 and I did cut off them that hate me. they looked;63Sam. 42; Ps. 42 they cried. even unto the Lord;64In Sam. 42 the Heb. for unto is ’el, in Ps. 42 ‘al. as the dust of the earth;65Sam. 43; Ps. 43 as the dust before the wind. I did stamp them … I did tread them down;66Sam. 43; Ps. 43 I did cast them out. Thou also hast delivered me … my people. Thou hast kept me;67Sam. 44; Ps. 44 Thou hast delivered me … the people; Thou hast made me. dwindle away … as soon as they hear of me;68Sam. 45; Ps. 45 as soon as they hear of me … dwindle away. In Sam. the Heb. for hear and dwindle away is lishmoa‘ and yithkaḥashu, in Ps. leshema‘ and yekaḥashu. and come halting out of their close places;69Sam. 46; Ps. 46 and come trembling out of their close places. The Heb. for out of their close places is mimmisgerotham in Sam. and mimmisgerothehem in Ps. There is no difference in the Heb. verb despite the different translation. my Rock of salvation;70Sam. 47 Ps. 47 lacks my rock in the second part of the verse. and bringeth down … under me;71Sam. 48; Ps. 48 and subdueth … under me. There is also a difference in the Heb. for under me as in verses 37, 40. and that bringeth me forth … yea … above them that rise up against me … violent;72Sam. 49; Ps. 49 he delivereth me … yea … above them that rise up against me … violent. The Heb. for above me and violent in Sam. is umiḳḳamai and ḥamasim; in Ps. min ḳammai and ḥamas. the Tetragrammaton is placed first;73In Sam. 50 it precedes among the nations, in Ps. 50 it follows it. I will sing praises;74The Heb. in Sam. 50 is ’azammer, in Ps. 50 ’azammerah. ‘Omer’ in V is a printer’s error. a tower of salvation.75Sam. 51; Ps. 51 great salvation giveth He. The Heb. in the former is migdol, in the latter magdil.

אלו הם חלופי ישעיה (הקוראים) במלכים ובארבע חזקיה רב סריס אל המלך ירושלים [ויעלו] ויבואו [ירושלים] ויעלו [ויבואו] ויעמדו (ירושלים) ויקראו (אלהים) [אל המלך] אלהם אמרת עתה לך תאמרון בירושלים את מלך עתה על המקום [הזה] להשחיתו על הארץ בן חלקיהו עמנו אליהם העל וידבר דבר ואל תשמעו כי יסית (ההיכל הנענועה) [ההצל הצילו הנע ועוה] כי הצילו הארצות והחרישו העם דברי רבשקה ושבנא הנביא קדמיית' את כל דברי להם ישעיה לארצו אל תרהקה הנה יצא (יצא) וישב את אשר ה׳ אלהי שמעתי (אמר לקדוש) [אל קדוש] מלאכיך מבחור ואבואה מלון זרים למימי להשות (ויחבישו) [ויבשו] ושדפה סחיש יבא אל העיר ויהי בלילה [ההוא] ויך שמונים את פניו לאמר אנא ובלבב שוב נגיד עמי רופא לך והספתי למעני קחו ויקחו וישימו ויהי אל ישעיהו כי ירפא זה לך כי יעשה את הדבר הלך (בארץ) [בראדך] כי שמע חזקיהו וישמע את כל שמן בית כליו באו דבר ה׳ בבלה הלא אם :

The following are variants between Isaiah76Chapters XXXVI-XXXIX. and the text of Kings:772 Kings 18-XX. Now in the four[teenth];78Kings XVIII, 13; Isa. 36, 1 now it came to pass in the four[teenth]. Hezekiah;79In Kings ibid. 14-16 the name is spelt Ḥizḳiyyah instead of Ḥizḳiyyahu. Rab-saris … to king Hezehiah … unto Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by.80Kings 17. In Isa. 36, 2 Rab-saris is lacking, the order of the words is to Jerusalem unto the king. The clause and they went up … they came is lacking, and stood is in the singular but the plural in Kings. And when they had called to the king … unto them.81Kings 18; and when they … king is lacking in Isa. 3 which has unto them for unto him. Sayest thou82Kings 20; Isa. 5 I said. now … thou trustest;83In Isa. 6 now is lacking, as is also leka (lit. thou trusteth for thyself), compared with Kings 21. ye say … in Jerusalem;84For ye say in Kings 22, Isa. 7 has thou say and omits in Jerusalem. with … king;85Kings 23, the Heb. for with … king is ’eth melek; in Isa. 8 it is ’eth hammelek. now … against this place … against this land and destroy it;86For now in Kings 25, Isa. 10 reads and … now. In against this land the preposition is ‘al for ’el. the son of Hilkiah … with us;87Kings 26; in Isa. 11 the son of Hilkiah is lacking, and to us occurs instead of with us. unto them … hath … to;88Kings 27; in Isa. 12 unto them is omitted, and hath … to is ha‘al for ha’el. and spoke … the word of;89Kings 28; in Isa. 13 and spoke is omitted and word is in the plural. and hearken not … when he persuadeth;90Kings 32; in Isa. 18 and hearken not is lacking, and when is replaced by beware lest. hath … ever delivered;91Kings 33; Isa. 18 hath … delivered. Hena, and Ivvah have they delivered;92Kings 34; in Isa. 19 Hena and Ivva is lacking, and before have the conjunction and is inserted. the countries;93Kings 35; Isa. 20 these countries. but the people held their peace;94Kings 36; in Isa. 21 the people is lacking and wayyaḥarishu is read for weheḥerishu. the words of Rab-shakeh.95Kings 27 and Isa. 22 are identical in the Heb. The reference is probably to 2 Kings 19, 4 and Isa. 37, 4 where the former reads all the words of Rab-shakeh while the latter omits all.And Shebna;962 Kings 19, 2;in Isa. 37, 2 we’eth precedes the name. the prophet precedes the son of Amoz;97ibid.; in Isa. ibid. the prophet follows. The order in E.V. is the same in both. all the words of;98Kings 4; in Isa. 4 all is omitted. unto them;99Kings 6 lahem; Isa. 6 ’alehem. to his own land;100Kings 7 has the preposition l, Isa. 7 ’el. of Tirhakah;101Kings 9 has the preposition ’el, Isa. 9 ‘al. behold he is come out … again;102ibid.; Isa. 9 omits behold and for again (wayyashab) reads and when he heard (wayyishma‘). what;103Kings 11 has ’eth ’asher, Isa. 11 ’asher. O Lord, the God of;104Kings 15. Isa. 16 inserts of hosts after Lord. I have heard thee;105Kings 20, wanting in Isa. 21. against the Holy One;106Kings 22 reads ‘al, Isa. 23 ’el. thy messengers;107Kings 23; Isa. 24 thy servants. the choice;108Kings 23 reads mibḥor; Isa. 24 mibḥar. and I have entered into his farthest lodge;109ibid.; in Isa 24 and I come up to the height of the mountains. strange;110Kings 24; lacking in Isa. 25. in … times111Kings 25 reads lemimë, Isa. 26 mimë. … should be laid waste;112In Kings 25 the reading is lahshoth, in Isa. 26 lehash’oth. and confounded;113Kings 26 has wayyeboshu, Isa. 27 waboshu. and as corn blasted;114ibid.; Isa. 27 and as a field of corn. that which springeth of the same;115Kings 29 reads saḥish, Isa. 30 shaḥis. he came;116Kings 33 reads yabo’, Isa. 34 ba’. will defend this city;117Kings 34 has the preposition ’el, Isa. 35 ‘al. and it came to pass that night;118Kings 35; lacking in Isa. 36. and smote;119ibid. the reading is wayyak, in Isa. 36 wayyakeh. fourscore.120Kings 35; Isa. 36 and fourscore.His face;1212 Kings 20, 2 reads ’eth panaw; Isa. 38, 2 omits ’eth. saying;122ibid.; lacking in Isa. 2. I beseech Thee;123Kings 3; in Isa. 3 and said is inserted before I. heart;124ibid. ubelebab; Isa. ubeleb. return … the princes of My people … I will heal thee;125Kings 5; lacking in Isa. 5. and I will add;126Kings 6 wehosafti; Isa. 5 behold, I will add (hinneni yosif). for Mine own sake and for My servant David’s sake;127ibid.; lacking in Isa. 6. take … and he recovered;128Kings 7. The whole sentence is lacking in Isa. and Hezekiah said unto Isaiah … the third day;129Kings 8. The whole sentence is lacking in Isa. this;130Kings 9; Isa. 7 and this. that the Lord;131ibid. the Heb. particle is ki, in Isa. 7 ’asher. will do the thing;132ibid.; Isa. 7 this thing. go forward.133ibid.; Isa. 8 behold, I will cause … to return. Berodach134Kings 12; Isa. 39, 1 Merodach. … for he had heard;135ibid. the reading is ki shama‘; Isa. ibid. wayyishma‘. Hezekiah had been sick;136ibid.; Isa. ibid. that he had been sick, and was recovered. hearkened unto them;137Kings 13; Isa. 2 was glad of them. all his treasure house;138ibid.; Isa. ibid. omits all. oil139ibid.; Isa. ibid. the … oil. … the house of his armour140ibid.; Isa. ibid. inserts all before the house. … they are come;141Kings 14; Isa. 3 adds unto me the word of the Lord;142Kings 16; in Isa. 5 of hosts follows Lord. to Babylon;143Kings 17 the reading is Babelah, in Isa. 6 Babel. is it not so, if.144Kings 19 reads halo ’im, Isa. 8 if but (ki). The variants here listed are not complete and there are others which are not included (cf. GRA).