## Tractate Soferim Chapter 7

###### Tractate Soferim 7:1
[Tractate Soferim 7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Soferim/r/7:1)

אלו כתובין חסרון וי"ו וקוראין בוי"ו ויעלהו אמרו ויאמרו וידברו (ויקחו) [יקחו] ויתנהו ואכלו יחדיו (יהללו) [וחללהו] ויעלו (שמו) [שויו] וקבלו מלכיה וחילופיהן רגלי שמטוה ויצוה נכחו שער העין ויקראו לו ויקהל תפס:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
The following words are written without a *waw*,¹ but are to be read with the *waw: and offered it;*² *said;*³ 19. Here and in the other verses which are cited the *kethib* is the singular and the *ḳerë* the plural. *and* [*they*] *said;*⁴ XII, 10. *and they spoke;*⁵ *shall they take away;*⁶ *and let them deliver;*⁷ XXII, 5. *and eat;*⁸ *together;*⁹ to be read for *yaḥad*. *and they shall profane it;*¹⁰ *and they offered;*¹¹ *was made;*¹² *and took upon them;*¹³ *Hananiah;*¹⁴ indicates Neh. 3, 30 where the text omits the *waw* at the end of *’aḥaraw* (*after him*). *Malchijah*.¹⁵ 31 where the *waw* at the end of *’aḥaraw* is also omitted. The reverse of this [occurs in the following words]:¹⁶ is written but not read. *my feet;*¹⁷ is ‘his feet’. [Although not included here, in the preceding verse *my way is* ‘his way’ in the *kethib*.] *throw her down;*¹⁸ is due to dittography and superfluous.] *and … commanded;*¹⁹ XVI, 15. The *kethib* means ‘commanded him’. *straight before him;*²⁰ is written as plural but to be read as singular. *the fountain gate;*²¹ is ‘they set up’ and the *ḳerë* (he) *set up*. *and called him;*²² and singular in the *ḳerë*. *and he assembled;*²³ 21. Here the reference is to the first verb *was come* which is written as plural but to be read as singular. *took*.²⁴ with the singular to be read for the plural in the text.

footnotes:
¹ At the end of the word.
² 1 Sam. 7, 9.
³ ibid.
⁴ ibid.
⁵ 1 Kings 12, 7.
⁶ 2 Kings 20, 18.
⁷ ibid.
⁸ Isa. 37, 30.
⁹ Jer. 48, 7, yaḥdaw
¹⁰ Ezek. 7, 21.
¹¹ Ezra 3, 3.
¹² Dan. 5, 21.
¹³ Esth. 9, 27.
¹⁴ Added by GRA and H. The name Hananiah
¹⁵ Indicating ibid.
¹⁶ A superfluous waw
¹⁷ 2 Sam. 22, 34; the kethib
¹⁸ 2 Kings 9, 33. [The added waw
¹⁹ ibid.
²⁰ In Ezek. 46, 9 where the verb shall go forth
²¹ In Neh. 3, 15 where the kethib
²² In 1 Kings 12, 3. The reference is to the word which follows which is plural in the kethib
²³ ibid.
²⁴ In 2 Kings 14, 13. The reference is again to the verb came


###### Tractate Soferim 7:2
[Tractate Soferim 7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Soferim/r/7:2)

אלו כותבין [בה"א] ולא קוראין וארא ואביא הארי דשמואל (מוצא) [נמצא] ותרא הזאת רע הרע בא ובא וקו וקו (הרע) אוהבי ורע יעש פקח אריאל (צור) [ציד] וחלופן (וארכה הגונה) [וארבה הגגה] והמה יהיה והיתה (ונראה) (והמה יהיה) [הנה] שתול גדליהו ותעגבה המדה ואכבדה שלשה (דממה) [זממה] טעמה קומי זכור השיבנו  הגדתה קללת (שמתה) [שתה] עשית נבהלה פתוחיה תזנותיה שבנה (אבלה) [אגלה] (שקטה) [שכת] ויראה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
The following are written with a *he* which is not pronounced: *when I saw;*²⁵ and read *wa’erë’*. *and I brought;*²⁶ XXIV, 8, written *wa’abih* and read *wa’abi*. *the lion*²⁷ and read *ha’ari*. in the Book of Samuel;²⁸ is both written and read. *was he found;*²⁹ but the reading is *nimẓa’*. *and … saw;*³⁰ III, 7, written *wattir’eh* and read *watter’ë’*. *this* [*city*];³¹ XXVI, 6, written *hazzothah* and read *hazzoth*. *evil;*³² and read *ra‘*. [*the*] *evil;*³³ and read *hara‘*. *gone down;*³⁴ XV, 9, written *ba’ah* and read *ba’*. *and he shall come;*³⁵ XLIII, 11, written *uba’ah* and read *uba’*. *and a line;*³⁶ and read *weḳaw*. *and a line;*³⁷ *thoroughly;*³⁸. Ps. 51, 4, written *harbeh* and read *hereb*. *them that love me;*³⁹ and read *’ohabai*. *and … friend;*⁴⁰ XXVII, 10, written were‘eh and read *were‘a*. *deal;*⁴¹ and read *ya‘as*. *open;*⁴² and read *peḳaḥ*. *a lion;*⁴³ and read *’ari*. V incorrectly connects this with the next word joining them together as one. *these;*⁴⁴ and read *’el*. *venison*.⁴⁵. Gen. 27, 3, written *ẓedah* and read *ẓayid*.
The reverse is the case with the following:⁴⁶ is not pronounced, but the following are spelt without a *he* which is to be pronounced. *and multiplied;*⁴⁷ and read *wa’arbeh*. *on the housetop;*⁴⁸ and read *haggagah*. *and they;*⁴⁹ and read *wehemmah*. *be he;*⁵⁰ and read *yihyeh*. *and … shal be;*⁵¹ and read *wehayethah*. *and behold;*⁵² and read *wenireh*. *behold;*⁵³ LIV, 16, written *hen* and read *hinneh*. *planted;*⁵⁴ (*shall … see*) which is spelt without the final *hei*. *Gedaliah;*⁵⁵ XL, 16, referring to *ta‘aseh* (*do*) which is without the final *hei*. *and … she doted;*⁵⁶ and read *watta‘gebah*. *the measure;*⁵⁷ XLV, 3, where *ḥamesh* (*five*) is written and *ḥamishshah* read. *and I shall be glorified;*⁵⁸ and read *we’ekkabedah*. *three;*⁵⁹ (*yea, four*) is written and *we’arba‘ah* read. *she considereth;*⁶⁰ XXXI, 16, *naṭa‘* (*planteth*) is written and *naṭ‘ah* read. *she perceiveth;*⁶¹ 18, *ballayil* (*by night*) is written and *ballayelah* read. *arise;*⁶² *remember;*⁶³ V, 1, *habbeṭ* (*behold*) is written and *habbiṭah* read. *turn Thou us;*⁶⁴ 21, *wenashub* (*and we shall be turned*) is written and *wenashubah* read. *thou hast declared;*⁶⁵ is written and *we’attah* read. *thou … hast cursed;*⁶⁶ *Thou hast set;*⁶⁷ and read *shattah*. *Thou hast made;*⁶⁸ and read *’attah*. *is sore affrighted;*⁶⁹ *the carved work thereof;*⁷⁰ LXXIV, 6, written *we‘at* and read *we‘attah*. *with her harlotries;*⁷¹ and read *‘attah*. *turn back;*⁷² (*go your way*) omits the final *hei*. *disclose;*⁷³ IV, 4, where *we’eda‘* (*that I may know*) is written and read *we’ede‘ah*. *Thou* [*hast*] *made an hedge;*⁷⁴ (*Thou*) is written and *’attah* read. *and* [*he*] *saw*.⁷⁵ XLII, 16, written *wayyar* and read *wayyireh*.

footnotes:
²⁵ Josh. 7, 21, written wa’er’eh
²⁶ ibid.
²⁷ 2 Sam. 23, 20, written ha’aryeh
²⁸ This excludes the parallel passage in 1 Chron. 11, 22 where ha’ari
²⁹ Jer. 48, 27, written nimẓa’ah
³⁰ ibid.
³¹ ibid.
³² Micah 3, 2, written ra‘ah
³³ Jer. 18, 10, written hara‘ah
³⁴ ibid.
³⁵ ibid.
³⁶ 1 Kings 7, 23, written weḳaweh
³⁷ Zech. 1, 16, as in the preceding note.
³⁸ V incorrectly gives the keyword as wera‘
³⁹ Prov. 8, 17, written ’ohabehah
⁴⁰ ibid.
⁴¹ Ruth 1, 8, written ya‘aseh
⁴² Dan. 9, 18, written piḳḥah
⁴³ Lam. 3, 10, written ’aryeh
⁴⁴ Ezra 5, 15, written ’elleh
⁴⁵ V incorrectly reads ẓur
⁴⁶ In the preceding a written he
⁴⁷ Josh. 24, 3, written wa’ereb
⁴⁸ 1 Sam. 9, 26, written haggag
⁴⁹ 2 Sam. 21, 9, written wehem
⁵⁰ 1 Kings 1, 37, written yehi
⁵¹ 2 Kings 9, 37, written wehayath
⁵² Isa. 41, 23, written wenerë
⁵³ ibid.
⁵⁴ In Jer. 17, 8, referring to yireh
⁵⁵ ibid.
⁵⁶ Ezek. 23, 16, written watta‘gob
⁵⁷ ibid.
⁵⁸ Hag. 1, 8, written we’ekkabed
⁵⁹ In Prov. 30, 18, we’arba‘
⁶⁰ ibid.
⁶¹ ibid.
⁶² In Lam. 2, 19, the same variant occurs as in the preceding.
⁶³ ibid.
⁶⁴ ibid.
⁶⁵ 1 Sam XXIV, 19, we’at
⁶⁶ Eccles. 7, 22, where the same variant occurs as in the preceding.
⁶⁷ Ps. 90, 8, written shatta
⁶⁸ Neh. 9, 6, written ’at
⁶⁹ In Ps. 6, 4 the same variant occurs as in the preceding.
⁷⁰ ibid.
⁷¹ In Ezek. 23, 43, written ‘at
⁷² In Ruth 1, 12, lekna
⁷³ ibid.
⁷⁴ In Job 1, 10, ’at
⁷⁵ ibid.


###### Tractate Soferim 7:3
[Tractate Soferim 7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Soferim/r/7:3)

אלו כותבין דבר אחד וקוראין שנים בא גד אש דת (אשתונן) [מאש תם] מה לכם והנה הוא (באנת׳) מה הם בני מן לבן ימיני חל כאים (כי שימות) [ישי מות] לגאיונים מן הסערה מן סערה (מן) [הם] פרוצים וחילופיהן כטוב (מן בנימין) [מבנימין] למרבה מהמערה מאתי בחרבותיהם מבת כיענים:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
The following are written as one word and read as two words: *fortune is come;*⁷⁶ and read *ba’gad*. *a fiery law;*⁷⁷ and read *’esh dath*. *consumed of the fire;*⁷⁸ and read *me’esh tam*. *what mean ye;*⁷⁹ and read *mah lakem*. *and, behold, he;*⁸⁰ and read *wehinneh hu’*. *what they;*⁸¹ and read *mah hem*. *Bani, of;*⁸² and read *Bani min*. *of the Benjamites;*⁸³ XXVII, 12, written *lebenyemini* and read *labben yemini*. *the helpless;*⁸⁴ and read *ḥel ka’im*. *may He incite death;*⁸⁵ LV, 16, written *yashshimaweth* and read *yashshi maweth*. *of the proud oppressors;*⁸⁶ CXXIII, 4, written *lig’eyonim* and read *lig’ë yonim*. *out of the whirlwind;*⁸⁷ and read *min hasse‘arah*. *out of a whirlwind;*⁸⁸ XL, 6, written *minse‘arah* and read *min se‘arah*. *were broken down*.⁸⁹ and read *hem peruẓim*.
The reverse of the above are the following:⁹⁰ *when … were merry;*⁹¹ and read *ḳetob*. *of Benjamin;*⁹² and read *mibbinyamin*. *that … may be increased;*⁹³ and read *lemarbeh*. *out of the cave;*⁹⁴ and read *mehamme‘arah*. *by Myself;*⁹⁵ and read *me’itti*. *with their axes;*⁹⁶ and read *beḥarbothehem*. *from the daughter;*⁹⁷ and read *mibbath*. *like the ostriches*.⁹⁸ IV, 3, written *kaye ‘enim* and read *kayye‘enim*.

footnotes:
⁷⁶ Gen. 30, 11, written baggad
⁷⁷ Deut. 33, 2, written ’eshdath
⁷⁸ Jer. 6, 29, written me’eshtam
⁷⁹ Isa. 3, 15, written mallakem
⁸⁰ Jer. 18, 3, written wehinnehu
⁸¹ Ezek. 8, 6, written mahem
⁸² 1 Chron. 9, 4, written Binyamin
⁸³ ibid.
⁸⁴ Ps. 10, 10, written ḥelka’im
⁸⁵ ibid.
⁸⁶ ibid.
⁸⁷ Job 38, 1, written minhasse‘arah
⁸⁸ ibid.
⁸⁹ Neh. 2, 13, written hammeperuẓim
⁹⁰ Which are written as two words and read as one.
⁹¹ Judg. 16, 25, written ki ṭob
⁹² 1 Sam. 9, 1, written mibben yamin
⁹³ Isa. 9, 6, written lamed-mem resh-beth-he
⁹⁴ 1 Sam. 24. 8, written min hamme‘arah
⁹⁵ Isa. 44, 24, written mi’itti
⁹⁶ 2 Chron. 34, 6, written beḥar bothehem
⁹⁷ Lam. 1, 6, written min bath
⁹⁸ ibid.


###### Tractate Soferim 7:4
[Tractate Soferim 7:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Soferim/r/7:4)

אלו כותבין וי"ו וקוראין יו"ד (אסורים) [אסורי] אבוגיל אנועך אולי אושר ארוצם בעוני (ביד) [בור] בהליכתם החפשות (דרכי) התעיף (המכעיסנו) [הכעסוני] הישר הנתינים המבינים ברזות גול דהיא היצא החרסית הלחות המביא הבציר (אילנו ושח עיניה) [וילונו ושחצומה] וצניף ואליל ותרמית וסוס ואתיקיהא ותילון (וחיאל) והכינו חוקך יציעו יעיר יעביר (ועיאל) יניעון יכסימו יכשילו לרוב לשור ליש לדיגים לסיג למשיסה למעניתם מיפעת מניות נטוות נוב נובי נפישסים שום עשיות עיפי (עברים) עתודים תניינא צעיריהם צעיריה (צעיפי) [צפיעי] :

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
The following are spelt with a waw but read with a *yod: prisoners;*⁹⁹ and read *’asirë*. *Abigail;*¹⁰⁰ and read *Abigail*. *I make thee … go up and down;*¹⁰¹ and read *ani‘aka*. *chief men;*¹⁰² and read *’elë*. *I will … make … straight;*¹⁰³ and read *’ayashsher*. *I will … make them run away;*¹⁰⁴ and read *’ariẓem*. *on mine eye;*¹⁰⁵ and read *be‘eni*. *cistern;*¹⁰⁶ and read *bayir*. *in their march;*¹⁰⁷ and read *bahalikotham*. *set apart;*¹⁰⁸ and read *haḥofshith*. V inserts here another example, viz. ‘my way’, but N.Y. declares it to be incorrect and H omits it. *wilt thou set;*¹⁰⁹ and read *hata‘if*. *ye might provoke Me;*¹¹⁰ and read *hak‘iseni*. *make straight;*¹¹¹ and read *hayeshar*. *who were set;*¹¹² and read *hannethinim*. *that taught;*¹¹³ and read *hammebinim*. *Birzaith;*¹¹⁴ and read *Birzaith*. *will greatly rejoice;*¹¹⁵ and read *gil yagil*. *Dehites;*¹¹⁶ and read *Dehayë*. *bring forth;*¹¹⁷ and read *hayẓë’*. *Harsith;*¹¹⁸ and read *haḥarsith*. *Luhith;*¹¹⁹ XLVIII, 5, written *halluḥoth* and read *halluḥith*. *the entry;*¹²⁰ and read *hammebi’*. *the strong;*¹²¹ and read *habbaẓir*. *made to murmur;*¹²² and read *wayyalinu*. *and Shahazim;*¹²³ and read *weshaḥaẓimah*. *and a royal diadem;*¹²⁴ and read *uẓenif*. *and a thing of nought and the deceit;*¹²⁵ and read *we’elil wetarmith*. *and the swallow;*¹²⁶ VIII, 7, written *wesus* and read *wesis*. *and the galleries thereof;*¹²⁷ and read *we’attiḳeha*. *and Tilon;*¹²⁸ and read *wetilon*. *Jehiel;*¹²⁹ and read *Jeḥi’el*. *and prepare ye;*¹³⁰ XXXV, 4, written *wehikkonu* and read *wehakkinu*. *thy bosom;*¹³¹ and read *ḥeḳeka*. *a side-structure;*¹³² and read *yaẓi‘a*. *Jair;*¹³³ and read *Ya‘ir*. *alienate;*¹³⁴ and read *ya‘abir*. *Jeiel;*¹³⁵ and read *Je‘i’el*. *they wander up and down;*¹³⁶ and read *yeni‘un*. *let … cover them;*¹³⁷ CXL, 10, written *yekassumo* and read *yekassemo*. *they cause … to fall;*¹³⁸ and read *yakshilu*. *to strive;*¹³⁹ and read *larib*. *singing;*¹⁴⁰ and read *lashir*. *Laish;*¹⁴¹ and read *Layish*. *for fishers;*¹⁴² and read *ledayyagim*. *dross;*¹⁴³ and read *lesig*. *for a spoil;*¹⁴⁴ and read *limshissah*. *their furrows;*¹⁴⁵ and read *lema‘anitham*. *Mephaath;*¹⁴⁶ and read *mepa‘ath*. *from Naioth;*¹⁴⁷ and read *minnayoth*. *stretched-forth;*¹⁴⁸ and read *neṭioth*. *fruit;*¹⁴⁹ LVII, 19, written *nob* and read *nib*. *Nebai;*¹⁵⁰ and read *Nebai*. *Nephishesim;*¹⁵¹ VII, 52, written *Nefushesim* and read *Nefishesim*. *leave;*¹⁵² and read *sim*. *ready dressed;*¹⁵³ and read *‘asiyoth*. *Ephai;*¹⁵⁴ and read *‘ephai*. *Ephrain;*¹⁵⁵ and read *‘Efrain*. V incorrectly reads *‘Abarim*. the second¹⁵⁶ in Esth. 3, 14. *ready;*¹⁵⁷ and read *‘athidim*. *their lads;*¹⁵⁸ and read *ẓe‘irehem*. *her little ones;*¹⁵⁹ XLVIII, 4, written *ẓe‘oreha* and read *ẓe‘ireha*. *dung*.¹⁶⁰ and read *ẓefi‘ë*. [38*b*]

footnotes:
⁹⁹ Gen. 39, 20, written ’asurë
¹⁰⁰ 1 Sam. 25, 18, written Abugail
¹⁰¹ 2 Sam. 15, 20, written anu‘aka
¹⁰² 2 Kings 24, 15, written ’ulë
¹⁰³ Isa. 45, 2, written ’aushir
¹⁰⁴ Jer. 50, 44, written ’aruẓem
¹⁰⁵ 2 Sam. 16, 12, written ba‘awoni
¹⁰⁶ Jer. 6, 7, written bor
¹⁰⁷ Nahum 2, 6, written bahalokotham
¹⁰⁸ 2 Chron. 26, 21, written haḥofshuth
¹⁰⁹ Prov. 23, 5, written hata‘uf
¹¹⁰ Jer. 25, 7, written hik‘oseni
¹¹¹ Ps. 5, 9, written haushar
¹¹² Ezra 8, 17, written hannethunim
¹¹³ 2 Chron. 35, 3, written hammebonim
¹¹⁴ 1 Chron. 7, 31, written Birzoth
¹¹⁵ Prov. 23, 24, written gol yagul
¹¹⁶ Ezra 4, 9, written Dehawë
¹¹⁷ Gen. 8, 17, written hawẓë’
¹¹⁸ Jer. 19, 2, written haḥarsoth
¹¹⁹ ibid.
¹²⁰ Ezek. 42, 9, written hammebo’
¹²¹ Zech. 11, 2, written habbaẓur
¹²² Numb. 14, 36, written wayyillonu
¹²³ Josh. 19, 22, written weshaḥaẓumah
¹²⁴ Isa. 62, 3, written uẓenuf
¹²⁵ Jer. 14, 14, written we’elul wetarmuth
¹²⁶ ibid.
¹²⁷ Ezek. 41, 15, written we’attoḳeha
¹²⁸ 1 Chron. 4, 20, written wetolon
¹²⁹ 2 Chron. 29, 14, written Jeḥu’el
¹³⁰ ibid.
¹³¹ Ps. 74, 11, written ḥoḳeka
¹³² 1 Kings 6, 5, written yaẓu‘a
¹³³ 1 Chron. 20, 5, written Ya‘or
¹³⁴ Ezek. 48, 14, written ya‘abor
¹³⁵ 1 Chron. 9, 35, written Je‘u’el
¹³⁶ Ps. 59, 16, written yenu‘un
¹³⁷ ibid.
¹³⁸ Prov. 4, 16, written yiksholu
¹³⁹ Judg. 21, 22, written larub
¹⁴⁰ 1 Sam. 18, 6, written lashur
¹⁴¹ 2 Sam. 3, 15, written Lush
¹⁴² Jer. 16, 16, written ledogim
¹⁴³ Ezek. 22, 18, written lesog
¹⁴⁴ Isa. 42, 24, written limshoseh
¹⁴⁵ Ps. 129, 3, written lema‘anotham
¹⁴⁶ Jer. 48, 21, written mopha‘ath
¹⁴⁷ 1 Sam. 20, 1, written minnawoth
¹⁴⁸ Isa. 3, 17, written neṭuwothn
¹⁴⁹ ibid.
¹⁵⁰ Neh. 10, 20, written Nubai
¹⁵¹ ibid.
¹⁵² 2 Sam. 14, 7, written sum
¹⁵³ 1 Sam. 25, 18, written ‘asuwoth
¹⁵⁴ Jer. 40, 8, written ‘ufai
¹⁵⁵ 2 Chron. 13, 19, written ‘Efron
¹⁵⁶ This excludes the first ready
¹⁵⁷ Esth. 8, 13, written ‘athudim
¹⁵⁸ Jer. 14, 3, written ẓe‘orehem
¹⁵⁹ ibid.
¹⁶⁰ Ezek. 4, 15, written ẓefu‘ë