LibGuides: Exegesis Resources: Text of the Old Testament (Hebrew)

Hebrew - Text of the Old Testament

The standard edition of the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament is the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), which follows the Masoretic Text (MT).

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Gesamtausgabe in einem Band by K. Elliger (ed.)
Call Number: REF BS 715 1990

The standard desk copy of the Hebrew Bible. See also the "Simplified Guide to BHS" by Scott at REF BS 715 2007. See also the "Introduction and Annotated Glossary to the Masorah of BHS" at BS 718 .K29 1998.

Online BHS
An online version of the BHS, published by the German Bible Society.

The Biblia Hebraica Quinta (BHQ) is an ongoing advanced scholarly edition of the Hebrew Bible. Like the BHS, it is based on the Leningrad Codex, but it includes substantially more notes regarding the text's transmission and variant witnesses. 9 of a planned 20 volumes have been published as of fall 2025.

Biblia Hebraica Quinta by (ed.) German Bible Society
Call Number: REF BS 715 2004 Fasc. 1-20

The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition is an ongoing scholarly series to produce an "eclectic" Hebrew text with textual commentary. So far, only the volume on Proverbs has been published (as of 2025). Search the catalog for "Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition." This project was originally known as the Oxford Hebrew Bible (OHB).

The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition

Digital Text of the Hebrew Bible

Digital BHS
A free, digital BHS, from the German Bible Society.

Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Peshitta

Biblia Qumranica by edited by Beate Ego, Armin Lange, Hermann Lichtenberger and Kristin De Troyer.
Call Number: FOLIO BM 487 .A1 2005

Biblia Qumranica is an ongoing scholarly project to present side-by-side texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, and the MT. Useful for comparing versions. As of Fall 2025, only the minor prophets vol has been published.
Leiden Peshitta (The Old Testament in Syriac) by Peshitta Institute
Call Number: BS 711 1972

This is an ongoing scholarly project to present a critical edition of the ancient Syriac translation of the Old Testament, known as the Peshitta. 14 vols published as of 2025.
Discoveries in the Judean Desert (Dead Sea Scrolls)
Call Number: FOLIO BM 487.A1 D611 v.1-40

This is a scholarly presentation of all the texts found at Qumran, edited by international scholars. 40 vols.

Septuagint Studies Guide
Septuagint Studies research guide.