A KEY TO THE
ANCIENT SYRIAC VERSION,
CALLED “PESHITO,”
OF THE FOUR HOLY GOSPELS.
BY THE
REV. HENRY F. WHISH, M.A.,
CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
ANCIENT SYRIAC VERSION,
CALLED “PESHITO,”
OF THE FOUR HOLY GOSPELS.
BY THE
REV. HENRY F. WHISH, M.A.,
CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON:
GEORGE BELL AND SONS.
CAMBEIDGE : DEIGHTON, BELL AND CO.
1883
PREFACE.
LITTLE need be said in the way of introduction to the
following Work, which in answering to its title sufficiently
explains its own object: viz. to furnish a complete analysis of
the text of the Four Gospels, as it exists in that ancient and
venerable Syriac Version of the New Testament, commonly
called Peshito i.e. the simple, or literal: a Version which
loses nothing of its value from the fact, that whereas for a long
time it was regarded as the most ancient, the researches of
later years have brought to light a MS. of the Gospels in
Syriac, supposed to be at least as ancient as the Old Latin,
and which is now in the British Museum.
The plan which I have endeavoured to carry out in the
following pages is this : To give
1 . The Syriac word, as it stands in the text.
2. The English rendering, according to the Authorized
Version, with a more literal translation where it seems necessary.
3. The corresponding Greek word, or words, preceded,
where not strictly literal, by the abbreviation Gr.
4. The parsing of the word, with all its various forms, as
occurring in the Gospels, or in other parts of the New Testament,
with references.
As a rule, I have not thought it necessary to give the affixed
forms, except where the simple form does not otherwise occur,
or where the affix seems to present any peculiarity.
5. The derived forms traced to their respective Roots.
Under this head are in some cases added derivatives from verbs
and nouns, which, although not occurring in the Gospels, often
serve to illustrate the meaning of the original Root.
6. The analogous, or cognate, form, where such exists,
(a) In Hebrew, with reference (except in a few very
common words) to one or more familiar passages in
the Old Testament.
(b) In Chaldee, with similar, but fuller, references to the
Books of Daniel and Ezra.
7. A literal translation of such passages as deviate in any
remarkable degree from the Original, whether in grammatical
construction, or in the actual reading of the text. Where the
Syriac Version, thus deviating from the Received Text, agrees
with one or more of the most ancient Greek MSS., such agreement
is noted: the MSS. referred to being principally the
Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrine.
I have appended a complete Index to the whole Work, by
reference to which the Student will readily find every word
including every conjugation of the Verb where it first occurs,
and where it is fully explained.
In the arrangement of this Clavis, the Gospel of S. John is
placed first in order; since, as in Greek, so in Syriac, its
language and construction is the simplest, and presents fewer
difficulties to the beginner : and by this plan, the Gospel of S.
Luke, which is the most difficult, stands last.
The Text which I have followed is that published by Mr
Bagster, and bound up with Gutbir’s Lexicon.
Although designed, in the first instance, for the use of
beginners, this Work does not profess to be, in the strictest
sense, elementary ; it being taken for granted that the student
has mastered at least the Elements of Syriac Grammar, and is
acquainted with the forms of Nouns and Adjectives, Paradigms
of Verbs, &c. The Grammars to which I have occasionally referred
are those of Dr Phillips, President of Queens’ College, Cambridge
(Deighton, Bell and Co.), and B. Harris Cowper, Esq. (Williams
and Norgate). There is also a very useful little Grammar prefixed
to the “Syriac Reading Lessons,” published by Mr Bagster.
I take this opportunity of expressing my great obligation to
the Rev. J. Sandford Bailey, for his kind counsel and inval
uable
assistance while this work was preparing for the press : to the
Very Rev. the Dean of Canterbury, for his great kindness in
allowing me to submit the MS. to his inspection; and to my
revered Diocesan, the Lord Bishop of Chichester, for the high
honour he has done me in permitting me to dedicate these pages
to him. It is my earnest hope that my work may prove not
altogether unworthy of such patronage. I shall feel that my
object has been fully attained, and the labour of many years
well spent, if it should be the means of affording some assistance
to those who have begun, and perhaps of encouraging many to
begin, the study of the Syriac Language : a Language which
must commend itself to all, not only for its own intrinsic beauty
and sweetness (the very Italian of the Semitic family), and the
ease with which, especially with a previous acquaintance with
Hebrew, it may be acquired ; but chiefly as being, in all probability,
the native Tongue of the Son of God Manifest in the
Flesh, the Language in which His “Gracious Words” were
uttered, His Sermon on the Mount, His Parables, His Words of
love, reproof, and warning ; the Language which gave expression
to His last Cry on the Cross,
following Work, which in answering to its title sufficiently
explains its own object: viz. to furnish a complete analysis of
the text of the Four Gospels, as it exists in that ancient and
venerable Syriac Version of the New Testament, commonly
called Peshito i.e. the simple, or literal: a Version which
loses nothing of its value from the fact, that whereas for a long
time it was regarded as the most ancient, the researches of
later years have brought to light a MS. of the Gospels in
Syriac, supposed to be at least as ancient as the Old Latin,
and which is now in the British Museum.
The plan which I have endeavoured to carry out in the
following pages is this : To give
1 . The Syriac word, as it stands in the text.
2. The English rendering, according to the Authorized
Version, with a more literal translation where it seems necessary.
3. The corresponding Greek word, or words, preceded,
where not strictly literal, by the abbreviation Gr.
4. The parsing of the word, with all its various forms, as
occurring in the Gospels, or in other parts of the New Testament,
with references.
As a rule, I have not thought it necessary to give the affixed
forms, except where the simple form does not otherwise occur,
or where the affix seems to present any peculiarity.
5. The derived forms traced to their respective Roots.
Under this head are in some cases added derivatives from verbs
and nouns, which, although not occurring in the Gospels, often
serve to illustrate the meaning of the original Root.
6. The analogous, or cognate, form, where such exists,
(a) In Hebrew, with reference (except in a few very
common words) to one or more familiar passages in
the Old Testament.
(b) In Chaldee, with similar, but fuller, references to the
Books of Daniel and Ezra.
7. A literal translation of such passages as deviate in any
remarkable degree from the Original, whether in grammatical
construction, or in the actual reading of the text. Where the
Syriac Version, thus deviating from the Received Text, agrees
with one or more of the most ancient Greek MSS., such agreement
is noted: the MSS. referred to being principally the
Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrine.
I have appended a complete Index to the whole Work, by
reference to which the Student will readily find every word
including every conjugation of the Verb where it first occurs,
and where it is fully explained.
In the arrangement of this Clavis, the Gospel of S. John is
placed first in order; since, as in Greek, so in Syriac, its
language and construction is the simplest, and presents fewer
difficulties to the beginner : and by this plan, the Gospel of S.
Luke, which is the most difficult, stands last.
The Text which I have followed is that published by Mr
Bagster, and bound up with Gutbir’s Lexicon.
Although designed, in the first instance, for the use of
beginners, this Work does not profess to be, in the strictest
sense, elementary ; it being taken for granted that the student
has mastered at least the Elements of Syriac Grammar, and is
acquainted with the forms of Nouns and Adjectives, Paradigms
of Verbs, &c. The Grammars to which I have occasionally referred
are those of Dr Phillips, President of Queens’ College, Cambridge
(Deighton, Bell and Co.), and B. Harris Cowper, Esq. (Williams
and Norgate). There is also a very useful little Grammar prefixed
to the “Syriac Reading Lessons,” published by Mr Bagster.
I take this opportunity of expressing my great obligation to
the Rev. J. Sandford Bailey, for his kind counsel and inval
uable
assistance while this work was preparing for the press : to the
Very Rev. the Dean of Canterbury, for his great kindness in
allowing me to submit the MS. to his inspection; and to my
revered Diocesan, the Lord Bishop of Chichester, for the high
honour he has done me in permitting me to dedicate these pages
to him. It is my earnest hope that my work may prove not
altogether unworthy of such patronage. I shall feel that my
object has been fully attained, and the labour of many years
well spent, if it should be the means of affording some assistance
to those who have begun, and perhaps of encouraging many to
begin, the study of the Syriac Language : a Language which
must commend itself to all, not only for its own intrinsic beauty
and sweetness (the very Italian of the Semitic family), and the
ease with which, especially with a previous acquaintance with
Hebrew, it may be acquired ; but chiefly as being, in all probability,
the native Tongue of the Son of God Manifest in the
Flesh, the Language in which His “Gracious Words” were
uttered, His Sermon on the Mount, His Parables, His Words of
love, reproof, and warning ; the Language which gave expression
to His last Cry on the Cross,
HENRY F. WHISH.
BRIGHTON,
June 22, 1883.