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Hebraici alphabeti interpretatio

Anonymous · ogl-pl

BothSourceEnglish
JSON Dossier
machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 271 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The anonymous treatise *Hebraici alphabeti interpretatio* is a brief Latin primer on the Hebrew alphabet, listing letters with their names and symbolic interpretations. Likely composed between the 12th and 13th centuries, it reflects medieval Christian interest in Hebrew as a sacred language. The text survives in a single manuscript witness, appended to a larger compilation, and shows no clear stemmatic analysis. Its interpretations often diverge from standard Hebrew lexicography, drawing instead on allegorical or mystical traditions. The work had minimal influence and is not recorded in medieval library catalogues or later florilegia.

The treatise illustrates medieval Christian engagement with Hebrew as a sacred language, blending grammatical instruction with allegorical interpretation. Its non-standard glosses (e.g., alef as 'mille' or 'doctrina') reveal how Christian scholars adapted Hebrew material for theological purposes. The work is a minor but telling witness to the transmission of Hebraist knowledge in the Latin West, though its influence was minimal.

Historical context

The work is undated and anonymous, but its content suggests a medieval origin, probably the 12th–13th century, when Christian Hebraism flourished in Western Europe, especially in monastic and scholastic circles. The text is written in Latin and belongs to the genre of alphabet treatises, which served as primers for readers interested in biblical languages. It survives in a single manuscript, appended to a compilation, possibly associated with the Glossa ordinaria tradition. The interpretations claim derivation from Jerome but actually draw on later medieval Hebraist traditions, indicating a secondary, derivative character. The lack of external attestation in library catalogues or florilegia suggests limited circulation, perhaps within a single monastic community.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

12 commentary units 7 term1 transmission1 background1 caution1 structure1 reception 0 derived notes 5 open questions 2 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed.
  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: other in Latin; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 2 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: ogl-pl — Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
tmp448.tmp448.opp-lat1:1 · narrativemedium
Source
Subnectitur in meo ms. isthaec lectu non indigna, et maximum partem ex Hieronymo excerpto, Hebraici alphabeti interpretatio, tum a quodam Symeone Judaeo exposita decem Dei nomina, quae non abs re me facturum putavi si hic adjungerem, maxime cum et illa, et aliam paulo longiorem eorumdem nominum expositionem a Martianaeo incuriosius editam tomo V, ne quid desideraretur, huc transferri, et ipsa scriptionis indoles, et institutus a nobis in hac digerenda collectione ordo postularet. HEBRAICI ALPHABETI INTERPRETATIO. Alef, mille, vel doctrina 1. Beth, domus. Gimel, retributio, vel plenitudo. Deled, pauper, vel tabulae, sive janua. He, ipsa, vel ista, sive suscipiens. Vau, et, ipse, sive haec. Zain, oliva, vel fornicatio, haec. Heth, vita, vel vivacitas. Theth, bonum. Jod, scientia, vel principium, aut dominator. Chaf, manus, palma 2, vel vola. Lamed 3, doctrina, sive disciplina.
English
In my manuscript there is appended this reading not unworthy, and for the most part excerpted from Jerome: the interpretation of the Hebrew alphabet, together with ten names of God expounded by a certain Jew named Symeon, which I thought I would not be wrong to add here, especially since both these and another somewhat longer exposition of the same names, rather carelessly edited by Martianaeus in volume V, were to be transferred here, lest anything be lacking, and the character of the writing itself and the order we have established in arranging this collection demanded it. INTERPRETATION OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET. Alef, thousand, or doctrine 1. Beth, house. Gimel, retribution, or fullness. Dalet, poor, or tablets, or door. He, herself, or that, or receiving. Vav, and, he himself, or this. Zayin, olive, or fornication, this. Het, life, or liveliness. Tet, good. Yod, knowledge, or beginning, or ruler. Kaf, hand, palm 2, or hollow of the hand. Lamed 3, doctrine, or discipline.
tmp448.tmp448.opp-lat1:2 · narrativehigh
Source
Mem, ex quo, vel ex ipsis, sive aqua. Nun, fetus 4, vel piscis, sive sempiternum. Samech, firmamentum, licet quidam erectio- nem, vel adjutorium, sive fulturam putant. Ain, fons, sive oculus. Pe, imo Fe, os ab ore, non ab osse, sive la- queus, vel decipula. Zadi, regio, sive justitia. Cof, vocatio. Res, caput. Sin, dentes. Thaf, signum, vel 5.... SYMEONIS JUDAEI DECEM DEI NOMINUM EXPOSITIO. Sabaoth, id est, Dominus virtutum, Dominus militiarum, Dominus omnia tenens. Eloi, Deus. Saddech, Justus. Adonai, Dominus. El, Fortis. Elyon, Excelsus. Coneacol, Omnipotens. Aia 6, Qui erat, et qui erit. Barucabba, Benedictus pater. Baruc, Benedictus.
English
Mem, from which, or from themselves, or water. Nun, offspring, or fish, or everlasting. Samech, firmament, though some think it means erection, or help, or support. Ain, fountain, or eye. Pe, or rather Fe, mouth from the mouth, not from bone, or snare, or trap. Zadi, region, or justice. Cof, calling. Res, head. Sin, teeth. Thaf, sign, or .... THE EXPOSITION OF THE TEN NAMES OF GOD BY SYMEON THE JEW. Sabaoth, that is, Lord of hosts, Lord of armies, Lord holding all things. Eloi, God. Saddech, Just. Adonai, Lord. El, Strong. Elyon, Most High. Coneacol, Almighty. Aia, Who was, and who will be. Barucabba, Blessed father. Baruc, Blessed.
Citation. Tergwame, “Hebraici alphabeti interpretatio”, tmp448.tmp448.opp-lat1:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/tmp448.tmp448.opp-lat1#s1
Colophon. Source: ogl-pl · licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0014 · generated 2026-11-15.