Text comparison tool and language texts (eg Biblical DSS database)
*Disclaimer - I am a total novice with languages, and even more so with Logos*
I was trying to teach myself to utilise the original language texts my library has, and I thought the text comparison tool should be useful for this. Since the Biblical DSS database is now here, I started with it. I will give my example before my question (s).
I decided to look up Isaiah 6:1...went to the Biblical Reference Index and clicked onto "1Q Isaiah a: Col. V, Isaiah 5:14–6:7" and then opened the text comparison tool and typed in "Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls, BHS/WIVU, LXX/MT Parallel" to try and get a comparison between the DSS text, BHS and MT. I then clicked the "show differences" icon. To my surprise (maybe not to those well versed in such textual matters) there was a 100% difference from DSS and BHS and a 70.2% difference from DSS and MT!
I would like to know if I am using this tool correctly, and if so, why such a difference (please don't just say got to seminary - a very quick answer is all I'm after).
Qn 1. Am I using this tool correctly, and any suggestions to better utilise this tool for original language texts?
Qn 2. Are the differences so high because of the differences in the actual texts or maybe because the different resources I am using are using different text types or something of the tech nature?
Qn 3. If you were wanting to compare the original language texts, what ones would you be using. These are the ones that seemed obvious to me (ie. Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls, BHS/WIVU, LXX/MT Parallel), but are there others I should, or could, be using?
Thank you for your time and patience with me 
Comments
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I am no expert, but I think the difference here is that the BHS text is marked with vowels and the DSS manuscripts are not: so every word is different, even if the consonants are the same.
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Jonathan Pitts said:
I am no expert, but I think the difference here is that the BHS text is marked with vowels and the DSS manuscripts are not: so every word is different, even if the consonants are the same.
Forum How to use the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls Database has some screen captures showing DSS manuscripts without vowels.
Qumran Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls Database (page 5) has reconstructed letter insights.
Logos has 20 results for Dead Sea Scrolls , including pre-publications The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation , Dead Sea Scrolls Bible , and The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Scholar's and higher packages include The Dead Sea Scrolls And Modern Translations Of Old Testament that has an Index of Biblical Passages.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Thank you for your responses...I think the vowel markings etc. do mess up the equation...hopefully someone will enlighten me as to properly comparing such texts though. I chose a text from Isaiah expecting greater congruence, so it must be in my method or in the L4 formatting of the texts.
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Is Mebin said:
Thank you for your responses...I think the vowel markings etc. do mess up the equation...hopefully someone will enlighten me as to properly comparing such texts though. I chose a text from Isaiah expecting greater congruence, so it must be in my method or in the L4 formatting of the texts.
Ok, I will enlighten you [:)]. Go to the panel menu and check Ignore Marks (vowels etc.) and Ignore punctuation and you will get a more appropriate comparison.
Prov. 15:23
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Thank you my friend...as soon as I get home from work I will try that...another advocate for Android...lol!!! I knew there would be something like that available (turning off markings, etc) but I just couldn't find it.
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Kevin Becker said:
Ok, I will enlighten you
. Go to the panel menu and check Ignore Marks (vowels etc.) and Ignore punctuation and you will get a more appropriate comparison.Thanks - also learned Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls can be chosen in Text Comparison (albeit base text is on left side - wish could reverse text comparison output display order for horizontal layout):
Text Comparison Vertical Layout has its own peculiarities (verse order within 4QIsaA): Edit: change verse range to match original request.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Thanks for the interaction guys...I have learnt how to turn off the punctuation and vowel markings...and yes KeepSmiling I think we need to play with the text comparison tool a lot more because I too am not happy about the display...even reading mode (F11) doesn't make it easy for comparison (which is the idea...lol). MP gave a tip recently about enlarging the text for those whose eyes are growing dim, I wonder if by adjusting the text size and so forth, can we come up with specs for a more usable layout. Just some thoughts:)
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