It is generally known that the "official" Hebrew Bible upon which the Authorised Version is largely based is known as the Masoretic Text due to it having been the result of the work of Jewish scholars in the early years of the Christian era who took in hand the rationalising of the various and varying Hebrew texts which then existed. The following note was recently observed in the "Speakers Commentary", a standard work of the late 19th century, commenting on Psa. 22.16, (vol. 4 page 223), of interest in this connection. "With regard to the Jewish text, it must be observed that the Jews have suppressed with the greatest care all readings which do not agree with it ... The Masoretic text as edited by Jacob ben Chaim (Venice, 1526) has been followed both in Jewish and Christian editors without regard to ancient authorities, Mss, quotations or versions, which undoubtedly preserve or indicate differem' and, in many cases, preferable readings". The 'Speakers Commentary' is so-called because its compilation was suggested in 1864 by the then Speaker of the House of Commons, a suggestion taken up and promoted by the then Archbishop of York. It still remains a useful mine of information on the text of Scripture. It is considered that there were at least three variant texts of the O.T. in existence in the centuries just before Christ; The Septuagint gives evidence of readings differing from the present Masoretic, and so does the apocryphal "Book of Jubilees". It is not suggested that anything vital to our knowledge of the Divine Plan and the doctrines of the Faith is thereby lost, but the fact does have relevance to our understanding of minor points of the O.T

AOH.