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Add. 12,144

URI: https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/19
Description based on Wright DCCCLIII (908-914) Link to Archive.org Bibliographic record
Date: AD 1081 / AG 1392
Origin: The monastery of the Mother of God, which is in Gāzartā, in the region of Alexandria the Great
Estrangela script ܀ Parchment Codex, 233 leaves.
Wright's Subject Classification: Catenae Patrum and Demonstrations against Heresies; Theology
Severus of Edessa . A Catena Patrum, or Selections from the Writings of the Fathers, so arranged as to form a continuous commentary on the greater part of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments

Physical Description

Vellum, about 14 3/4 in. by 12 1/2, consisting of 233 leaves, a few of which, at the beginning and end, are much stained and slightly torn. The volume originally consisted of 35 quires*, signed with letters; but the first 12 have been lost, with the exception of two leaves of ܐ and one leaf of ܒ. Each page is divided into two columns (only fol. 1 b has three), of from 36 to 49 lines. It was written in Egypt, A. Gr. 1392, A.D. 1081.

Hand 1 (sole, Estrangela script): The writing is an inelegant Esṭrangělā, with occasional Greek vowels.

Manuscript Contents

Note: Item numbering updated in digital edition.
Item 1 (Fol. 1): Severus of Edessa . A Catena Patrum, or Selections from the Writings of the Fathers, so arranged as to form a continuous commentary on the greater part of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments [defective]
  Subscription (Fol. 123b): ܫܠܡ. ܒܥܘܕܢܪܗ̣ ܕܡܪܢ܆ ܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܟܠܗ̣̇ ܥܬ݀ܝܩܬܐ: ܗ̇ܢܘ ܕܝ̣ܢ. ܕܚܡ̈ܫܐ. ܣܦ̣ܪ̈ܐ: ܕܡܘܫܐ̣. ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ. ܕܢܒ̈ܝܐ̣. ܕܥܒ̣ܝܕܝܢ: ܠܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ̣. ܘܠܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ̣ ܐܘܪܗܝܐ: ܘܠܩܕܝܫܐ. ܩܘܪܝܠܠܘܣ܀ ܡܣܝ̇ܟܐܝ̇ܬ܇ ܘܐܝܟ. ܕܒܙܥܘܪ̈ܝܬܐ.   Subscription (Fol. 233b): ܫܠܡ. ܒܥܘܕܪܢܗ: ܕܡܪܢ ܠܡܟ̣ܬܒ: ܒܟܬܒܐ. ܗܢܐ ܆ ܦܘܫܩܐ ܆ ܕܚ̈ܡܫܐ : ܣܦ̣ܪ̈ܐ : ܕܡܘܫܐ : ܢܒܝܐ ܀ ܘܦܘܫܩܐ : ܕܟܠܗܘܢ : ܢܒ̈ܝܐ : ܕܫܪܟܐ : ܘܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܐ : ܘܕܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ : ܕܡܬܝ : ܘܕܝܘܚܢܢ : ܐܝܟ ܕܒܡ̈ـ[ـܢܘܬ]ܐ : ܙܥܘܪ̈ܝܬܐ : ܕܥܒ̣̈ܝܕܝܢ ܠܩܕܝܫܐ : ܡـ[ـܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ] ܘܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ̣ : ܐܦ܏ܝܣܩ: . . . ـܬܝܩܬܐ: . . . ܘܠܫܠܝܚܐ : . . . ܐܝܘܐܢܝܣ܀   Colophon: See additions.
Notes:
Item 2 (Fol. 1): Genesis
Item 3 (Fol. 4): Kings
Item 4 (Fol. 14a): The Twelve minor Prophets
Item 5 (Fol. 38b): Ezekiel
Item 6 (Fol. 47a): Jeremiah and Lamentations
Item 7 (Fol. 55b): The Song of Songs
Item 8 (Fol. 60b): Daniel and Susanna
Item 9 (Fol. 68b): Isaiah
Item 10 (Fol. 96b): A supplement
Item 11 (Fol. 116a): Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
Note: A passage of Ecclesiasticus, ch. xlvii. 2, is explained on fol. 123 a.
Item 12 (Fol. 123b): Paul. The Epistles of S. Paul
Item 13 (Fol. 123b): Romans
Item 14 (Fol. 130b): 1 Corinthians
Item 15 (Fol. 138b): 2 Corinthians
Item 16 (Fol. 145b): Galatians
Item 17 (Fol. 148b): Ephesians
Item 18 (Fol. 151a): Philippians
Item 19 (Fol. 153a): Colossians
Item 20 (Fol. 155b): 1 Thessalonians
Item 21 (Fol. 158b): 2 Thessalonians
Item 22 (Fol. 159b): 1 Timothy
Item 23 (Fol. 163a): 2 Timothy
Item 24 (Fol. 165a): Titus
Item 25 (Fol. 166a): Philemon
Item 26 (Fol. 166b): Hebrews
Item 27 (Fol. 176a): The Gospel according to S. Matthew
Item 28 (Fol. 208b): The Gospel according to S. John

Additions

Addition 1 (Fol. 233b): After the colophon follows the doxology, after which the compiler, Severus, proceeds thus: ܐܬܓ̣ܡܪܬ݀ ܗܟܝܠ ܝܨܝܦܘܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܣܝܡܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܡܘܬܪܢܝܬܐ ܠܫ̈ܢܝܢ ܥܣܪ̈ : ܒܐܝ̣̈ܕܝ ܚܛ̇ܝܐ ܘܣܢܝ̣ܩ ܥܠ ܪ̈ܚܡ̣ܐ̣. ܣܐܘܪܐ ܛܘܒܢܐ ܪܚ̇ܡ ܥܡܠܐ܆ ܒܫܢ̣ܬ ܐܠܦܐ ܘܡܐܐ. ܘܫܒܥܝܢ. ܘܬܪ̈ܬܝܢ. ܒܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܝܘ̈ܢܝܐ. ܒܐܝܪܚ ܐܕܪ ܒܥܣܪ̈ܝܢ ܘܚܡܫܐ ܒܗ. ܒܕܝܪܐ [ܕ]ܩܕܝܫܬܐ. ܒܐܪܒܐܪܐ. ܕܒܛܘܪܐ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ܀ ܒܝܘ̈ܡܝ ܛܘܒܬܢܐ ܡܪܝ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܦܛܪܝܐܪܟܐ. ܘܚܣܝܐ ܡܝܛ܏ܪܘܦ ܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܘܣ. ܐܬܡ̣ܬܚ ܠܗ ܙܒܢܐ ܕܥـ[ـܒܕ ܒܗ ܗܠܝـ]ـ̣ܢ ܡܢ ܒܠ̣ܝ ܟܬܒ̈ܐ. ܐܝ̣ܨܦ ܕܝܢ ܘܥܒ̣ܕ ܥܡܠܐ ܗܢܐ ܟܠܗ: ܘܠܩ̇ܛ ܢܘܗܪ̈ܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܡܢ ܥܬܝܩܬܐ ܘܚܕܬܐ܇ ܡܛܠ ܒܘܝܐܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܘܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܦܓ̇ܥܝܢ. ܘܡܦ̣ܝܣ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܠ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܠܒ̇ܟ ܠܗ ܘܝ̇ܬܪ ܡܢܗ. ܐܘ ܨ̇ܒܐ ܕܢܟܬ݂ܒܝܘܗܝ̣. ܕܢܡ̇ܠܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܟܬܝܒܬܐ ܕܐܡܪܐ̇. ܕܨܠܘ ܚܕ ܥܠ ܚܕ ܕܬܐܬܣܘܢ̣. ܘܡܛܠ ܚܘܒܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ̣ ܢܟܬܒܝܘܗܝ ܠܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܗܢܐ. ܘܢܨ̇ܠܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܕܚܛܝܐ ܕܐܡܝܪ̣. ܕܢܐܣܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܟܘܬܡ̈ܬܐ ܕܚ̈ܛܗܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܒܢܦܫܗ ܘܦܓܪܗ. ܒܨ̈ܠܘܬܐ ܕܢܒ̈ܝܐ ܕܐܬܢ̇ܒܝܘ܇ ܘܫܠܝܚ̈ܐ ܕܣ̇ܒܪܘ̣. ܘܕܡ̈ܠܦܢܐ ܕܦܫ̇ܩܘ. ܡܐܠܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܝ̇ܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܪܝܡ. ܘܕܟܠܗ ܚܘܕܪܐ ܕܩܕܝ̈ܫܐ ܕܡܢ ܥܠܡ ܐܡܝܢ܀܀܀ ܣܝ̇ܟܢܢ ܕܝܢ ܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܥܬܝܩܬܐ. ܕܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ. ܐܠܦܝ̈ܐ ܚ̈ܡܫܐ ܘܫܬܡܐܐ܀ ܘܕܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܐܘܪܗܝܐ. ܕܐܘܪܝܬܐ ܟܠܗ̇ ܘܕܐܝܘܒ ܘܕܝܫܘܥ ܒܪܢܘܢ. ܥܡ ܢܘܗܪ̈ܐ ܙܥܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܡ̈ܒܕܪܝܢ ܒܗ ܒܟܬܒܐ. ܬܪܝܢ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܘܬܡܢܡܐܐ ܘܫܬܝܢ܀ ܣܝ̇ܟܝܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܫܠܝܚܐ ܦܘܠܘܣ ܘܕܐܘ̈ܢܓܠܝܐ [ܕ]ܡ݊ܬܝ ܘܝ݊ܘܚܢܢ. ܕܐܝ܏ܬܘ ܣܘܓܐܗܘܢ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܝܘܐܢܝܣ. ܘܕܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ. ܡܕܡ ܡܕܡ ܬܪܝܢ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܏ܘܬ. ܟܠܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܡܣܝ̇ܟܐܝܬ ܥܣܪ̈ܐ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ. ܏ܘܬ. ܘ܏ܦ. ܘܐܫܬܝܢ.܀ The labour bestowed for ten years upon this profitable treasure has been brought to a conclusion by the hands of the sinner, who has need of mercy, the labour-loving monk Severus, in the year of the Greeks 1172 (A.D. 861), on the 25th of the month of Adār, in the monastery of the holy Barbara, on the hill of Edessa, in the time of the blessed Mār John the Patriarch John iii. See Assemani, Bibl. Or., t. ii., p. 348 ; Le Quien, Oriens Christ., t. ii., col. 1374 . and the pious Metropolitan Constantine. He (Severus) spent the time, during which he was engaged in this work, without books; but he laboured hard, and performed all this work, and collected these elucidations from the Old and New Testaments, for the comfort of himself and of all who may fall in (with them). And I implore every one who takes it and derives profit from it, or wishes to copy it, to fulfil the written word that says: "Pray for one another, that ye may be healed" (S. James, v. 16). And for the love of Christ, let him transcribe this record, and pray for the aforesaid sinner, that the Lord may heal all the sin-sores that are upon his soul and body, through the prayers of the Prophets who have prophesied, etc. We have numbered the exposition of the Old Testament (as given in this book); of Mār Ephraim 5600 (scholia); and of Mār Jacob of Edessa on the whole Torah, and Job and Joshua, with a few illustrations scattered through the book, 2860 (scholia). And we have numbered the exposition of the Gospels of S. Matthew and S. John, which is chiefly by Mār John (Chrysostom), with some extracts from other (commentators, and it consists of) 2400 (scholia). The whole, then, as numbered, amounts to 10,860 (scholia).
Addition 2 (Fol. 233b): After the compiler Severus' note, we read: ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܚ̈ܝܐ ܘܕܝܘܬܪܢܐ ܕܫܡܘܐܝܠ ܒܨܝܪܐ. ܕܒܫܡܐ ܠܡ ܛܘܒܢܐ ܐܘܟܝܬ ܐܣܛܘܢܪܐ. ܕܐܝ̣ܨܦ ܘܥܡ̣ܠ ܘܣ̣ܪܛ ܐܝܟ ܚܝܠܗ ܘܐܝܟ ܒܨܝܪܘܬ ܝܕܥܬܗ. ܡܛܠ ܕܐܝܟ ܙܢܐ ܕܣܐ̇ܡ ܐܢܫ ܝܘܩܢܐ ܫܒܝܚܬܐ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ. ܘܨ̇ܒܐ ܗ̣ܘ ܕܢܬ݀ܕܡܐ ܒܗ. ܟܕ ܠܐ ܩܪܝ̣ܒ ܠܗ. ܐܘܿܡܢܗ ܕܝܘܩܢܐ. ܐܝܟ ܕܣ̇ܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܕܠܟܠܢܫ. ܝܕܝܥ̣ܐ. ܕܣ̇ܓܝ ܡܬܐ̣ܠܨ ܘܥ̇ܡܠܐ. ܘܣܪܚ ܣܘܓܐ ܕܣܡ̈ܐܢܐ. ܘܗ̇ܝ ܕܝܢ ܒܡܘܗܒܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܪܚܡ̇ܢܐ. ܐܬ̇ܐ ܦܘܠܚܢܐ ܠܫܘܡܠܝܐ܀ ܒܗ̇ ܒܕܡܘܬܐ. ܐܢܐ ܕܘ̇ܝܐ. ܗ̣ܘܝܬ ܝ̇ܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܬܠ̈ܬ ܫ̈ܢܝܢ. ܕܡܬܕܢ̇ܩ ܐܢܐ ܒܫܘܡܠܝܗ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܦܘܫ̈ܩܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܐ܀ ܘܢܣ̣ܒ ܫܘܡܠܝܐ ܒܐܝ̈ܕܝ ܚ̇ܛܝܐ ܕܐܡܝܪ. ܒܕܝܪܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܕܝ̇ܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ. ܕܒܓܙ̇ܪܬܐ ܕܒܩܠܝܡܐ ܕܐܠܟܣܢܕܪܝܐ ܪܒܬܐ. ܒܝܨܝܦܘܬܐ ܕܣܒ̈ܐ ܡܒܪ̈ܟܐ ܘܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ ܐܘܟܝܬ ܐܒܪܗ̈ܡܝܐ. ܡܪܝ ܡܘܗܘܒ مَوْهُوب ܘܡܪܝ ܦܗܕ فَهْد ܘܒ̈ܢܝܐ ܪ̈ܚܝܡܐ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܘܡܢܨܘܪ مَنْصُور ܝܪ̈ܘܬܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܫܡܝܐ ܘܒ̈ܢܝ ܓܢܘܢܐ ܕܢܘܼܗܪܐ ܐܡܝܢ܀ ܢܣ̣ܒ ܫܘܡܠܝܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܒܥܣܪ̈ܝܢ ܘ܏ܗ ܒܐܕܪ ܝܪܚܐ. ܒܫܢܬ ܐܠܦ ܘ܏ܫ. ܘ܏ܨ. ܏ܘܒ. ܕܝܘ̈ܢܝܐ. ܒܝܘܡ ܣܘܒܪܗ̇ ܕܝ̇ܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܒܬܘܠܬ ܒܟܠܙܒܢ ܛܘܒܢܝܬ ܐܡ݊ــ݊ܪܝ݊ܡ܀ ܐܠܐ ܡܦܝ̣ܣ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܠ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܠܒ̇ܟ ܠܗ. ܘܝ̇ܬܪ ܡܢܗ. ܐܘ ܨ̇ܒܐ ܕܢܟܬܒ܏ܝܘ ܕܢܬܪܨ ܐܝܟ ܚܝܠܗ. ܘܠܐ ܢܥܕܘܠ ܡܛܠ. ܕܟܠ ܒ̇ܪܝܐ ܚܣܝܪܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܟܬܝ̣ܒ܆ ܕܡܛܠ ܚܘܒܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ. ܢܡ̇ܠ̣ܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܟܬܝܒܬܐ ܕܐܡ̇ܪܐ . ܕܨ̇ܠܘ ܚܕ ܥܠ ܚܕ ܕܬܐܬ̇ܣܘܢ̣. ܨ̇ܠܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܕܚ̇ܛܝܐ ܕܐܡܝ̣ܪ. ܘܥܠ ܐܒܗ̈ܘܗܝ ܒ̈ܚܝܐ . . . This book of life and profit belongs to the humble Samuel, who is in name a monk or stylite; who laboured, and worked, and wrote, according to his strength and the smallness of his knowledge. Just as a man places before him a beautiful picture, and wishes to copy it in the absence of the artist, and (as I think is known to every one) takes great pains, and works hard, and is lavish of his pigments, and so, by the gift of the merciful God, the work is brought to its completion; in the same way I too, a feeble man, have been toiling hard for more than three years at the perfecting of this book of spiritual expositions. It was finished by the hands of the aforesaid sinner, in the monastery of the Mother of God, which is in Gāzartā, in the region of Alexandria the Great, through the care of the blessed and just elders, who are like unto Abraham, Mār Mauhūb and Mār Fahd, and their beloved sons John and Mansur, heirs of the kingdom of heaven and children of the bridechamber of light. Amen. This book was finished on the 25th of the month of Adār, in the year of the Greeks 1392 (A.D. 1081), on the day of the Annunciation of the Mother of God and perpetual Virgin, the blessed Mary. But I beseech every one who takes it and profits by it, or wishes to copy it, to correct it according to his ability, and not to find fault, because every creature is feeble; as it is written (above) that, for the love of Christ, he should fulfil the written word that says, ‘Pray for one another, that ye may be healed.' Pray for the aforesaid sinner and for his parents in this life……….

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David A. Michelson et al., “London, BL, Add. 12144” in , last modified April 21, 2023, https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/19.

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David A. Michelson et al., “London, BL, Add. 12144.” In , edited by ., edited by D. Michelson et al.. Syriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portal, 2023. Entry published April 21, 2023. https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/19.

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Entry Title: London, BL, Add. 12144

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