Question XXI. How was the inscription of Deuteronomy made upon these stones?

In Deut. 27, v. 8, it is commanded that there be inscribed on these stones “all the words of the law, plainly and lucidly”; [in] the 70 [LXX], σαφῶς σφόδρα [saphōs sphodra, “very clearly”]; in the Hebrew, “by explaining well [distinctly].” But some of the Jews thought — in the cited book On the Apices [Points], and in R. Elias [Elijah Levita] (preface 3, in Hammasoreth [the Masoreth], fol. 44) — [that] here is signified [that] the points [vowel-points] were affixed, by which we see most Hebrew Bibles today pricked [pointed]. But first: those points were not yet then invented, as I said against Cevallerius [Chevallier] and his disciple Hugh Broughton in the Biblical Prolegomena — [drawing] from that very cited place of R. Elias, where he brings forward very many Rabbis [as] supporters of this opinion of his; to whom can be added more recent Christians — Hieronymus Vallensis [Jerome of Vallès] (in the book On the Hebrew Accents), Arias Montanus (preface to the version of Pagninus), Genebrardus (preface on the Psalms, and on Ps. 104, v. 1), Leo Castrius [León de Castro] (preface on Isaiah); and, from among the innovators, also Münster (in Melecheth ha-dikduk, fol. 17, 18, 19), Scaliger (in the Fragments on the Emendation of Times, fol. 32), [and] the University of Wittenberg (in the book against Scherer). Secondly: Yet be it [granted] [that] there were even then points — [still] it is not necessary [that] they be signified by these words. For [the words] effect only this much: that these [words of the law] be written plainly and elegantly, with letters neither too meager [thin], nor with words too joined together and compressed.