ABSTRACT
We are now in a position to carry our analysis of the formulary of this text a step further. To do so, an additional stylistic convention must be observed. S. Talmon has studied the "Synonymous Readings in the Textual Traditions of the Old Testament. ,,25 The investigation focused on the substitution of words and phrases used synonymously and interchangeably with each other in two parallel passages-either within the MT alone, or within the MT and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Talmon dealt with nouns and verbs; we wish to supplement his analysis with respect to particles. It will be noted from the examples cited below that the particles w(aw) and '0 are used either synonymously in the same case (example a), or interchangeably in parallel passages (example b).
