Masoretic Bible, 1266

Tanakh

Genesis, p.4

Exodus, p.37

Leviticus, p.78

Numbers, p.108

Deuteronomy, p.151

Nevi’im (Prophets)

Joshua, p.190

Judges, p.218

Samuel I, p.244

Samuel II, p.279

Kings I, p.308

Kings II, p.344, column 1, line 14

Jeremiah, p.377

Ezekiel, p.438

Isaiah, p.489

Hosea, p.535

Joel, p.539

Amos, p.542

Obadiah, p.548

Jonah, p.549

Micah. p.551

Nahum, p.555

Habakkuk, p.556

Zephaniah, p.588

Haggai, p.560

Zechariah, p.562

Malachi, p.571

Ketuvim (Writings)

Ruth, p.573

Psalms, p.577 (end of Psalms with harp, p.661)

Job, p.662

Proverbs, p.607

Ecclesiastes, p.728

Song of Songs, p.735

Lamentations, p.739

Daniel, p.743

Ester, p.759

Ezra, p.766

Nehemiah, p.766, column 3, line 21

Chronicles I, p.790

Chronicles II, p.819, column 1, line 20

Colophon, p.855

About 862 pages total

The books were originally thought to be in a unique random order, but a Bible known as Dublin Ibn Gaon (Tudela, Spain 1300) shares the same sequence.

From Mordechai Glatzner from the Comité De Paléographie Hebraique (1972):

"Missing pages: before p.1, between pp.2-3, between pp.3-4, between pp.4-5, and between pp.5-6. The manuscript is therefore missing Genesis 1:30 to Genesis 6:20."

Manuscript is written in Hebrew in square Sephardic Script with a reed pen.

According to David Stern in Chosen: Philadelphia's Great Hebraica (2007), the manuscript contains both greater and lesser masoretic notes. In Psalms, the greater masoretic notes are on the top and bottom with lesser masoretic notes in the outermost margin. The greater masoretic notes, also called the large Masorah, are written in micrography and braided into a decorative ribbon pattern.

Research by Dalia-Ruth Halperin in 2014 indicates that RH 1 is one of three 13th-century masoretic bibles from the Iberian Peninsula which includes identical decorations of micrography on every opening quire. She proposes that this technique was used to facilitate the binding process.

At the end of the book of Psalms is a stylized harp which is, according to David Stern in Chosen: Philadelphia's Great Hebraica (2007), "an allusion to the harp of David, traditionally regarded as the psalms' composer. Atop the harp, a hand is poised to play, but no human figure is depicted in a possible cultural concession to a much earlier Islamic convention against human representation" (p. 19).

Dr. David Cook's translation (2009) of the script next to the harp reads:

"Blessed be the Creator of the heavens and earth:

I purchased this Torah [sic] of 24 books (may the Torah be exalted with greatness and glory [acronym]) in order to meditate, study, learn and teach. I am the young Shlomo Cohen “Sephardi Tahor” [acronym for pure Sephardi], son of the honored, enlightened Rabi Aharon Cohen (may his soul rest in peace [acronym]) [?] known as Damaschi [?] [name of unknown location] here in Egypt (may the city of God be built [acronym]). The year 511* (Ahsrei Ha’Am Shekaha Lo) (5511 according to Prat Gadol [the greater counting]) for 4 and one-half golden Mahbub [an Ottoman coin]."

*1750-51

There have been many translations done of the colophon and the script entries. The following translation is from Dr. David Cook (2009):

"I, Shlomo, son of Moshe (may his memory be blessed) have written and passed on these twenty-four books to the esteemed and learned Rabbi Yehoshua, son of the esteemed and learned Rabbi Zicharya, the honored son of the wise and venerable Sh’alti’el (may his likeness be guarded and kept alive). May God enable him, his children and his children’s children to meditate upon them until the end of all generations and fulfill, as it is written: “Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful.” [Joshua 1:8 translation from JPS Hebrew English Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society: Philadelphia, 1999)]. Completed in the month of Adar, the year 5026 [1266 C.E.] since the creation of the world." The script below the colophon, also by Dr. David Cook (2009):

"I, the young man, fearful of God, [acronym for either Guardian of the Most High or The Lord is My Helper] Nissim, the son of Rabi Amram, son of Rav Shmuel, Rabinu, purchased this in the year 5476 [1715-1716]."

There are six pages following the colophon featuring variant readings of the Books of Writings. At the bottom of the first page following the colophon, there are 2 lines in script:

"Cursed be he who erases my name; Blessed is he who reads this."

The first two pages and one page at the end are intricately decorated in a diamond pattern known as a "carpet page." There is small Hebrew print throughout the design. The text for the first carpet page comes from Psalms 119, 150 and 106. The zig-zag text on the second carpet page are Masoretic notes. The final carpet page in the manuscript has three large lines of Hebrew text from the opening lines of Psalm 37:5: "Turn your ways to the Lord, and trust."