blackmax

How many different versions are there of the Tanach. Some that I know are as follows:
1. Yemeni
2. Kaifeng
3. Septaguint
4. Dead sea scrolls

Are there any more examples of where the Tanach has differences and versions?

spin

I don't know much about different versions of the Tanach, but the Dead Sea Scrolls Tanach is not a version in itself. It reflects at least three versions already known, though it is earlier than all previous exemplars: 1) proto-masoretic, 2) proto-LXX Hebrew and 3) proto-Samaritan. The Septuagint seems to have been a translation from a Hebrew text of which the Qumran proto-LXX Hebrew fragments belong.


spin

blackmax

I'm a layman when it comes to this. I would like to have some type of a family tree expalining the origins and the different versions and branches of the tanach. I would then like to examine the differences between versions and branches. I want to get a idea of the chronology of it all if possible. Thank you for adding a version that I have forgotten which is the samaritan Tanach.

bacht

If you want to get into the earlier evolution of the text you could look at the Documentary Hypothesis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_hypothesis

There has been a lot of modification of the scheme, but I think scholars still accept the general principle of mulitple sources/authors (as opposed to the traditional ascription of the Torah to Moses, with Ezra as redactor)