When turning up a newspaper, headlines immediately draw attention to the subjects the editorial staff deemed most important. Headings of chapters and paragraphs in a book help to understand the structure of the work. Indentation and punctuation steer our interpretation in many unobtrusive ways. Few people realize that these tricks to promote a particular understanding of a written document were invented thousands of years ago in the world of the Bible. The series Pericope is praised for its introduction of the innovative method of delimitation criticism in biblical scholarship.

This volume contains contributions on text division in ancient manuscripts and modern Bible translations (examples from Genesis, Numbers, Samuel, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, Song of Songs, Ezra and Romans). Layout often clarifies a writer's intention, but is sometimes used to force an interpretation on the reader that is clearly incompatible with the writer's goals. Required reading for translators as well as readers of the Bible!