are various readings in the Hebrew Bible; keri signifies that which is read; and cetib that which is written. For where any such various readings occur, the wrong reading is written in the text, and that is called the cetib; and the true reading is written in the margin, with p under it, and called the keri. It is generally said by the Jewish writers, that these corrections were introduced by Ezra; but it is most probable, that they had their original from the mistakes of the transcribers after the time of Ezra, and the observations and corrections of the Maimonites. Those Keri cetibs, which are in the sacred books written by Ezra himself, or which were taken into the canon after his time, could not have been noticed by Ezra himself; and this affords a presumption, that the others are of late date. Those words amount to about 1000; and Dr Kennicott, in his Differtatio Generalis, remarks, that all of them, excepting 14, have been found in the text of manuscripts.