of the selfsame combination of letters is observed invariably to result in a various reading.

[Greek: AUTESTES] was safe to part with its second [Greek: TES] on the first opportunity, and the definitive article ([Greek: tes]) once lost, the substitution of [Greek: AUTOU] for [Greek: AUTES] is just such a mistake as a copyist with ill-directed intelligence would be sure to fall into if he were bestowing sufficient attention on the subject to be aware that the person spoken of in verses 20 and 21 is Herod the King.
[This recurrence of identical or similar syllables near together was a frequent source of error.

Copying has always a tendency to become mechanical: and when the mind of the copyist sank to sleep in his monotonous toil, as well as if it became too active, the sacred Text suffered more or less, and so even a trifling mistake might be the seed of serious depravation.] Sec.

5.
Another interesting and instructive instance of error originating in sheer accident, is supplied by the reading in certain MSS.

of St.Mark viii.1.That the Evangelist wrote [Greek: pampollou ochlou] 'the multitude being very great,' is certain.