In the first edition of the SBLHS, all publication information in footnotes save the title was placed inside parenthesis, and distinct publication elements were separated by a semicolon. For example:

4. John Kaltner and Steven L. McKenzie, eds., Beyond Babel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages (RBS 42; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2002), xii.

Following the CMS, the second edition of the SBLHS moved secondary publication information (e.g., editors, series) outside the parenthesis, leaving only the basic facts of publication (city, publisher, date) inside parenthesis. For example:

4. John Kaltner and Steven L. McKenzie, eds., Beyond Babel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages, RBS 42 (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2002), xii.

The handbook does not, however, clearly specify how distinct elements of secondary publication are to be separated when more than one element appears in a note (e.g., when a reference includes both edition number and series). Should one use a semicolon as the first edition does or a comma? For example:

5. John F. Oates et al., eds., Checklist of Editions of Greek and Latin Papyri, Ostraca, and Tablets, 5th ed.; BAPSSup 9 (Oakville, CT: American Society of Papyrologists, 2001), 10.

5. John F. Oates et al., eds., Checklist of Editions of Greek and Latin Papyri, Ostraca, and Tablets, 5th ed., BAPSSup 9 (Oakville, CT: American Society of Papyrologists, 2001), 10.

We recommend using a comma, as seen in the second example (found also in SBLHS 2 §6.2.8). See SBLHS 2 §6.1.1 for the order in which the publication information should be placed.