Biblia Hebraica, Secundum Ultimam Editionem Jos. Athiae, a Johanne Leusden, Denuo Recognitum, Recensita Variisque Notis Latinis Illustrata, ab Everardo Van Der Hooght. Editio Prima Americana, Sine Punctis Masorethicis.
Philadelphia: Printed by William Fry for Thomas Dobson, 1814.
The first edition of the first complete Hebrew Bible published in America. Octavo. Two volumes finely bound in modern full leather with spine tooled in gilt. Bound without blanks and half-titles; lacking the publisher's leaf explaining the genesis of this edition, which is found in very few copies. Pages toned with a few stains throughout. Title pages remargined. Small crack to title page of Volume II, and two small repairs made to the following two pages at top margin. Printed from Hebrew type imported from Amsterdam, with Latin annotations in the margins. The text is based on the first Everardo Van Der Hooght edition of the Hebrew Bible, which was published in Amsterdam in 1705 and remains the basis for most modern editions.
"After the 'lean' years which followed the Revolutionary War, in the early decades of the nineteenth century America was in the throes of a great religious revival. As part of its intellectual aspect, the study of the Hebrew language was renewed… Grammars, lexicons, and chrestomathies were published, as well as books on the Bible and the Holy Land. The Jewish community was wary of these activities because the same scholars and divines were also involved in missionary activity. The appearance of a work in the Hebrew language which bore approbation from both leading Christian clergymen and leading Jews marked the beginning of friendlier intellectual discourse" (Karp, Judaic Treasures of the Library of Congress, 291-292).
Price: $18,000.00