The author of I Maccabees (12:9), who certainly wrote in Hebrew (c. The term Sifrei ha-Kodesh ( Sifre ha-Qodesh Holy Books), although not found in Hebrew literature before the Middle Ages, seems to have been used occasionally by Jews even in pre-Christian times. It is from this Hellenistic Jewish usage of τἁ βιβλία, which entered European languages through its Latin form, that the English Bible is derived. 132 B.C.E.) similarly employs The Books to designate the entire Scriptures (Ecclus., prologue, v. The translator of The Wisdom of Ben Sira into Greek (c. The earliest record of such is the Letter of Aristeas (mid-second century B.C.E.) which uses the singular form (v. The Greek speaking Jews adopted this usage and translated it into their vernacular as τἁ βιβλία. This is how the sacred writings are frequently referred to in tannaitic literature (Meg. Its antiquity is supported by its use in Daniel in reference to the prophets (Dan. The earliest and most diffused Hebrew term was Ha-Sefarim ( The Books). There is no single designation common to all Jews and employed in all periods by which the Jewish Scriptures have been known. THE CANON, TEXT, AND EDITIONS CANON General Titles Bibliography for a section is indicated by (†). This entry is arranged according to the outline below. ILLUSTRATED BIBLES IN MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED MANU-SCRIPTS Nineteenth-Century Pentateuch Criticism and Wellhausen The Work of Saadiah Gaon and Its InfluenceĮXEGESIS AMONG JEWS IN THE MODERN PERIOD † VARIATIONS IN ENGLISH VERSIONS OF PSALM 23 Today's English Version also called Good News Bible (1976) New English Bible (1970) and Revised English Bible (1989) Jerusalem Bible (1966) and New Jerusalem Bible (1985) Revised Standard Version (1952) and New Revised Standard Version (1989) JEWISH SENSITIVITIES OF TRANSLATION (NEW TESTAMENT)ĪNGLICAN, CALVINIST, AND CATHOLIC BIBLES, 1560–1610 Syriac Aramaic: Peshitta and Other Versions
JOSEPH AND THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE HAGIOGRAPHA TARGUMS † Targum Yerushalmi II (the Fragmentary Targum) THE THIRD PERIOD † (First Century C.E.–Ninth Century C.E.) THE CANONIZATION OF THE KETUVIM (HAGIOGRAPHA) THE CANONIZATION OF THE TORAH (PENTATEUCH)