The Kennicott Bible

Date: 1476

Language: Hebrew

Page number: 906

The Kennicott Bible, also known as the Oxford Bible, is a Hebrew Bible manuscript produced in the mid-1470s by the scribe Moses ben Asher in Spain. The manuscript was acquired by Benjamin Kennicott, an English Hebraist and biblical scholar, in the mid-18th century and became one of the most important biblical manuscripts in his collection. Today, the Kennicott Bible is held in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford in England.

The manuscript is written on vellum, a fine parchment made from calf or sheepskin, and contains the entire Hebrew Bible, including the books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The text is written in a square Ashkenazi script, with vowels and cantillation marks added in later by another scribe.

The Kennicott Bible was produced during a time of great cultural and intellectual flourishing in Spain, known as the Golden Age of Hebrew literature. This period saw the production of numerous important biblical manuscripts, including the famous Alba Bible, which was produced around the same time as the Kennicott Bible.

The manuscript was acquired by Benjamin Kennicott in the mid-18th century. Kennicott was an English Hebraist and biblical scholar who had a particular interest in the Hebrew Bible. He was known for his critical work on the biblical text, including his publication of a four-volume work on the variants in the Hebrew Bible.

The Kennicott Bible was one of the most important manuscripts in his collection and he spent many years studying and cataloguing it. He was particularly interested in the variations in the text and the differences between this manuscript and other Hebrew Bibles.

After Kennicott's death in 1783, the manuscript was sold to the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, where it remains today. It has been studied extensively by biblical scholars and is considered one of the most important biblical manuscripts in the world.

The manuscript has been the subject of numerous scholarly studies and is known for its high quality and accuracy. It is one of the few surviving Hebrew Bibles from the medieval period and is an important resource for scholars interested in the history of the Hebrew Bible and its transmission.

In addition to its scholarly importance, the Kennicott Bible is also known for its beauty. The manuscript is lavishly illuminated, with intricate border designs and numerous illustrations throughout. The illuminations include depictions of biblical scenes and characters, as well as decorative motifs and other ornamental designs.

Overall, the Kennicott Bible is a significant manuscript in the history of the Hebrew Bible and has played an important role in biblical scholarship for centuries. Its historical and cultural significance, as well as its beauty, make it a valuable resource for scholars and a treasure of the Bodleian Library.

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