Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Vervolg op Flavius Josephus of Algemene historie der Joodsche Naatsie, behelzende ene uitvoerige beschryving van derzelver Regerings-vorm, Godtsdienst, Gezinten en Plgtigheden, nevens e veranderingen, daar in vororgevallen: Mitsgaders een verhaal van alle Oorlogen, weergaloze rampen,.Wisselvalligheden, Verstrooing door de gehele waerelt, die Naatsie in Asia, Afrika en Europa overgekomen; de zeltzame Wetten en Reglementen, in ieder Koningryk in haren opzichte van t ydt tot tydt gemaakt: Waar in men vindt Levens en Bedryven Der Joodsche Regeerders, Hogepriesters, Opperveltheren, vslsche Messiasen, beroemde Mannen en geleerde Schryvers, met een Berecht van derzelver Werken. Alles van de Geboorte van Christus, of Josephus tydt af, door alle eeuven, tot dezen tydt toe, Historie- en Staatkundig. 2 vol.

Amsterdam: Gerard onder de Linden, 1726, 1727. Hardcover. 2 volumes. Folio. Continuous pagination. [24] 1940 (the last seven pages of vol. 1 are numbered 658+1 until 658+7). Contemporary leather with embossed gilt decoration, title plate ["Flavius Josephus "]. Raised bands. Title in first volume in black and red lettering, in second volume only black. Magnificently illustrated with 89 copper engravings, out of which two are full-page: The frontispiece, being a portrayal of Jakob Basnage (the translator) and a full-page engraving on p. 458, being a depiction of the 10 Sephirot (Cabbalistic levels of God) within a scenic background on 11 ornamental printers' devices, 3 charts, including the 10 Sephirot (Cabbalistic levels of God) and the genealogy of the Hashmoneans and Herold, the latter fold-out.

Contains: Historie der Joodsche Naatsie [Jewish Antiquities]. 20 books.

Text in Dutch. Library mark ["Judaica"] to spine. Minor cracks to spine. Corners rubbed. Scuffing, rubbing, discoloration and staining to boards. Hinges starting. Minor browning to some pages. Sporadic foxing. Library mark to inside of front board: " Gift of Mrs. Selah Merill. 1914." Ex-libris stamp to loose front endpaper and (embossed) to title page with copper-engraving illustrated title pages. Overall in very good condition. vg. Item #14837

Bibliographical information on this edition, acc. to Schreckenberg (see below, p. 32/3):

-First published in Rotterdam, Holland in the French language
Basnage was the author of the first scholarly Jewish history. He saw his work as a continuation and supplement of Josephus' work.

Flavius Josephus a.k.a. Joseph b. Matityahu was a first century Jewish historian and soldier. During the 66-70 C.E. Jewish revolt against Rome, he was made commander of Galilee. He surrendered to the Romans rather then commit suicide. After the war, Josephus spent the last three decades of his life living in a villa outside of Rome under imperial patronage and writing his histories. He authored The Jewish War, The Antiquities of the Jews, Against Apion and an autobiography.

Josephus' historical works are among the most valuable sources for the study of 1st century Judaism and the context for early Christianity. This is due, among other things to the fact that they are products of his firsthand experience and his peculiar position as a defender of Judaism and a supporter of Rome. While Josephus was ignored by Jewish tradition (the Talmud makes no mention of him), he was embraced by the Church. This was mainly because of the Testimonium Flavianum passage from the Antiquities Book 18, which refers to Jesus and even calls him the Messiah. (Whether or not this passage was all or in part added in by a Christian scribe is a matter of some debate among scholars.) Such Church Fathers as Origin, Jerome and Ambrose, as well as the early ecclesiastical historian Eusebius quote him in their work.

Sources:
1) On Josephus:
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.  2001-05.
The Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition (1911)
Encyclopedia Judaica (1972)

2) On the different editions:
Heinz Schreckenberg: Bibliographie zu Flavius Josephus (Leiden: Brill. 1968)
Heinz Schreckenberg: Bibliographie zu Flavius Josephus. Supplementband mit Gesamtregister (Leiden: Brill. 1979)
Louis H. Feldmann: Josepus. A Supplementary Bibliography. (Garland: New York/London. 1986).

Price: $750.00

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