Encyclopaedia Biblica
Encyclopedia
Encyclopaedia Biblica: A Critical Dictionary of the Literary, Political and Religion History, the Archeology, Geography and Natural History of the Bible (1899), edited by Thomas Kelly Cheyne
and J. Sutherland Black, is a critical encyclopedia of the Bible
. In Theology/Biblical studies, it is often referenced as Enc. Bib., or as Cheyne and Black.
It has an article for every single name and place both in the Bible and in its traditional Apocrypha
, as well as for each of the books of these, together with many improper nouns appearing in these (such as 'nebi'im' [one of the two types of prophet], 'mole', 'owl') and other more general subjects (such as 'music', 'tents', etc.). Many of these articles are given in great detail, and usually include mention of the various spellings for each word as used by the Masoretic Text
, Septuagint (differentiating between each of the most important ancient manuscripts), and by other ancient versions; the largest article is that on the Gospels, which is over 5 MB in size, despite being almost completely plain text (and therefore over half a million words long). It is thus an extremely large work – in PDF form it constitutes a total of about 190 MB of mostly plain text (this would equate to nearly 20 million words, even at 10 characters per word).
It is frequently referenced by other respected Bible-related Encyclopedia, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia
, and 9th Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica
. The Jewish Encyclopedia
, for example, even has some articles ('marriage' for example) which quote large sections from it nearly verbatim. It is also referenced by works such as the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
. It is hence, indirectly, also a source for a large number of Wikipedia
articles about Judaeo-Christian religion, as well as the direct source for others.
A measure of its importance is gained from the fact that the Jewish Encyclopedia dedicates the majority of the article 'Jerahmeel' to discussing Cheyne's theory of the Jerahmeelites, despite regarding it as arbitrary.
The articles are still of value and interest to modern scholars, Islam
ic writers, as well as to religio-political commentators such as Jihad Watch
; however, modern archaeological research and discoveries have made some portions of it obsolete, and the Jerahmeelite/Arabian theory (see below) has long been ignored. It is no longer restricted by copyright
and has become available online
(at wikisource, for example).
. The contributors are:
Carrying out this idea, Cheyne finds the chief elements of Israel's origin, religion, and history in Jerahmeel. Babylonia and Assyria sink into insignificance beside Jerahmeel in so far as influence on the Old Testament is concerned. "Amalekites" is a corruption of "Jerahmeelites"; "Beer-lahai-roi" (Gen. xvi. 14) is a corruption of "Well of Jerahmeel"; "Ephraim" is often a corruption of "Jerahmeel." The epithet of Jericho, "city of palm-trees," is a corruption of "city of Jerahmeel"; the names of Saul, of Kish, his father, and of most of the sons of Saul are held to be corruptions of "Jerahmeel"; and Isaiah's "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" is held to be a corruption of "Jerahmeel will be deserted." "Jerahmeel" has been displaced by "Babylon" in Isa. xiii. and xiv.; and Ezekiel's three wise men were "Enoch, Jerahmeel, and Arab." This list might be continued indefinitely.
By the same principle, he derives other names from "Rehoboth", "Zarephath", "Mizraim", and "Arab"; he does not equate "Mizraim" with Egypt (the usual interpretation). The vast majority of names of places and people in the bible are connected by Cheyne to Jerahmeel, or one of these.
The ingenuity of Cheyne's method may be admitted; but the thesis must be rejected as altogether arbitrary. That it has received serious attention is owing solely to the great service rendered by its sponsor in other departments of Old Testament research.
Cheyne frequently mentions this theory in his Encyclopaedia articles, often appending his view to articles written by people with more mainstream interpretations. He does, however, detail the alternative (and therefore mainstream) views, while doing so. Hence the articles are respected, as long as Cheyne's theory about these names is ignored.
Thomas Kelly Cheyne
Thomas Kelly Cheyne was an English divine and Biblical critic. He was born in London and educated at Merchant Taylors' School, London, and Oxford University....
and J. Sutherland Black, is a critical encyclopedia of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. In Theology/Biblical studies, it is often referenced as Enc. Bib., or as Cheyne and Black.
It has an article for every single name and place both in the Bible and in its traditional Apocrypha
Biblical apocrypha
The word "apocrypha" is today often used to refer to the collection of ancient books printed in some editions of the Bible in a separate section between the Old and New Testaments...
, as well as for each of the books of these, together with many improper nouns appearing in these (such as 'nebi'im' [one of the two types of prophet], 'mole', 'owl') and other more general subjects (such as 'music', 'tents', etc.). Many of these articles are given in great detail, and usually include mention of the various spellings for each word as used by the Masoretic Text
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
, Septuagint (differentiating between each of the most important ancient manuscripts), and by other ancient versions; the largest article is that on the Gospels, which is over 5 MB in size, despite being almost completely plain text (and therefore over half a million words long). It is thus an extremely large work – in PDF form it constitutes a total of about 190 MB of mostly plain text (this would equate to nearly 20 million words, even at 10 characters per word).
It is frequently referenced by other respected Bible-related Encyclopedia, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
, and 9th Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. The Jewish Encyclopedia
Jewish Encyclopedia
The Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
, for example, even has some articles ('marriage' for example) which quote large sections from it nearly verbatim. It is also referenced by works such as the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is a public domain Biblical encyclopedia. This encyclopedia was published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co...
. It is hence, indirectly, also a source for a large number of Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
articles about Judaeo-Christian religion, as well as the direct source for others.
A measure of its importance is gained from the fact that the Jewish Encyclopedia dedicates the majority of the article 'Jerahmeel' to discussing Cheyne's theory of the Jerahmeelites, despite regarding it as arbitrary.
The articles are still of value and interest to modern scholars, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic writers, as well as to religio-political commentators such as Jihad Watch
Jihad Watch
Jihad Watch is a blog affiliated with the David Horowitz Freedom Center, which is run independently by American author Robert Spencer. It is considered an important platform for the counterjihad movement....
; however, modern archaeological research and discoveries have made some portions of it obsolete, and the Jerahmeelite/Arabian theory (see below) has long been ignored. It is no longer restricted by copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
and has become available online
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
(at wikisource, for example).
Authors and Contributors
The authors of the articles include most of the most respected biblical scholars at the time it was written. Several hold senior professorships at important universities. Many even hold the highest academic qualification – the Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
. The contributors are:
- Anthony Ashley Bevan, Lord Almoner's Professor of Arabic, CambridgeLord Almoner's Professorship of ArabicThe Lord Almoner's Professorship of Arabic was one of the senior professorships at the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1724, the holder was appointed by the Lord Almoner and paid from the Almonry funds....
. - A. E. ShipleyArthur ShipleySir Arthur Everett Shipley GBE FRS was an English zoologist and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge....
, M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, F.Z.S., Fellow, Tutor, and Lecturer at Christ's College, CambridgeChrist's College, CambridgeChrist's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
. - Adolf JülicherAdolf JülicherAdolf Jülicher was a German scholar and biblical exegete. Specifically, he was the Professor of Church History and New Testament Exegesis, at the University of Marburg.-The Messianic Secret:...
, Professor of Church History and New Testament Exegesis, University of Marburg. - Adolf KamphausenAdolf KamphausenAdolf Kamphausen was a German Protestant theologian, born at Solingen and educated at Bonn. In 1855, as private secretary to Bunsen, he assisted him in his great Bibelwerk. At the same time he was privatdocent at Heidelberg, and in 1863 he became professor of theology at Bonn...
, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, University of BonnUniversity of BonnThe University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
. - Archibald KennedyArchibald KennedyArchibald Kennedy may refer to:* Archibald Kennedy, 11th Earl of Cassilis * Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa * Archibald Kennedy, Earl of Cassilis * Archibald Kennedy, 2nd Marquess of Ailsa...
, R. S.Royal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, M.A., D.D.Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, Professor of Hebrew and Semitic Languages, Edinburgh University. - C. Creighton, M.D., Great Ormund Street Hospital
- Rev. Charles Fox BurneyCharles Fox BurneyRev. Charles Fox Burney was Biblical scholar at Oxford University, England.-Early life:Charles was the son of Charles Burney, Paymaster Chief Royal Navy, and his wife Eleanor Norton, daughter of the Rev. W. A. Norton, rector of Alderton and Eye, Suffolk. He was educated at Merchant Taylors'...
, Lecturer in Hebrew, and Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford. - Rev. C. H. W. Johns, M.A., Queen's College, Cambridge.
- Rev. C. J. Ball, M.A., Chaplain to the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London.
- Cornelis Petrus TieleCornelis Petrus TieleCornelis Petrus Tiele, was a Dutch theologian and scholar.-Life:He was born at Leiden. He was educated at Amsterdam, first studying at the Athenaeum Illustre, as the communal high school of the capital was then named, and afterwards at the seminary of the Remonstrant Brotherhood.He was destined...
, Professor of Comparative History and Philosophy of Religion (which was specially created for him), Leiden UniversityLeiden UniversityLeiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. - Eduard MeyerEduard MeyerEduard Meyer was a German historian.-Biography:Meyer was born at Hamburg and educated at the Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums and later at the universities of Bonn and Leipzig. After completing his studies, he spent one year in Istanbul. In 1879, he went to the University of Leipzig as privatdocent...
, Professor of Ancient History, University of HalleUniversity of Halle-WittenbergThe Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg , also referred to as MLU, is a public, research-oriented university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg within Saxony-Anhalt, Germany...
. - Rev. Francis BrownFrancis BrownThe Rev. Francis Brown , American Semitic scholar, was born in Hanover, New Hampshire.He was the son of Samuel Gilman Brown , president of Hamilton College from 1867 to 1881, and the grandson of Francis Brown, whose removal from the presidency of Dartmouth College and later restoration were...
, D.D., Davenport Professor of Hebrew and the cognate Languages in the Union Theological Seminary, New YorkUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New YorkUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
. - Rev. George Adam SmithGeorge Adam SmithGeorge Adam Smith , Scottish theologian, was born in Calcutta, where his father, George Smith, C.I.E., was then Principal of the Doveton College, a boys' school....
, D.D. LL.D., Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis, Free Church College, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(later made principal of the University of AberdeenUniversity of AberdeenThe University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
). - George Augustus SimcoxGeorge Augustus SimcoxGeorge Augustus Simcox was a British classical scholar and poet. He was a Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford.He was educated at the University of Oxford. He was also a critic and busy literary reviewer, in magazines such as the Argosy, the Fortnightly Review and the Academy; and essayist for The...
, M.A., Queen's College, Oxford. - Buchanan Gray, M.A., Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Theology, Mansfield College, OxfordMansfield College, OxfordMansfield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50...
. - Rev. George Foot MooreGeorge Foot MooreGeorge Foot Moore He graduated from Yale University in 1872, where he was a member of Skull and Bones. He was awarded the highest theological qualifiction – the D.D....
, D.D., Professor of Hebrew in Andover Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass. - Hermann GutheHermann GutheHermann Guthe was a German Semitic scholar. He was educated at Göttingen, Erlangen, and at Leipzig University, where in 1884 he became professor of Old Testament exegesis...
, a.o. Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, Leipzig University. - Baron Hermann von SodenHermann, Freiherr von SodenBaron Hermann von Soden , German biblical scholar, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 16, 1852, and was educated at the University of Tübingen. He was minister of Dresden-Striesen in 1881 and in 1887 became minister of the Jerusalem Church in Berlin...
, Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of BerlinHumboldt University of BerlinThe Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
. - Hope W. Hogg, M.A.
- Heinrich Zimmern, a.o. Professor of Assyriology, Leipzig.
- Israel AbrahamsIsrael AbrahamsIsrael Abrahams was one of the most distinguished Jewish scholars of his generation. He wrote a number of classics on Judaism, most notably, Jewish Life in the Middle Ages ....
, London, Editor of the Jewish Quarterly ReviewJewish Quarterly ReviewThe Jewish Quarterly Review is an peer-reviewed academic journal which focuses on Jewish studies. It is published quarterly for the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania by the University of Pennsylvania Press. The current editors are Elliott Horowitz...
(and highly respected scholar of Judaism). - Dr. Immanuel Benzinger, University of Berlin.
- Rev. J. Armitage RobinsonArmitage RobinsonJoseph Armitage Robinson KCVO was a priest in the Church of England and scholar. He was successively Dean of Westminster and of Wells . He was educated at Liverpool College and Christ's College, Cambridge of which he became a Fellow...
, D.D., Canon of Westminster CathedralWestminster CathedralWestminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. - John MassieJohn MassieJohn Massie was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Member of Parliament for Cricklade from 1906 to 1910....
, Yates Professor of New Testament Exegesis in Mansfield College, OxfordMansfield College, OxfordMansfield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50...
; formerly scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge. - Karl BuddeKarl BuddeKarl Ferdinand Reinhard Budde was a German theologian, born at Bensberg. He was inspector of the Evangelisches Theologisches Stift at Bonn from 1878 to 1885, professor at Bonn in 1879, at Strassburg in 1889, and in 1900 was made professor of Old Testament exegesis and the Hebrew language at...
, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, University of StrasbourgUniversity of StrasbourgThe University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
. - Karl Marti, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and the Hebrew Language, University of BerneUniversity of BerneThe University of Bern is a university in the Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It is a comprehensive university offering a broad choice of courses and programmes in eight faculties and some 160 institutes. The university is an...
. - Lucien GautierLucien GautierCharles Lucien Gautier was a Swiss theologian, born at Cologny, near Geneva, and educated at Geneva, Leipzig, and Tübingen. In 1877-98 he was professor of Hebrew and Old Testament exegesis at Lausanne, and thereafter honorary professor. He was the president of the synod of the Vaudois église...
, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and History, University of LausanneUniversity of LausanneThe University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
. - Leonard William KingLeonard William KingLeonard William King , M.A., F.S.A., was an English archaeologist and Assyriologist educated at Rugby School and King's College in Cambridge. He collected stone inscriptions widely in the Near East, taught Assyrian and Babylonian archaeology at King's College for a number of years, and published a...
, M.A., F.S.A., Assistant to the Keeper of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities, British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
(and former lecturer in Babylo-Assyriological Archaeology at King's College, CambridgeKing's College, CambridgeKing's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
) - Maurice A. Canney, M.A. (Oxon.)
- Morris (Jun.) JastrowMorris Jastrow, Jr.Morris Jastrow, Jr., Ph. D. was an American orientalist, the son of Marcus Jastrow.-Biography:He was born in Warsaw, came to Philadelphia in 1866 when his father, Marcus Jastrow, accepted a position as Rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom. He graduated at Penn in 1881...
, Ph.D., Professor of Semitic Languages in the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. - Montague Rhodes James (more famous as 'M. R. James'), Litt.D., Fellow and Dean of King's College, CambridgeKing's College, CambridgeKing's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
. - Norman McLean, M.A., Lecturer in Hebrew, and Fellow of Christ's CollegeChrist's College, CambridgeChrist's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, Lecturer in Semitic Languages at Gonville and Caius College, CambridgeGonville and Caius College, CambridgeGonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
. - Nathaniel SchmidtNathaniel Schmidt--Mionb 16:58, 15 November 2011 Nathaniel Schmidt of Ithaca, New York was a Swedish American Baptist minister, Progressive democrat, educator and orientalist.-Background:...
, Professor of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Ithaca, New York. - Rev. Owen C. Whitehouse M.A., Principal and Professor of Biblical Exegesis and Theology in the Countess of Huntingdon's College, Cheshunt, Herts.
- Paul Wilhelm SchmiedelPaul Wilhelm SchmiedelPaul Wilhelm Schmiedel was a German theologian and professor of New Testament exegesis born in Zaukeroda near Dresden....
, Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of ZurichUniversity of ZurichThe University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. - Rev. Robert Henry CharlesRobert Henry CharlesRobert Henry Charles was an English biblical scholar and theologian. He is known particularly for English translations of apocryphal and pseudepigraphal works, and editions including Jubilees , the Book of Enoch , and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs which have been widely used.He was...
, M.A., D.D., Professor of Biblical Greek in Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. - Rev. Robert W. Rogers, Ph.D., D.D., Professor of Hebrew, Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, New Jersey.
- Stanley A. Cook, M.A. (Cantab.)
- Rev. Samuel Rolles DriverSamuel Rolles DriverSamuel Rolles Driver was an English divine and Hebrew scholar. He devoted his life to the study, both textual and critical, of the Old Testament. He was the father of Sir Godfrey Rolles Driver, also a distinguished Bible scholar.-Biography:Samuel Rolles Driver was born at Southampton...
, D.D., Regius Professor of HebrewRegius Professor of HebrewThe Regius Professorship of Hebrew, founded by Henry VIII, is a professorship at both Cambridge and Oxford Universities.- List of Regius Professors of Hebrew at Cambridge :...
, Canon of Christ Church, OxfordChrist Church, OxfordChrist Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. - Theophilus G. Pinches, M.R.A.S., Egyptian and Assyrian Department, British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. - Rev. T. K. Cheyne, M.A., D.D., Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy ScriptureOriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy ScriptureThe Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of the Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford is an old-established professorial position.The Oriel Professor is ex officio a Fellow of Oriel College....
at Oxford, Canon of Rochester CathedralRochester CathedralRochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
. - Theodor NöldekeTheodor NöldekeTheodor Nöldeke was a German Semitic scholar, who was born in Harburg and studied in Göttingen, Vienna, Leiden and Berlin....
, Professor of Semitic Languages, University of StrasbourgUniversity of StrasbourgThe University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
. - T. W. Davies, Ph.D., Professor of Old Testament Literature, North Wales Baptist CollegeBaptist Union of Great BritainThe Baptist Union of Great Britain, despite its name, is the association of Baptist churches in England and Wales. -History:...
, Bangor; Lecturer in Semitic Languages, University College, BangorBangor UniversityBangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
. - Wilhelm BoussetWilhelm BoussetWilhelm Bousset was a German theologian and New Testament scholar. He was of Huguenot ancestry and a native of Lübeck....
, a.o., Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of Göttingen. - Rev. W. E. Addis, M.A., Lecturer in Old Testament Criticism, Manchester College, Oxford.
- Rev. W. H. Bennett, Professor of Biblical Languages and Literature, Hackney Theological Seminary, and Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, New College, LondonNew College LondonNew College London was founded as a Congregationalist college in 1850.-Predecessor institutions:...
. - W. H. Kosters, Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, Leiden UniversityLeiden UniversityLeiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. - William John WoodhouseWilliam John WoodhouseWilliam John Woodhouse was a classical scholar and author, professor of Greek at the University of Sydney-Early life:...
, M.A., Lecturer in Classical Philology, University College of North Wales, BangorBangor UniversityBangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
, and later in Ancient History at St. Andrews University. - W. Max. Muller, Professor of Old Testament Literature, Reformed Episcopal SeminaryReformed Episcopal SeminaryThe Reformed Episcopal Seminary was founded in 1887 in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with support from a trust created by Harriet Benson in 1886. The seminary offers a Master of Divinity program as well as programs leading to certificates in a variety of theological fields. A diploma program...
, West Philadelphia. - William RidgewayWilliam RidgewaySir William Ridgeway was a classical scholar and the Disney Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge University....
, Disney Professor of Archaeology, Cambridge. - William Robertson SmithWilliam Robertson SmithWilliam Robertson Smith was a Scottish orientalist, Old Testament scholar, professor of divinity, and minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He was an editor of the Encyclopædia Britannica and contributor to the Encyclopaedia Biblica...
, Professor of Arabic, Cambridge. - Rev. William SandayWilliam SandayWilliam Sanday was born in Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire, England to William Sanday and Elizabeth Mann. He was a British theologian and biblical scholar...
, D.D., LL.D., Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, Canon of Christ Church, Oxford. - Sir William Turner Thiselton-DyerWilliam Turner Thiselton-DyerSir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer KCMG FRS FLS was a leading British botanist, and the third director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.- Life and career :Thiselton-Dyer was born in Westminster, London...
, C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S., Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Cheyne's 'surprising' theory about the Jerahmeelites, etc.
Professor Cheyne put forth a surprising theory concerning the Jerahmeelites. In his view they were a powerful north-Arabian tribe, with which the Hebrews came into conflict on their first approach to the land. A part of the Jerahmeelites was absorbed by the Hebrews, but there were many contests between the Israelites and the main body of the Jerahmeelites all through the period of the Kings. Even among the post-exilic opponents of Nehemiah, the Jerahmeelites appear again. Cheyne believes that echoes of these conflicts once reverberated throughout the Old Testament, but that, owing to the corruption of the Masoretic text, they must now be reawakened by conjectural emendation of the text.Carrying out this idea, Cheyne finds the chief elements of Israel's origin, religion, and history in Jerahmeel. Babylonia and Assyria sink into insignificance beside Jerahmeel in so far as influence on the Old Testament is concerned. "Amalekites" is a corruption of "Jerahmeelites"; "Beer-lahai-roi" (Gen. xvi. 14) is a corruption of "Well of Jerahmeel"; "Ephraim" is often a corruption of "Jerahmeel." The epithet of Jericho, "city of palm-trees," is a corruption of "city of Jerahmeel"; the names of Saul, of Kish, his father, and of most of the sons of Saul are held to be corruptions of "Jerahmeel"; and Isaiah's "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" is held to be a corruption of "Jerahmeel will be deserted." "Jerahmeel" has been displaced by "Babylon" in Isa. xiii. and xiv.; and Ezekiel's three wise men were "Enoch, Jerahmeel, and Arab." This list might be continued indefinitely.
By the same principle, he derives other names from "Rehoboth", "Zarephath", "Mizraim", and "Arab"; he does not equate "Mizraim" with Egypt (the usual interpretation). The vast majority of names of places and people in the bible are connected by Cheyne to Jerahmeel, or one of these.
The ingenuity of Cheyne's method may be admitted; but the thesis must be rejected as altogether arbitrary. That it has received serious attention is owing solely to the great service rendered by its sponsor in other departments of Old Testament research.
Cheyne frequently mentions this theory in his Encyclopaedia articles, often appending his view to articles written by people with more mainstream interpretations. He does, however, detail the alternative (and therefore mainstream) views, while doing so. Hence the articles are respected, as long as Cheyne's theory about these names is ignored.
See also
External links
- As a series of web pages (HTML format), at wikisource.
- As (very large) PDFs
- VOLUME I (72.22 MB)
- VOLUME II (106.01 MB)
- VOLUME III (90.86 MB)
- VOLUME IV (104.89 MB)