The State of the Printed Hebrew Text of the Old Testament Considered by Benjamin Kennicott - 1759

Oxford. Very Good/No Jacket. 1759. First Edition.. Buckram. Ex-Library The first announcement by the Oxford Biblical scholar of his plan to produce a definitive study of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Benjamin Kennicott had already published two dissertations, in 1753 and 1759, on the state of the printed Hebrew text. These essays attracted much notice, and Kennicott was encouraged to launch an ambitious project: "It being the desire of several persons, very eminent in learning, that the MSS of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament should be forthwith collated, and all their various readings accurately publish'd; and the delegates of the press, in the University of Oxford, having some time since unanimously approv'd of such a work, and applied to Mr. Kennicott, fellow of Exeter College, expressing their desire of his undertaking it; and it having been lately recommended to him, to offer some proposals upon this subject; he submits the following particulars to the consideration of the public." At the end of this brochure is a list of booksellers in Oxford, Cambridge, and London, by whom subscriptions were to be taken in. The proposals are dated Oxford, January 21, 1760; they were followed by a second appeal in December of the same year, and a sum of more than 9000 was soon raised. For the next ten years Kennicott published annual progress reports, in English and Latin; the latter were presumably meant for scholars on the continent, from whom Kennicott received much assistance. A prospectus for Kennicott's completed work was issued in May, 1770, and his text was finally published in two large volumes in 1776-1780. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall .