A specimen of Erpenius's planned polyglot Bible

[Biblia arabico-latina - Evangelium secundum Matthaeum]. Passio Domini nostri Iesu Christi, secundum Matthaeum. Arabice, cum Latina versione ad verbum, iuxta editionem Romanam.

€ 3,500.00

Sole edition: "Extremely rare. The last of three small New Testament portions issued in Arabic by the Raphelengius press" (Smitskamp). Anonymously edited by Thomas Erpenius as a specimen of his planned polyglot Bible. "Erpenius had a special interest in the text of the Bible, and also published the Syriac version. He aimed at editing a corpus embodying all the variants which could be gleaned from the Oriental versions, but his premature death at the age of forty put an end to these plans" (Smitskamp 80).

1833 ownership "John Williams" to title page. Slight waterstain throughout the upper third, otherwise fine.