Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859,

BY FRANCIS PATRICK KENRICK,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Maryland.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

THE Book of Job is now presented to the public, together with the Writings of the Prophets, through a desire to offer a larger instalment of the ancient Scriptures. The revision of the Douay version is continued with a view to remove the slight blemishes that originated in an overscrupulous adherence to the letter of the Vulgate, which has not characterized in the same degree the Catholic translators of other nations, although equally deferential to its authority. My chief object, however, from the commencement, has been to present in a clear point of view the relation of the Vulgate itself to the text, and thus to furnish a vindication of its integrity. I have, therefore, continued to note, occasionally, at the foot of the page, the Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions which support its readings, and have pointed to the source of apparent discrepancies, often originating in mere difference of punctuation, or in a transposition of letters. This gives the work a literary appearance calculated to detract from its general usefulness, but is otherwise so important, that I have thought it necessary.

Not only have I expressed in English some Hebrew terms which the Latin translator had retained, but I have ventured on rendering his Latin in close conformity with the Hebrew, when I found that he had uniformly used a certain word for a Hebrew term, although classical authority might not be found for such usage. Some terms have a definite meaning with ecclesiastical writers, very different from their classical acceptation; and the local usage of some countries, where Latin was spoken, such as Africa, where some think the

ancient Vulgate was written, greatly modified its original signification.

It is a curious fact, that the names of several of the Prophets, and other Scriptural personages, are differently spelled in the Protestant Bible, according as they occur in the Old or New Testament. Elias is the same as Elijah; Esaias and Isaiah represent the same individual. The Douay translators, following the Vulgate, spell the names alike everywhere, without regard to the Hebrew or Greek original in which they occur. Lingard and some other moderns prefer the soft Hebrew to the hissing Greek termination. I have followed their example, and extended it to proper names of similar sound. The propriety of the change I submit for consideration.

The closeness with which I press upon the footsteps of Rosenmüller, and of other learned critics and interpreters not of the Catholic communion, should not startle the devout reader, who naturally expects the guidance of the Fathers of the Church in the exposition of the Sacred Scriptures. Divine Providence has drawn this advantage from the boldness with which some moderns have examined them, that their historical truth has been established, their sublimity admired, and the excellence of their moral standard acknowledged by men not influenced by reverential feelings. Many have rendered distinct homage to their Divine inspiration. In the domain of philology much has been accomplished which religion may receive as a tribute to her heaven-born greatness. I have not, however, failed to enrich my notes with the treasures of the Fathers. I keep in view the literal force of the text, without excluding the higher meaning, which may belong to certain passages, or of which they may be susceptible. The work is submitted most respectfully to the examination of my venerable colleagues, and most unreservedly to the supreme judgment of the chief Bishop, to whom it belongs to guard the Divine Scriptures from all corruption, that the streams of truth may continue to flow pure and untainted.

BALTIMORE, Whitsuntide, 1859.

ABBREVIATIONS.

Al. Commentary on Isaiah, Psalms, by Joseph Addison Alexander, Professor at Princeton. New York, 1853, 1856.

Ar. Arabic version.

Chald. Chaldaic Targum.

D. Holie Bible, translated by the English College at Douay, 1609.

Ed. Editions of Hebrew Bible.

Eichhorn. Johann Gottfried, Einleitung in das alte Testament. Gottingen, 1823. Ges. Wilhelm Gesenius, Der Prophet Isaias. Leipzig, 1821.

Good. John Mason, Translation and Commentary on Job. London, 1812.

H. Hebrew text, or term.

Jahn. Johann, Professor auf der Universität zu Wien, Einleitung in die gottlichen Bücher. Wien, 1802.

K. Kennicott Vet. Test. Hebr. cum variis lectionibus. Oxoniæ, 1776. MSS. K. L. Isaac Leeser, Translation of Bible. Philadelphia, 1853.

Michaelis Joannes David. Gottingæ, 1770.

P. Protestant version by authority of King James. P. V. marks its agreement with the Vulgate. H. P. with Hebrew text.

R. Giambernardo De Rossi, Professore nella R. Univ. di Parma, 1773. MSS. R. mark Hebrew manuscripts found in his collections

R. Rosenmüller Ernest Frederic, Scholia in Vetus Testamentum. Lipsia, 1821. R. V. marks his approval of the Vulgate rendering.

Sept. Septuagint Vat. marks edition by Cardinal Mai, representing a manuscript of the fifth century.

Syr. Syriac version.

Passages quoted without references are understood to be in locum.