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MS. Kennicott 1

Oriental Manuscripts Kennicott Collection

Kennicott Bible

Contents

Bible with D. Kimhi's Sefer Mikhlol

1. ff. 10r-438v
Hebrew Bible תנ"ך

With both masorahs; Isaiah before Jeremiah; the Prophets are followed by Chronicles, next come the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Song of Song, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, the latter without division.

The copist is probably indentical with Moses ibn Zabara (משה בר’ יעקב ן’ זברה), the author of Malakhat ha-Sefer, who emigrated to Morocco where he was held in great esteem.

Colophon: Colophon of the scribe on fol. 438r: "אני משה בר’ יעקב ן’ זברה הסופר ... כתבתי ונקדתי ומסרתי והגהתי אלה ארבעה ועשרים ספרים בקובץ אחד וסימתי אותו ביום רביעי א"ב ימים לחדש אב שנת והביאותים א’ל’ ה’ר’ קדשי לפרט האלף הששי [=רל"ו] בכאן במתא לה קרוניא והחזקתי אותו בל"ז קונדרסין ... לבחור הנחמד יצחק בן ... דון שלמה די בראגה נ"ע". Colophon of the illuminator on fol. 453v: "אני יוסף ן’ חיים זה הספר ציירתי והשלמתי".
Language(s): Hebrew
2. ff.1-9 and ff. 438v-453
Kimhi, David, approximately 1160-approximately 1235, Sefer ha-Mikhlol ספר המכלול

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: ff. 453
Dimensions (other):

Hand(s)

Sephardi square script

Decoration

Illuminations in the margins and at the end of the books.

Binding

Dark brown morocco goatskin box binding, blind-embossed on all six sides

History

Origin: La Coruña; 1476

Provenance and Acquisition

Acquired for the Radcliffe Library, Oxford, by Benjamin Kennicott. (1718-1783).

Transferred to the Bodleian Library in 1872.

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, vol. I, by Adolf Neubauer, Oxford 1886, No. 2322, Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I, No. 2322, and on the data of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, National Library of Israel with additional enhancements by the cataloguer.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Admissions). Contact specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (single image of binding only)

Microfilm

MSS R.R. Film No. F 21014

Bibliography

    Kennicott, Benjamin, Dissertatio generalis in Vetus Testamentum Hebraicum: cum variis lectionibus, ex codicibus manuscriptis et impressis. Recudi curavit et notas adiecit Paulus Iacobus Bruns. Brunovici: Orphanotrophei, 1783.
    Neubauer, Adolf. Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford 1886), no.2322
    Norin, Stig, 'An Important Kennicott Reading in 2 Kings xviii 13', Vetus Testamentum (1982), 337-338.
    Facsimile edition: The Kennicott Bible (London, 1985), introduction by B. Narkiss and A. Cohen-Muslin.
    Schubert, Ursula, 'Zwei Tierszenen am Ende der ersten Kennicott-Bibel (La Coruña, 1476) in Oxford', Jewish Art, 12-13 (1987), 83-88.
    On binding, see L. Avrin in Scripta Hierosolymitana 19 (1989): 27-43.
    Avrin, Leila, 'Illuminated Hebrew manuscript facsimiles', Ars Orientalis, 20 (1990), 189-195.
    Beit-Arié, Malachi and R.A. May (eds), Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I (A. Neubauer’s Catalogue). Oxford 1994. no. 2322.
    Vives, Veronica, 'La Biblia de Cervera : un modelo olvidado', Actes del II Congrés per a l’Estudi dels Jueus en Territoris de Llengua Catalana, Barcelona-Cervera, del 25 al 27 d’octubre de 2004 (Barcelona: Institut Europeu de la Mediterrània, 2005), 201-211.
    Clarkson, Christopher, 'The Kennicott Bible. Its Illumination, Binding, Conservation Problems and Repair.' Collection Management, 31 no.1-2 (2007), 31-56.
    http://bodleian.thejewishmuseum.org/?page_id=155
    http://www.facsimile-editions.com/en/kb/
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