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10. Walton Polyglot
In the 1500s and 1600s, scholars began to rediscover the ancient languages that had been so important in the development and transmission of the Bible and other sacred texts in antiquity. One way this can be seen is in the development of Polyglot Bibles which incorporate several ancient languages in one place to facilitate study and comparison. This particular Polyglot was created and printed in London in 1657, running to six volumes. Under the leadership of Brian Walton, an Anglican priest, and assisted by many others including James Ussher, the volume presents the Old Testament in nine languages: Hebrew, Aramaic (Targum), Samaritan, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Ethiopic, Greek, and Latin. Not only were the Polyglots of this era impressive works of scholarship, but they are beautifully presented and creatively formatted, as can be seen in the images below.
Citation:
10. Walton Polyglot,
Marsh's Library Exhibits,
accessed April 26, 2025,
https://www.marshlibrary.ie/digi/items/show/532