A COPIOUS AND ORIGINAL SELECTION OF REFERENCES TO PARALLEL AND ILLUSTRATIVE PASSAGES, EXHIBITED IN A MANNER HITHERTO UNATTEMPTED. ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS. PHILADELPHIA: SORIN & BALL, 42 NORTH FOURTH STREET. 1847. PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE Polyglott Bible. THE HE form in which this Volume now ed exceedingly desirable that a NEW Biappears, is altogether different from any ble, of convenient size for the Pocket, oriTring which has before been given to the Pub-ginal in its plan, purpose, and execution, c, but its originality will be found pre-emi- should be published; in which a MORE AP sently to consist in a laborious and entirely PROPRIATE and ACCURATE selection, adaper Selection and Arrangement of Refe-tation, and Arrangement of References might aces, in which it has been endeavoured be introduced; both for the Assistance of Sithfully to exhibit the Scripture as its Private Readers, and to facilitate the ready own Expositor. examination and quotation of passages, which the Preacher, or the Biblical Student, may have an immediate occasion to cite, or to consult. The greatness of the advantages that must accrue to a sincere and diligent reader of the Sacred Pages, from having constantly before him a reference to similar and illustrative passages, carefully investigated, and suitably applied, must be obvious to every one; and has been well understood by many pious and able men, to whose diligent and useful labours the Public is unspeakably indebted. re Convenience and utility were, however, to be equally consulted in all the parts of the undertaking. If the size of the book were too large, or the page too crowded, so as to be made wearisome to the eye, its convenience would be lessened; and if, in the limits which these considerations imposed, great care were not employed in examining and applying the References, its utility would in a great degree, be destroyed. On mature deliberation, therefore, it appeared best to adopt the plan here presented to the notice of the Public; in which the Marginal Readings and References are all contained in a MIDDLE COLUMN, between two of text; and the number introduced is sufficient, except in a few pages only, completely to fill that column. The Chronology is always placed at the top of this middle column, where it denotes the Date of the writing or transaction contained in the text, at the beginning of the page. References, however, have hitherto teen printed, almost exclusively, in the nargins of Bibles of a large size; and he benefit resulting from them has, in Consequence, been very much restrictd--the only small Bible with References, in the English language, being that published by Mr. Canne. The defects of which are many; for though he was a Ciligent student of the Scriptures, and his work was at that time eminently serviceable, yet, as he was not in possession i those helps, for the accomplishment of the task which he had undertaken, that now afforded by many valuable editions and comments, which have been printed in different languages since The Marginal Readings contained in the his time; and being, therefore, under the folio and quarto Bibles are all introduced; necessity of relying chiefly on his own the idioms of the original languages which dustry; it is not surprising that he should are preserved in many of them, and also have been less successful than he would the various senses of particular words or otherwise have been. His references are phrases, being in most instances instrucoften only remotely applicable: he seems tive, and in all worthy to be known. But frequently to have been guided more by it has not been thought necessary, in givsimilarity of expression than by illustra- ing these readings, to insert such words as on: the errors in the letter-press are are repeated in the text, and which would uumerous many of the Marginal Readings therefore have fruitlessly occupied a porpre omitted: the Chronology is altogether tion of the space allotted to references. left out: and all the References in this, as The Various Readings are referred to by n the larger Bibles, are placed in the mar-small figures placed immediately before the in of the text; by which they are rendered liable to be cut in binding, or worn away by use, or bound so into the back of the book as not to be easily read. On all these accounts, it has long appear words for which they are to be substituted; and the References by Italic letters, which are generally placed after the first or second word of a verse, or clause of a verse, when they are intended to illustrate the |