Hebrew-Latin Bible

The Biblia Hebraica (1667) was the first edition of the Hebrew Bible with numbered verses and was originally published in 1661. It was compiled by Johannes Leusden (1624–1699),¹ who was a Calvinist theologian and orientalist from Utrecht, Netherlands. Leusden studied in Amsterdam, where he became a professor of Hebrew, and quickly became a leading Bible expert of the 17th century.²

In 1661, he and a publisher from Amsterdam, Joseph Athias, published the Bible, then republished it in 1667. The Bible went on to be approved by the States-General of the Dutch Republic and was considered one of the best Hebrew Bibles until the 19th century, when it was heavily criticized for its extensive marginal notes.

This Bible is one of the 1667 editions, published in Amsterdam. The Bible came into the hands of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, because Johannes Leusden was a Freemason. Freemasonry and the Bible have a long history, with much of Masonic tradition being based upon scripture and biblical characters. In addition, the Bible or other sacred holy book, such as the Hebrew Tanach or Muslim Koran, is always open on the alter in order for a Masonic Lodge or Order of the Eastern Star Chapter to open. Thus, Bibles have long been an important symbol of Freemasonry. This Bible is no different, being especially significant due to its age and prominence in the world of biblical history.