A Reference Guide to the AC-36: Arabic Bible Manuscript Collection and Affiliated Texts

A Reference Guide to the AC-36: Arabic Bible Manuscript Collection and Affiliated Texts+

Christine B. Lindner*

History of the Arabic BibleIn 1847, the Syria Mission of the American Board of Commissioners for

Foreign Missions (hereafter ABCFM) voted to commence a new translation of the Bible into Arabic.1 From their arrival to the Eastern Mediterranean in 1820, the ABCFM missionaries employed existing versions of the Arabic Bible for their preaching, teaching and evangelism.2 These proved to be lacking in quality, according to the ABCFM missionaries’ standards, and a “correct and acceptable translation of the Holy Scriptures in Arabic” was sought.3 In 1848 a translation team of Eli Smith, Buṭrus al-Bustānī and Nāṣīf al-Yāzijī was established and translation commenced with the Old Testament.4 The

+ This Reference Guide was created as part of the Preserving Protestant Heritage in the Middle East (PPHME) project. Two members of the PPHME team, Boghos Barbouri and Liza Titizian, provided invaluable assistance in inventorying items from the N.E.S.T. Special Collections and in the transliterations of titles. I would like to thank David Grafton and Rana Issa for graciously sharing their research on the Bible translation, as well as Hilda Nassar and Peter Ford for providing feedback on this Reference Guide.

* Director for the Preserving Protestant Heritage in the Middle East (PPHME) project, 2012-2014.1 Eli Smith, George Whiting, William Thomson, Cornelius Van Dyck, Henry DeForest, George

Hurter, “New Translation of the Bible-Conclusion,” Missionary Herald XLIII: 6 (1847), 192-193.2 Eli Smith, “Report of Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., in March 16th, 1844, on the existing Arabic Versions

of the Scriptures,” in: [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900), 1-4.

3 Eli Smith, et al., “New Translation of the Bible-Conclusion,” 192.4 “Mission to Syria,” Report of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Pre-

sented at the Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting, held in Boston, Massachusetts, Sept. 12-15, 1848 (Bos-ton: T. R. Marvin, 1848), 159.

Theological Review 36, 2015, pp. 44 - 96

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translation process followed a pattern such that Bustānī first translated the text from its original languages, Yāzijī transcribed the translation and corrected the grammar, while Smith revised the translation throughout the process.5 Drafts were circulated to missionary colleagues and scholars in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States for assessment.6 By 1850, Genesis was completed and submitted to the Syria Mission for final review.7 Four years later, the Pentateuch and part of the New Testament was completed by this team, indicating the date that the translation of each book commenced.8 At the time of Eli Smith’s death in 1857, all of the New Testament had been translated, but had not received its final revision.9

A new translation team of Cornelius Van Dyck and Yūsuf al-Asīr was organized to complete the work.10 Van Dyck and Asīr commenced with the

5 Eli Smith, “Report of Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., on the translation of the Scriptures, April 1854,” in: [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900), 8-9; Cornelius Van Dyck, “Dr. Van Dyck’s History of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures, March 7th, 1885,” in: [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900), 22-23; David D. Grafton, “A Critical Investigation into the Manuscript of the ‘So-Called’ Van Dyck Bible,” Cairo Journal of Theology 2 (2015), 61-62. See also the undated note by Cornelius Van Dyck, edited by James Dennis in “Mattá [Matthew],” 1852-1857, manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:60:1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon [hereafter N.E.S.T. Special Collections].

6 Grafton, “A Critical Investigation into the Manuscript of the ‘So-Called’ Van Dyck Bible,” 60; Margaret R. Leavy, “Eli Smith and the Arabic Bible,” Yale Divinity School Library Occasional Publication 4 (1993), 60; Issa Saliba, “The Bible in Arabic: The 19th-Century Protestant Transla-tion,” The Muslim World 65:4 (1975), 258-259.

7 John Alexander Thompson, The Major Arabic Bibles (New York: American Bible Society, 1956): 22.

8 Smith, “Report of Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., on the translation of the Scriptures,” 10-11.9 Van Dyck, “Dr. Van Dyck’s History of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures,” 24-26.10 Van Dyck, “Dr. Van Dyck’s History of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures,” 26-29. Asīr’s

role in the translation process remains unclear. Zeuge argues that Asīr proof-read Van Dyck’s translation and corrected foreign expressions, whereas Grafton posits that he might have played a more significant role in translating the text than has been previously recognized. Uta Zeuge, “Die Mission des American Board in Syrien im 19. Jahrhundert: Implikationen eines transkulturellen Dialogs,” Th.D. thesis (Wien: Universität Wien, 2014); Grafton, “A Critical Investigation into the Manuscript of the ‘So-Called’ Van Dyck Bible,” 62.

Lindner: A Reference Guide to the AC-36: Arabic Bible

46Theological Review

New Testament in 1858 and on April 2, 1860, the first print copy of the New Testament was submitted for review (AC-36, Box V, Item 2).11 By 1864 the translation of the Old Testament was completed and the first print copy of the full Bible was submitted on March 29, 1865 (AC-36, Box V, Item 2).12 Van Dyck continued to refine the translation (see AC-36, Box V, Item 4 and AC-36, Box V, Item 5) with his changes being integrated into subsequent editions.13

Drafts of the translation were originally sealed in five tin boxes that were kept by the Syria Mission. In 1885, James Dennis reorganized the drafts into 68 folders.14 In 1978, the manuscript collection was transferred to the Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon,15 where it is currently housed in the N.E.S.T. Special Collections Room as manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible.16 In 2009-2010 the manuscript collection was digitized by Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML)/Saint John’s University (Minnesota, USA) providing researchers with high quality digital facsimiles of the manuscript for study and thereby preserving the original documents.

The “Van Dyck Bible” or “Smith-Bustani-Van Dyck Bible,” as this

11 Cornelius Van Dyck, “Dr. Van Dyck’s Report on the Translation, April 29th, 1865,” in: [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900), 15-16.

12 Van Dyck, “Dr. Van Dyck’s History of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures,” 31.13 Thompson, The Major Arabic Bibles, 24.14 James Dennis, “Dr. Dennis’ Letter to Dr. Van Dyck, Feb. 21st, 1885,” in: [Henry Harris Jes-

sup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mis-sion Press, 1900), 19; undated note by Cornelius Van Dyck, edited by James Dennis in “Mattá [Matthew],” 1852-1857, manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:60:1; David Graf-ton, “Comparison of the Progress of the SBVD according to the Sources,” unpublished manu-script, 2014.

15 Kenneth Baily and John Khanjian, “Statement of transfer of the O. T. Original Manuscript of the Van Dyck Arabic Bible,” June 1, 1975, statement of agreement, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, N.E.S.T. Special Collections.

16 This was the title and collection number given by Pollack during his organization of the manu-scripts held by N.E.S.T. in 1981. See James W. Pollack, “Catalogue of Manuscripts of the Library of the Near East School of Theology,” N.E.S.T. Theological Review 4:1-2 (1981), 24.

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Bible is sometimes referred to,17 was printed by the American Mission Press (hereafter AMP) in a variety of formats.18 Sizes ranged from the large “8vo” (Octavio: 6” x9”) reference and family Bibles, the “12mo” (Twelvemo: 5” x 7 3/8”) standard size, the “16mo” (Sixteenmo: 4”x 6 1/2”) size, the “24mo” (Twenty-Fourmo: 3 1/2” x 5 1/2”) pocket size to the smallest “32mo” (Thirty-twomo: 3 1/8” x 2 1/2”) size. The Bible’s “American Font” came in First, Second and Third sizes, with the Fourth size used for referencing and the small “32mo” Bibles. Bibles and individual books were “Vowelled” or “Plain,” and some included References. In addition to the whole Bible, the AMP sold New Testaments, Old Testaments, other combinations of books, such as the Pentateuch, Gospels & Acts, in addition to individual books, like the Psalms and Proverbs. In the nineteenth century, the Bibles and individual books were bound by “Rosenzweig Book-binder, Beirut”19 and were available in paper, cloth, half-cloth, boards, roan and leather binding, with the colors being black, buff, red, brown, blue, and green.20 Braille and Moon fonts for the blind were also printed. The holdings of the N.E.S.T. Special Collections reflect this diversity in printing and binding.

17 A number of alternative titles have been proposed to widen the recognition of the various con-tributors. Issa employs the title “Smith-Bustani-Van Dyck,” Zeuge “Smith-Van Dyck,” both Leir-vik and Bailey use “Bustani-Van Dyck.” Binay suggests the “so-called Van Dyck Bible,” while Grafton posits “ABT1865,” for Arabic Bible Translation 1865. See Rana Hisham Issa, “Biblical Reflections in the Arabic Lexicon: The Impact of the 1857 translations of the Bible on the Arabic language,” Babylon - Nordisk tidsskrift for Midtøstenstudier 2 (2012), 5867-; Zeuge, “Die Mission des American Board in Syrien im 19. Jahrhundert,”154; Oddbjørn Leirvik, “Conscience in Arabic and the Semantic History of Damir,” Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 9:2 (2009), 30-31; Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians (Down-ers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 541; Sara Binay, “Revision of the Manuscripts of the ‘So-Called Smith-Van Dyck Bible’: Some Remarks on the Making of this Bible Translation,” in: Sara Binay and Stefan Leder (eds.), Translating the Bible into Arabic: Historical, Text-Critical and Literary Aspects (Beirut: Orient-Institut Beirut, 2012), 75-84; Grafton, “A Critical Investigation into the Manuscript of the ‘So-Called’ Van Dyck Bible,” 64.

18 Barnāmaj al-Maṭbaʿah al-Amīrkānīyah / Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Publications of the American Mission Press, Beirut (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1891), 15-19.

19 Many of the books contain the binder’s label inside the front cover. See Kitāb Asfār Mūsá al-Khamsah maʿ al-Risālah ilá al-ʿIbrānıyın [Pentateuch and Hebrews] (Beirut: American Mission Press, November 1862), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections.

20 “Scriptures,” N.E.S.T. Library Catalogue, 1965, Beirut, 1965, N.E.S.T. Special Collections.



Outline of the Reference GuideThis Reference Guide was created to assist researchers in studying

manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible of the N.E.S.T. Special Collection. The Reference Guide is broken down into three sections. The first section outlines the AC-36: Arabic Bible manuscript collection, according to both its Original Manuscripts and Manuscript Digital Facsimiles formats. The second section lists some of the printed editions of the “Van Dyck Bible” held by the N.E.S.T. Special Collections, indicating the different sizes, fonts, vocalization, and referencing. The last section consists of manuscripts, rare books, and archival items that may assist researchers in studying the history of the Bible translation, including items that are known to have been employed during the translation process.

The references given below follow the Chicago Style of Referencing.21 All of the titles that are transliterated from Arabic into Latin font follow the Library of Congress transliteration system.22 The references below are the suggested citations to be used by researchers in their publications, although modifications are allowed with the consent of the N.E.S.T. Head Librarian.23 Researchers are asked to submit a list of all items that will be referenced and cited in their publications to the N.E.S.T. Head Librarian for approval. It is also requested that copies of final publications be submitted to the N.E.S.T. Library for use by future researchers.

Section I: The AC-36: Arabic Bible Manuscript Collection The manuscript of the Arabic Bible translated by Eli Smith, Nāṣīf al-

Yāzijī, Buṭrus al-Bustānī, Cornelius Van Dyck, and Yūsif al-Asīr are held by the N.E.S.T. Special Collections under the title Arabic Bible and collection

21 The Chicago Manual of Style: 16th Edition (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2010); also see http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html (last accessed October 21, 2014).

22 This follows the protocol of the N.E.S.T. Library, which employs the Library of Congress translit-eration system. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/romanization/arabic.pdf (last accessed October 21, 2014).

23 The email for the N.E.S.T. Library Head Librarian is [email protected].

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number AC-36. The volumes that compose the Original Manuscripts are stored in the Special Collections Room with restricted access, with the Manuscript Digital Facsimiles available for researchers to consult at designated work stations.

Section I-A: Original Manuscripts, AC-36: Arabic Bible, 1848-1864 The original drafts of manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible are stored in five

tin boxes on the lower shelves of the “Van Dyck Cabinet” in the N.E.S.T. Special Collections Room.24 Boxes I to III contain drafts of the Old Testament translation, Box IV contains those of the New Testament translation, and Box V contains the first print copies and other important printed versions of the Bible.25 The volumes in Boxes I to IV are divided into 68 separate folders, while Box V is divided by items. Access to the Original Manuscripts is restricted. Researchers wishing to review manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible can review the Manuscript Digital Facsimiles, which are presented in the next section.

The chart below outlines the recommended references for manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible, according to the Chicago Style of Referencing, with the item title followed by Box number, Folder number (ex: Box I, Folder 1), indicating that the item is a “manuscript.” The chart indicates when multiple items were placed into one folder and when two drafts were combined. For volumes of combined drafts, researchers are responsible for indicating which draft they are studying by adding “Right Page” or “Left Page” to their reference (ex: Box I, Folder 1, Right Page). The transliteration of the item’s Arabic title, as originally translated on that specific draft, is given along with the English title in brackets [ ]. Any revision to the title that is found on the draft may be indicated by researchers by including it in brackets [ ]. Only in the cases

24 The “Van Dyck Cabinet” is a custom-made, wood cabinet that was given by the Beirut community to Cornelius Van Dyck to commemorate his fifty years of missionary service in 1890. In it were built twenty-one slots to hold Van Dyck’s various publications.

25 Compare to the list prepared by Corneilus Van Dyck, reprinted in Isaac H. Hall, “The Arabic Bible of Drs. Eli Smith and Cornelius V.A. Van Dyck,” Journal of the American Oriental Society 11 (1885): 280.



where the titles of combined drafts differ are two references for the drafts listed. References to specific verses should follow standard referencing for scripture (ex: “Sifr al-Takwīn [Genesis] 1:1-2”). In most cases the dates listed are date ranges in brackets. These are based upon the date of commencement or completion as indicated on the manuscript. In some cases, when no clear indication of the date is given, “n.d.” (not dated) is written. Scholars wishing to modify dates and add names of translators may do so by placing them in brackets [ ]. Important notes from the text are listed under the reference and should not be included in the reference.

Box I: Old Testament Original Manuscripts, Genesis to Judges(12 folders; 14 items; 20 drafts)

Box I,Folder 1 (2 items; first item combined drafts)

“Sifr al-Takwīn [Genesis],” [1848-1853], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“[untitled: Genesis],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 2 (combined drafts)

“[untitled: Genesis],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Incomplete manuscript: Genesis 27:18 to Genesis 50:26-Note on envelope: “An Earlier copy of part of the book of Genesis by Butrus Bistany & Dr. Smith. The book of Genesis as found among the Manuscripts of the Translation is copied from this. The 1st part of this early copy is lost.”

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“Sifr al-Khurūj [Exodus],” [1848-1851], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 4(combined drafts)

“Sifr al-Lawīyīn [Leviticus],” [1848-1851], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 5

“Sifr al-Lawīyīn [Leviticus],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr al-ʿAdad [Numbers],” [1848-1852], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 6, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 7

“Sifr al-ʿAdad [Numbers],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 7, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr al-Istithnā ʾ [Deuteronomy],” [1848-1852], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 8, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 9

“Sifr al-Tathniyah [Deuteronomy],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



Box I,Folder 10

“Yashūʿ [Joshua],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 11

“Sifr Yashūʿ [Joshua],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 11, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box I,Folder 12 (2 items)

“Sifr al-Quḍāh [Judges],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 12, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Sifr Rūt [Ruth],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box I, Folder 12, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II: Old Testament Original Manuscripts, Judges to Esther(18 folders; 20 items; 20 drafts)

Box II, Folder 1

“Sifr al-Quḍāh [Judges],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 2

“Sifr Rāʿūth [Ruth],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 3

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Awwal [First Samuel],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 4

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Awwal [First Samuel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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Box II, Folder 5

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Thānī [Second Samuel],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 6

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Thānī [Second Samuel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 6, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 7

“Sifr Mulūk al-Awwal [First Kings],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 7, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 8

“Sifr Mulūk al-Awwal [First Kings],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 9

“Sifr Mulūk al-Thānī [Second Kings],” [1848-1861], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 10

“Sifr Mulūk al-Thānī [Second Kings],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 11

“Sifr al-Ayyām al-Awwal [First Chronicles],” [1848-1862], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 11, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 12

“Sifr Akhbār al-Ayyām al-Awwal [First Chronicles],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 12, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



Box II, Folder 13

“Sifr al-Ayyām al-Thānī [Second Chronicles],” [1848-1862], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 13, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 14

“Sifr [Akhbār] al-Ayyām al-Thānī [Second Chronicles],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 14, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 15 (3 items)

“Sifr ʿAzrā [Ezra],” [1848-1862], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 15, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Sifr Naḥamyā [Nehemiah],” [1848-1862], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 15, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Sifr Astīr [Esther],” [1848-1862], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 15, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 16

“Sifr ʿAzrā [Ezra],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 16, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 17

“Sifr Naḥamyā [Nehemiah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 17, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box II, Folder 18

“Sifr Astīr [Esther],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box II, Folder 18, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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Box III: Old Testament Original Manuscripts, Esther to Malachi(28 folders; 28 items; 36 drafts)

Box III, Folder 1

“Sifr al-Mazāmīr [Psalms],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Incomplete manuscript: Psalms 1:1 to Psalms 89:48

Box III, Folder 2

“Sifr Ayyūb [Job],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 3

“Sifr al-Mazāmīr [Psalms],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 4

“Al-Amthāl [Proverbs],” n.d, manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 5

“Al-Jāmiʿah [Ecclesiastes],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 6

“Nashīd al-Anshād [Song of Solomon],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 6, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



Box III, Folder 7(combined drafts)

“Nubūwat Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” [1855-1864], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 7, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Nubūwat Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” [1855-1864], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 7, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Left Page: Incomplete manuscript: Isaiah 1:1 to Isaiah 52:3

Box III, Folder 8

“Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 9

“[Nubūwat] Irmiyā [Jeremiah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-The manuscript is damaged where the title is written. The part in brackets is the presumed reading.

Box III, Folder 10

“Marāthī Irmiyā [Lamentations],” [1848-1864], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 11

“Sifr Ḥazqiyāl al-Nabı [Ezekiel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 11, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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Box III, Folder 12

“Ḥazqyiāl [Ezekiel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 12, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 13

“Sifr Dāniyāl [Daniel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 13, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 14

“Dāniyāl [Daniel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 14, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Nubūwat Hūshaʿ [Hosea],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 15, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Right Page crossed out with first page missing


“Nubūwat Yūʾīl [Joel],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 16, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat ʿĀmūṣ [Amos],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 17, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.





“Nubūwat ʿŪbadyā [Obadiah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 18, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


Box III, Folder 19 (combined drafts)

“Nubūwat Yūnān [Jonah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 19, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


Box III, Folder 20 (combined drafts)

“Nubūwat Mīkhā [Micah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 20, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat Nāḥūm [Nahum],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 21, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


Box III, Folder 22

“Ḥabaqqūq [Habakkuk],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 22, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 23

“Ḥabaqqūq [Habakkuk],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 23, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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Box III, Folder 24

“Ṣafanyā [Zephaniah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 24, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 25

“Ḥajjī [Haggai],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 25, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 26

“Zakarīyā [Zechariah],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 26, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 27

“Malākhyā [Malachi],” 1864, manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 27, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box III, Folder 28

“Malākhī [Malachi],” n.d., manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box III, Folder 28, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box IV, Folder 1 (combined drafts)

“Injıl Mattá [Matthew],” [1852-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-note on page 1 by Cornelius Van Dyck, edited by James Dennis. Van Dyck’s text was written in pen. Dennis’s text was written in pencil and will be shown here in (parentheses).

Box IV: New Testament Original Manuscripts(10 Folders; 27 Items; 54 drafts)



Box IV, Folder 2(combined drafts)Box IV, Folder 3(combined drafts)

Box IV, Folder 4(combined drafts)Box IV, Folder 5 (combined drafts)Box IV, Folder 6 (combined drafts)

“All the M.S. in this box are in the handwriting (of Moallim Butrus Bistany and) Sheikh Nasif el-Yazigi. The right hand pages have Dr. Smith’s first corrections, (of Mr. Bistani’s translation) and the left hand page is a copy of the right hand page (by Sheikh Nasif) after the review by Dr. Smith. The left hand page is what he would have sent to press after having made his final examination and criticism on it, which he did not live to make. (The red writing on right hand page indicates an alternative translation suggested by M. Butrus).”

“Injıl Marqus [Mark],” [1852-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Injıl Lūqā [Luke],” [1853-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Injıl Yūḥannā [John],” [1853-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Aʿmāl al-Rusul [Acts],” [1853-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Rūmiyah [Romans],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 6, AC-36, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Ahl Qurinthiyah [First Corinthians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 7, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Ahl Kūrinthiyah [Second Corinthians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 7, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Ahl Kūrinthūs [Second Corinthians]”, [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 7, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Ghalāṭīyah [Galatians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Afasus [Ephesians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Fīlibbī [Philippians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box IV, Folder 7 (2 items; combined drafts)

Box IV, Folder 8(6 items; combined drafts)



“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá al-Fılibbīyīn [Philippians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Kūlūsāyus [Colossians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Right Page N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá al-Kūlūssā [Colossians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Left Page N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Ahl Tasālūnıkī [First Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá al-Tasālūnıkīyīn [First Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá al-Tasālūnıkīyīn [Second Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Tīmūthāwus [First Timothy],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


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“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Tīmūthāwus [Second Timothy],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, AC-36, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Tīṭūs [Titus],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Tīṭus [Titus],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Fılīmūn [Philemon],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Al-Risālah ilá al-ʿIbrānīyīn [Hebrews],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yaʿqūb [James],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yaʿqūb al-Rasūl [James],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Risālat Buṭrus al-Ūlá [First Peter],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, AC-36, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Buṭrus al-Thāniyah [Second Peter],” [1854-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Ūlá [First John],” [1855-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Thāniyah [Second John],” [1855-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Thālithah [Third John],” [1855-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Risālat Yahūdhā [Jude],” [1855-1850], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Ruʾyā Yūḥannā (al-Lāhūtı) [Revelation],” [1855-1860], manuscript, Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box IV, Folder 10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


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Box V: First Print copies and other important copies(10 Items)

Box V, Item 1

[James Dennis], “Envelope,” n.d., Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription: “The New Test was finished March 9th 1860 Doct Smith had completed his work on it Feb 22nd 1885 [sic] as seen by his memorandum on the last leaf of Revelations.The O.T. was completed Aug 22nd 1864 as seen by Memorandum on last page of Malachi.Last type set March 10 1865 Last sheet printed March 29th 1865 as per date on last page of Malachi of Large Ref Edition M.S. being the first Edition of O.T. printed The 1st Edition NT was 12mo Reference which was printed i.e. finished March 1860.”[in Blue] Box No V Narration archived in tin box SPC Library[in Pencil-Vertical] Rev. Dr. Van Dyck

Insert 1. uncut leaf of unvowelled Genesis 1-4 from American Photo-Lithographic Company NYInsert 2. Article by Asʿad Ṣabbāgh from Al-Manar dated October 12, 1902 comparing whether the Jesuit or Protestant Bible translations were suitable for the Orthodox church



Box V, Item 2

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhallṣinā Yasūʿ al Masīḥ [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]: First print copy, Pocket size, Second font, plain (Beirut: American Mission Press, 2 April 1860), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription: “This first completed copy of the Pocket Edition of the New Testament according to the New Translation was put on the table of the Annual Meeting April 2nd 1860, C. V. A. Van Dyck”

Box V, Item 3

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhallṣinā Yasūʿal-Masīḥ [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]: Displayed at 1939 World’s Fair (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1860), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription on cover: “Daniel Bliss 1865”-inscription on enclosed envelope: “4 books (Oriental from the Republic of Lebanon World’s Fair Exhibit 1939-1940”

Box V,Item 4

Al-Kitab al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments]: First print copy, Octavo size, First font, plain, with corrections (Beirut: American Mission Press, 10 March 1865), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription on card “Old Testament: 1st font Reference: First printed copy from type March 29, 1865. The copy used by Dr. Van Dyck and containing the corrections for later editions.”

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Box V,Item 5

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhallṣinā Yasūʿal-Masīḥ [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]: First print copy, Twelvemo, First font, vowelled, with corrections (Beirut: American Mission Press, 14 July 1862), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box V, Item 6

Sifr al- Mazāmīr [Psalms]: First print copy, Sixteenmo size, First font, vowelled, (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1864), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 6, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

Box V,Item 7

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhallṣinā Yasūʿal-Masīḥ [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]: First print copy, Twelvemo, Second Font, plain, with corrections (Beirut: American Mission Press, 28 March 1860), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 7, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription: “Printed up to Dec 1857 2 sheets up to 10th verse of 9 chapters of Matt. This first complete copy of the New Translation of the N. Test [sic] was laid upon the table at the Annual Meeting of the Mission (March 28th 1860) it being the copy used by the Translation during the progress of the work.”

Box V,Item 8

Kitab Asfār Mūsá al-Khamsah maʿ al-Risalah ilá al-ʿIbrānīyīn [Pentateuch and Hebrews]: Standard size, Second font, plain (Beirut: American Mission Press, November 1862), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-bound by: “Rosenzweig Book-binder. Beirut”



Box V,Item 9

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhallṣinā Yasūʿal-Masīḥ [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]: Pocket size, Second font, plain, handwritten vowels added by Cornelius V. A. Van Dyck (Beirut: American Mission Press, April 1860), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription: “Copy of New Test, voweled by hand from which A. C. voweled edition of the Test was printed.”-bound by: “Rosenzweig Book-binder. Beirut”

Box V,Item 10

Al-Kitab al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments]: Octavo, First font, plain, handwritten vowels added by Cornelius V. A. Van Dyck (New York: 1868), Arabic Bible, AC-36, Box V, Item 10, AC-36, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-inscription on pg. 1: “Commenced voweling this Bible Jany [sic] 1868 C. V. A. Van Dyck; Setting up Feb 4th 1868”

Section I-B: Manuscript Digital Facsimiles, AC-36: Arabic Bible, 1848-1864

In 2009, an agreement was made between N.E.S.T. and Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML)/Saint John’s University (Minnesota, USA) to digitize the manuscripts held by N.E.S.T., including manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible. The files of the Manuscript Digital Facsimiles roughly correspond to the arrangement of the folders of the Original Manuscripts outlined above. The first two manuscripts of Genesis were separated during the digitization, thus explaining the increase in folder numbers to 69. The files of the Manuscript Digital Facsimiles are available to researchers at selected access points at the N.E.S.T. Library.

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The recommended references outlined in the chart below follow the Chicago Style of Referencing, with the item identified by Manuscript Number:Folder Number:Image Number (ex: AC-36:62:21), indicating that the item is a “manuscript digital facsimile.” Authors are responsible for listing the correct Image Number in their references (please note that these are omitted in the recommend references below). For combined drafts, researchers are responsible for specifying which draft they are studying by adding “Right Page” or “Left Page” to their reference (ex: AC-36:62:21:Right Page). For files that include multiple volumes (i.e. books of the Bible that were combined together), the image range is listed under the reference starting from the translator’s note of commencement to the book’s last verse. The chart indicates when drafts are combined as well as the total number of images for each file, excluding images of manuscript’s binding.

The transliteration of the Arabic title, as originally translated on that specific draft, is given along with the English title in brackets [ ]. Any revision to the title that is found on the draft may be indicated by researchers by including it in brackets [ ]. Only in the cases where the titles of combined drafts differ are two references for the drafts listed. References to specific verses should follow standard referencing for scripture (ex: “Sifr al-Takwīn [Genesis] 1:1-2”). In most cases the dates listed are date ranges in brackets. These are based upon the date of commencement or completion as indicated on the manuscript. In some cases, when no clear indication of the date is given, “n.d.” (not dated) is written. Scholars wishing to modify dates and add names of translators may do so by placing them in brackets [ ]. Important notes from the text are listed under the reference and should not be included in the reference.



Manuscript Digital Facsimiles, AC-36: Arabic Bible(69 Folders)

AC-36:1(261 images; combined drafts)

“Sifr al-Takwīn [Genesis],” [1848-1853], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:1, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:2 (58 images)

“[untitled; Genesis],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:2, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“[untitled Genesis],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:3, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Incomplete manuscript: Genesis 27:18 to Genesis 50:26

AC-36:4 (223 images; combined drafts)

“Sifr al-Khurūj [Exodus],” [1848-1851], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:4, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr al-Lawīyīn [Leviticus],” [1848-1851], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:5, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:6 (124 images)

“Sifr al-Lawīyīn [Leviticus],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:6, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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“Sifr al-ʿAdad [Numbers],” [1848-1852], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:7, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:8(199 images)

“Sifr al-ʿAdad [Numbers],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:8, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon


“Sifr al-Istithnāʾ [Deuteronomy],” [1848-1852], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:9, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:10 (188 images)

“Sifr al-Tathniyah [Deuteronomy],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:10, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:11 (140 images)

“Yashūʿ [Joshua],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:11, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:12 (125 images)

“Sifr Yashūʿ [Joshua],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:12, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:13 (155 images; 2 items)

“Sifr al-Quḍāh [Judges],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:13, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-images AC-35:13:2 to AC-35:13:135

“Sifr Rūt [Ruth],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:13, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-images AC-35:13:137 to AC-35:13:153



AC-36:14 (120 images)

“Sifr al-Quḍāh [Judges],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:14, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr Rāʿūth [Ruth],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:15, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:16 (179 images)

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Awwal [First Samuel],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:16, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:17 (140 images)

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Awwal [First Samuel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:17, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:18 (147 images)

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Thānī [Second Samuel],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:18, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:19 (106 images)

“Sifr Ṣamūʾīl al-Thānī [Second Samuel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:19, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:20 (171 images)

“Sifr Mulūk al-Awwal [First Kings],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:20, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:21 (124 images)

“Sifr Mulūk al-Awwal [First Kings],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:21, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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AC-36:22 (156 images)

“Sifr Mulūk al-Thānī [Second Kings],” [1848-1861], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:22, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:23 (118 images)

“Sifr Mulūk al-Thānī [Second Kings],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:23, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:24 (151 images)

“Sifr al-Ayyām al-Awwal [First Chronicles],” [1848-1862], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:24, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:25 (119 images)

“Sifr Akhbār al-Ayyām al-Awwal [First Chronicles],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:25, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:26 (167 images; 16 appendix)

“Sifr al-Ayyām al-Thānī [Second Chronicles],” [1848-1862], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:26, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:27 (134 images)

“Sifr [Akhbār] al-Ayyām al-Thānī [Second Chronicles],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:27, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon



AC-36:28 (160 images; 3 items)

“Sifr ʿAzrā [Ezra],” [1848-1862], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:28, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-images AC-36:28:3 to AC-36:28:53

“Sifr Naḥamyā [Nehemiah],” [1848-1862], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:28, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-images AC-36:28:55 to AC-36:28:122

“Sifr Astīr [Esther],” [1848-1862], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:28, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-images AC-36:28:125 to AC-36:28:158


“Sifr ʿAzrā [Ezra],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:29, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr Naḥamyā [Nehemiah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:30, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:31(31 images)

“Sifr Astīr [Esther],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:31, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon

AC-36:32 (243 images)

“Sifr al-Mazāmīr [Psalms],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:32, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Incomplete manuscript: Psalms 1:1 to Psalms 89:48

75

AC-36:33 (104 images)

“Sifr Ayyūb [Job],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:33, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:34 (241 images)

“Sifr al-Mazāmīr [Psalms],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:34, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Al-Amthāl [Proverbs’],” n.d, manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:35, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Al-Jāmiʿah [Ecclesiastes],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:36, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Nashīd al-Anshād [Song of Solomon],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:37, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Nubūwat Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” [1855-1864], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:38: Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

“Nubūwat Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” [1855-1864], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:38: Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-Left Page: Incomplete manuscript: Isaiah 1:1 to Isaiah 52:3



AC-36:39 (163 images)

“Ishaʿyā [Isaiah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:39, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:40 (298 images)

“[Nubūwat] Irmīyā [Jeremiah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:40, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-The manuscript is damaged where the title is written. The part in brackets is the presumed reading.

AC-36:41(26 images)

“Marāthī Irmīyā [Lamentations],” [1848-1864], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:41, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:42 (198 images)

“Sifr Ḥazqiyāl al-Nabı [Ezekiel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:42, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:43 (173 images)

“Ḥazqiyāl [Ezekiel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:43, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Sifr Dāniyāl [Daniel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:44, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Dāniyāl [Daniel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:45, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

77


“Nubūwat Hūshaʿ [Hosea],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:46, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat Yūʾīl [Joel],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:47, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat ʿĀmūṣ [Amos],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:48, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat ʿŪbadyā [Obadiah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:49, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat Yūnān [Jonah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:50, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.





“Nubūwat Mīkhā [Micah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:51, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



“Nubūwat Nāḥūm [Nahum],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:52, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


AC-36:53(11 images)

“Ḥabaqqūq [Habakkuk],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:53, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:54(9 images)

“Ḥabaqqūq [Habakkuk],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:54, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:55(11 images)

“Ṣafanyā [Zephaniah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:55, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:56(9 images)

“Ḥajjī [Haggai],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:56, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:57(41 images)

“Zakarīyā [Zechariah],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:57, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

79

AC-36:58(12 images)

“Malākhyā [Malachi],” [1848-1864], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:58, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:59(10 images)

“Malākhī [Malachi],” n.d., manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:59, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Injıl Mattá [Matthew],” [1852-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:60, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

-note on page 1 by Cornelius Van Dyck, edited by James Dennis. Van Dyck’s text was written in pen. Dennis’s text was written in pencil and will be shown here in (parenthesis)“All the M.S. in this box are in the handwriting (of Moallim Butrus Bistany and) Sheikh Nasif el-Yazigi. The right hand pages have Dr. Smith’s first corrections, (of Mr. Bistani’s translation) and the left hand page is a copy of the right hand page (by Sheikh Nasif) after the review by Dr. Smith. The left hand page is what he would have sent to press after having made his final examination and criticism on it, which he did not live to make. (The red writing on right hand page indicates an alternative translation suggested by M. Butrus).”


“Injıl Marqus [Mark],” [1852-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:61, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.




“Injıl Lūqā [Luke],” [1853-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:62, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Injıl Yūḥannā [John],” [1853-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:63, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Aʿmāl al-Rusul [Acts],” [1853-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:64, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.


“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Rūmiyah [Romans],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:65, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

AC-36:66 (119 images; 2 items; combined drafts)

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Ahl Qurinthiyah [First Corinthians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:66, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:66:2 to AC-36:66:69

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Ahl Kūrinthiyah [Second Corinthians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:66: Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:66:71:Right Page to AC-36:66:116:Right Page

81

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Ahl Kūrinthūs [Second Corinthians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:66: Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:66:71:Left Page to AC-36:66:116:Left Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Ghalāṭīyah [Galatians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:2 to AC-36:67:26

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Afasus [Ephesians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:28 to AC-36:67:51

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Fīlibbī [Philippians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67: Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:52:Right Page to AC-36:67:70:Right Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá al-Fılibbīyīn [Philippians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67: Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:52:Left Page to AC-36:67:70:Left Page




“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Ahl Kūlūsāyus [Colossians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67:Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:72:Right Page to AC-36:67:87:Right Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá al-Kūlūssā [Colossians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67:Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:72:Left Page to AC-36:67:87:Left Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Ahl Tasālūnıkī [First Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67:Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:88:Right Page to AC-36:67:103:Right Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá al-Tasālūnıkīyīn [First Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67:Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:88:Left Page to AC-36:67:103:Left Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá al-Tasālūnıkīyīn [Second Thessalonians],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:67, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:67:104 to AC-36:67:112

83

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Ūlá ilá Tīmūthāwus [First Timothy],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:2 to AC-36:68:21

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl al-Thāniyah ilá Tīmūthāwus [Second Timothy],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:22 to AC-36:68:36

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Tīṭūs [Titus],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68: Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:38:Right Page to AC-36:68:46:Right Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Tīṭus [Titus],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68: Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:38:Left Page to AC-36:68:46:Left Page

“Risālat Būlus al-Rasūl ilá Fılīmūn [Philemon],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:48 to AC-36:68:52




“Al-Risālah ilá al-ʿIbrānīyīn [Hebrews],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:54 to AC-36:68:108

“Risālat Yaʿqūb [James],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68: Right Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:109: Right Page to AC-36:68:128:Right Page

“Risālat Yaʿqūb al-Rasūl [James],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68: Left Page, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:109: Left Page to AC-36:68:128:Left Page

“Risālat Buṭrus al-Ūlá [First Peter],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:129 to AC-36:68:149

“Risālat Buṭrus al-Thāniyah [Second Peter],” [1854-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:68, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:68:150 to AC-36:68:162

85

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Ūlá [First John],” [1855-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:69, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:69:2 to AC-36:69:20

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Thāniyah [Second John],” [1855-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:69, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:69:21 to AC-36:69:23

“Risālat Yūḥannā al-Thālithah [Third John],” [1855-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:69, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:69:24 to AC-36:69:26

“Risālat Yahūdhā [Jude],” [1855-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:69, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:69:27 to AC-36:69:32

“Ruʾyā Yūḥannā (al-Lāhūtı) [Revelation],” [1855-1860], manuscript digital facsimile, Arabic Bible, AC-36:69, N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-Images AC-36:69:34 to AC-36:69:121




Section II: Copies of the “Van Dyck Bible”Following the completion of the New Testament in 1860 and the Old

Testament in 1865 (the first copies of which are held in AC-36: Box V), subsequent editions and variations of the “Van Dyck Bible” were printed. Cornelius Van Dyck continued to refine the translation of the text, with subsequent editions integrating his on-going work. The American Mission Press in Beirut offered a variety of options in the printing of the Bible (book sizes, font size, “vowelled” or “plain”), which were outlined in the introduction to this Reference Guide. In addition to the whole Bible, the AMP sold New Testaments, Old Testaments, the Pentateuch, Gospels & Acts, as well as individual books, like the Psalms and Proverbs.

The chart below represents a selection of this variation. Only full Bibles, Old Testaments and New Testaments are listed, as well as one example of Psalms. A full list of the individual items held by the N.E.S.T. Special Collections can be found on the N.E.S.T. Library catalog. Inscriptions and noteworthy characteristics of the books are listed under the reference and should not be included in the reference.

CB44:1865 Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Yūnānīyah [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: A new translation from the Hebrew and Greek Languages] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1865).

-Octavo size, First font, plain, Referenced-Owned by the Mittri family Brazil and includes information on the family’s history from 1918 to 1930.

87

CB44:1870

CB44:1875:c.1

CB44:1875:c.2

Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd: Wa-qad Turjima min al-Lughāt al-Aṣlīyah wa-Hiya al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Kaldānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The Bible containing the Old and New Testament: Translated from the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1870).

-Octavo size, Second Font, plain, Referenced-Belonged to the Sunday School.

Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd: Wa-qad Turjima min al-Lughāt al-Aṣlīyah wa-Hiya al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Kaldānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated from the Original Languages of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1875).

-Octavo size, First font, plain, Referenced-Includes permission to publish note from Ottoman government.

Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd: Wa-qad Turjima min al-Lughāt al-Aṣlīyah wa-Hiya al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Kaldānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated from the Original Languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1875).



-Octavo size, First font, vowelled-Gift to the Near East School of Theology by Ibrahim Mattar April 10, 1974.

CB44:1883

CB44:1899

Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd: Wa-qad Turjima min al-Lughāt al-Aṣlīyah wa-Hiya al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Kaldānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated from the Original Languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1883).

-Octavo size, First font, plain, Referenced-Includes permission to publish note from Ottoman government.-Includes empty pages in between the O.T. and N.T. set aside for the recording of family history. These pages in this Bible are empty.

Al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas ay Kutub al-ʿAhd al-Qadīm wa-al-ʿAhd al-Jidīd: Wa-qad Turjima min al-Lughāt al-Aṣlīyah wa-Hiya al-Lughat al-ʿIbrānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Kaldānīyah wa-al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah, [The Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: Translated from the Original Languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1899).

-Octavo size, First font, vowelled-Sixth Edition-Includes permission to publish note from Ottoman government.

89

CB44.5:1867 Sifr al-Mazāmīr [Psalms] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1867).

-Pocket size, First font, plain

CB44.7:1860:c.1 Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1860).

-Twelvemo size, Second Font, plain, Referenced

CB44.7:1860:c.2

CB44.7:1860b

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1860).

-Twelvemo size, Second Font, plain, Referenced-Includes permission to publish note from Ottoman government.

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lugat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1860).



-Octavo size, First font, plain-Front cover missing.

CB44.7:1866 Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lugat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1866).

-Twelvemo size, Second font, plain

CB44.7:1877:c.1

CB44.7:1877:c.2

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Mufaṣṣalan maʿ Ḥawāshin wa-Shawāhid wa-Muqaddimāt li-Kull min Asfārihi [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Elaborated with Footnotes, Cross-references, and Introductions to All its Books] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1877).

-Octavo size, Second font, plain, Referenced-Published with support from the London Religious Tract Society.

Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Mufaṣṣalan maʿ Ḥawāshin wa-Shawāhid wa-Muqaddimāt li-Kull min Asfārihi [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Elaborated with Footnotes, Cross-references, and Introductions to All its Books] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1877).

91

-Octavo size, Second font, plain, Referenced-Published with support from the London Religious Tract Society.

CB44.7:1887 Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjima Ḥadīthan min al-Lughat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language] (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1887).

- Octavo size, First font, vowelled

CB44.7:1912

CB44.7:1913


-Octavo size, First Font, plain, Referenced, Fourth Edition-Edited by Franklin E. Hoskins-Includes Franklin E. Hoskins, “A Chapter in Bible History, First Font Reference Arabic Bible,” (Beirut, 1912).


-Sixteenmo, First font plain,



Section III: Manuscripts, Rare Books and Articles of Affiliated Texts

The N.E.S.T. Special Collections contains a number of important manuscripts, rare books and articles that are useful to researchers in studying manuscript AC-36: Arabic Bible. This includes many of the manuscripts and rare books that were reviewed during the translation process as described in Eli Smith, “Report of Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., on the translation of the Scriptures, April 1854,” in: [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900): 5-7. Smith’s list was edited and reproduced in Henry Harris Jessup, Fifty-Three Years in Syria: Volume I, [1910] (Reading: Garnet, 2002): 71-73.

An inventory of the manuscripts held by N.E.S.T. Special Collections can be found in James W. Pollack, “Catalogue of Manuscripts of the Library of the Near East School of Theology,” N.E.S.T. Theological Review 4:1-2 (1981):1-121, which is available as a PDF file from the N.E.S.T. Library website. Utilizing Jessup’s list, Pollack indicated that the following manuscripts were used during the translation process: AB-1, AB-3, AB-20, AB-43, AB-43, AB-50, AB-52, AB-61, AB-62, AB-67, AC-2, AC-3, AC-4, AP-33. All of these items can be viewed on-site by researchers during the opening hours for the N.E.S.T. Special Collections.

Complementing these manuscripts are the rare books that were also studied during the translation process. Below is a selected list of these books, as well as books and articles that describe the translation process. These are organized according to shelf mark number.26 For a full list of the items held by the N.E.S.T. Special Collections, please consult the N.E.S.T. Library Catalog. Please note that many of books used during the translation process have been1

26 The N.E.S.T. Special Collections employs the Pettee System of Classification that was developed at the Union Theological Seminary. This system is particular to Theological libraries and an out-line of the classification system, as adapted by N.E.S.T. Library, is available for researchers.

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digitized and are available on the internet through googlebooks (http://books.google.com/) and internet archive (https://archive.org/index.php).

The N.E.S.T. Library holds copies of Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah, the periodical printed by the Syria Mission, from its start date in 1864 until today.27 This includes a number of interesting articles on and analysis of the Bible. In particular, there is a series of nine articles written by Cornelius Van Dyck in 1872 and 1873, entitled “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām.” These were written in response to articles by the Jesuit scholar Joseph Van Ham and focus on the differences between the Jesuit and Protestant translations of the Bible.2

27 Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah is currently published as Al-Nashrah by the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.

Rare Books

CB12:1654:v.1-5 & index

Biblia Sacra Polyglotta Complectentia Textus Originales Hebraicum, cum Pentateucho Samirtino, Chaldaicum, Graecum. Versionumque Antiqarum Samaritanae, Graecae LXXII Interp., Chaldaicae, Syriacae, Arabicae, Aethiopicae, Persicae, Vul. Lat. Quidquid comparari poterat. Cum Textuum & Versionum Orientalium Translationibus Latinis, [ed. Brian Walton], 2 volumes (London: Thomas Rycroft, 1657), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

CB12:1671:v.1-3

Biblica Sacra Arabica Sacrae Congregationis de Propagande Fide Issue Edita. Al-Kutub al-Muqaddashah bi-l-Lisān al-ʿArabī, 3 volumes (Rome: Typis Sacrae Congregatationis de Propagande Fide, 1671), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.



CB44.4:1622 Pentateuchus Mosis Arabice, [trans. Thomas Erpenius] (Leiden: Iohannem Maire, 1622), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

BK44:Y106a Nāṣīf al-Yāzijī and Yūsif al-Asīr al-Azharī, “Iʿtirāḍāt al-Shaykh Nāṣıf al-Yāzijī ʿalá al-Injīl al-Mushakkal wa-Raddahā min al-Shaykh Yūsif al-Asīr al-Azharī,” (n.d., n.s.), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

CB44.7:1912 [insert in]

Franklin E. Hoskins, “A Chapter in Bible History, First Font Reference Arabic Bible,” (Beirut, 1912), in: Kitāb al-ʿAhd al-Jadīd li-Rabbinā wa-Mukhalliṣinā Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ: Qad Turjīma Ḥadīthan min al-Lugat al-Yūnānīyah [The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: A New Translation from the Greek Language], (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1912).

CF90:P92 [Henry Harris Jessup, ed.], Brief Documentary History of the Translation of the Scriptures into the Arabic Language by Rev. Eli Smith, D.D., and Rev. C. V. A. Van Dyck, D.D. (Beirut: American Mission Press, 1900), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

CF90:T37 John Alexander Thompson, The Major Arabic Bibles (New York: American Bible Society, 1956), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

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MQ2.6:F113r [Cornelius Van Dyck], “Reminiscences of the Syria Mission from 1839 to 1850,” manuscript typescript carbon copy, [1890], N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.

MQ32:D42 James S. Dennis, A Sketch of the Syria Mission (New York: Edward O. Jenkins, 1872).

UK5.3:An.7:c.2 Kitāb al-Nubūwāt al-Kanāyisī al-Mutaḍammin Qirāʾāt al-Ṣawm al-Kabīr al-Muqaddas, […], 2nd ed. (Shwair: Dayr al-Qiddīs Mār Yūḥannā al-Ṣābigh, 1813), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-inscription: “A.B.C.F.M. George B. Whiting 1831”; “W. Bird”

UK5.5:K129 Kitāb al-Injīl al-Sharīf al-Ṭāhir wa-al-Miṣbāḥ al-Munīr al-Zāhir Muqassaman Kanāyisıyan ʿalá Madār al-Sanah ḥasaba Tartīb al-Abāʾ al-Qiddīsīn al-Sharqīyın, […],2nd ed. (Shwair: Dayr al-Qiddīs Mār Yūḥannā al-Ṣābigh, 1818), N.E.S.T. Special Collections, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon.-inscription: “I. Bird A.B.C.F.M. 1830”

Articles from Periodicals

The Cedar Bough

Siegfried Friedlieb, “The Bible in Arab Lands,” The Cedar Bough, 20: 2 & 3 (1953): 9-10.

Journal of the American Oriental Society

Isaac H. Hall, “The Arabic Bible of Drs. Eli Smith and Cornelius V.A. Van Dyck,” Journal of the American Oriental Society 11 (1885): 276-286.



Al-Nashra al-Usbūʿīyah

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Muqaddimāt wa-al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Awwal [Introduction and First Response],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (December 17, 1872): 402-403.

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Thānī [Second Response],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (December 24, 1872): 412-413.

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Rābiʿ [Fourth Response],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (January 7, 1873): 3-4.

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Khāmis wa-al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Sādis [Fifth and Sixth Responses],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (January 14, 1873): 13-14.

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Sābiʿ [Seventh Response],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (January 21, 1873): 21-22.

Cornelius Van Dyck, “Irtidāʿ al-Sihām ʿalá al-Yasūʿī Fān Hām: Al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Thāmin wa-al-Iʿtirāḍ al-Tāsiʿ [Eighth and Ninth Responses],” Al-Nashrah al-Usbūʿıyah (January 28, 1873): 28.

N.E.S.T. Quarterly

“Report on a Common translation of the Bible in Arabic,” N.E.S.T. Quarterly, 18: 1 & 2 (January-April 1971): 31-33.

A Reference Guide to the AC-36: Arabic Bible Manuscript Collection and Affiliated Texts

Documents

Transcript of A Reference Guide to the AC-36: Arabic Bible Manuscript Collection and Affiliated Texts