BIBLIOTHECA. The Collection of the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is sometimes called Bibliotheca Sacra, or Sacred Library. Thus we say, S. Jerom’s Sacred Library, meaning the Collection of the Sacred Writings translated by him. We do not read that there were any Libraries formed among the old Hebrews, before the time of Nehemiah, and Judas Maccabæus. But the Annals of the Kings of Judah and Israel, which are mentioned after so summary a manner in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, may be considered as so many Libraries. Solomon complained so early as in his time, that there was no end of making Books. He Eccl. xii. 12.himself had written a great many, and among other Effects of his Magnificence, it 1 Kings iv. 32, 33.is very probable, that he did not forget to compose a large and royal Library.
Ezra, who revised and put in order most of the historical Books of Scripture, had doubtless abundance of Memoirs, Annals, genealogical and other Registers, which are cited by him principally in the Chronicles. It is particularly remarked in 2 Macc. ii. 13.the second Book of Maccabees, that Nehemiah founded a large Library in Jerusalem, composed of the Acts of the Kings, the Prophets, and of David, and the Epistles of the Kings concerning the holy Gifts. Judas Maccabæus imitated Ibid.the Diligence of Nehemiah. He collected what the War with Antiochus Epiphanes had dispersed, and repaired what that had destroyed. There is mention likewise in Prov. xxv. 1.the Book of Proverbs of several Sentences or Proverbs collected by the command of Hezekiah. Benjamin of Tudela, a Jewish Traveller1, says, That on the Banks of Euphrates, near the Prophet Ezekiel’s Sepulchre, there was a large Library, which contained the Books that were in being under the first and second Temples. Among others, there was to be seen there the Volume of Ezekiel’s Prophecy written with his own hand; there were also many other Books there; and it is the custom, says our Author, for all those who have no Children, to leave their Books as a Legacy to this Library.
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Footnotes
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Translators’ note. This Benjamin was of Tudela a City of Navarre, and lived in the eleventh Century. He travelled to all those places where he thought there were any Synagogues, in order to make him- self well acquainted with the State and Condition of the Jews. ↩