Hagiographa

HAGIOGRAPHA. This word signifies in general Holy Scriptures, which deserve our respect, whether they are canonical and inspired, or whether they treat only of holy things, and are written after the manner of the sacred and inspired Scriptures¹.

But the name Hagiographa is properly given to those sacred Books, which the Hebrews call Cethubim. For they distinguish all the canonical Books of the Old Testament into three Classes: 1. The Law; 2. The Prophets; 3. The Hagiographa, or Hieron. Præfat. in Lib. Regum.Cethubim. They reckon five Books of the Law; these are the Pentateuch, or the five Books of Moses; eight Books of the Prophets, viz. 1. Joshua; 2. Judges and Ruth, which make but one; 3. the first and second Book of Samuel, which among them make but one; 4. the two Books of Kings, which are sometimes mentioned by the name of the third and fourth Books of Kings, and with the Hebrews are but one; 5. Isaiah; 6. Jeremiah; 7. Ezekiel; 8. the twelve small Prophets which compose but one Book. These are the Books which they comprehend under the name of the Prophets. Lastly, the Hagiographa are nine in number, viz. 1. Job; 2. the Psalter, divided into five parts; 3. the Proverbs; 4. Ecclesiastes; 5. Solomon’s Song; 6. Daniel; 7. the two Books of Chronicles, which make but one with the Hebrew; 8. the first and second Books of Esdras, which among the Hebrews make one only; 9. the Book of Esther. St. Jerom adds, that some reckon the Books of the Hagiographa to be eleven, including Ruth and Lamentations as two distinct Books in this number.

In his Preface to Judith, he says, that the Book of Judith is placed by the Hebrews among the Hagiographa, the authority whereof can be of no service in supporting Præfat. in Tobiam.any contested points. He says the same of Tobit. He observes, that the Hebrews do not receive it among their sacred and canonical Books, but only as one of the Hagiographa. Lastly, in his preface to Daniel, he acknowledges that the Hebrews admit of eleven Books among their Hagiographa. From whence we may easily conclude two things; first, that in St. Jerom’s time, the Hebrews were not fixed, as to the number of the Hagiographa; and secondly, that they owned two sorts of Hagiographa, some sacred, and canonical; and others of a much inferior authority, whereof no use was made in religious disputes.

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