BIBLE IN HEBREW: PENTATEUCH.


LEESER, ISAAC. EDITOR. 1806-1868. The Law of God. Philadelphia: Printed by C. Sherman for the editor, 1845. 5 volumes. 8vo (volume 1 226 x 138 mm; volumes 2-5 190 x 118 mm). Text in Hebrew and English. Contemporary sheep, black morocco spine labels, volume 1 with marbled endpapers. Covers scuffed, repairs to joints, wear to corners. FIRST EDITION of the first translation and publication of the Bible for the American Jewish community, by an American Jew. Leeser was an important Jewish scholar in 19th century Philadelphia, founder of The Occident, the first successful Jewish newspaper in America. His translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew took seven years, and remained the standard American English translation of the Pentateuch until 1917, when a new translation was published by the Jewish Publication Society. This set features a rare large paper copy of volume 1 mated to a slightly smaller set of the remaining 4 volumes, but with virtually identical bindings. Goldman 7; Rosenbach 569.