[Biblia Polyglotta] (The Complutensian Bible). Complutum (Alcalá de Henares) printed 1514-1517 (published 1522). 6 vols.
1,-3
Vol. 1: Vetus testamentum multiplici lingua nunc primo impressum. Et imprimis Pentateuchus Hebraico Greco atque Chaldaico (i.e. Aramaic) idiomate. Adiuncta unicuique sua latina interpretatione.

Title page	Fol. a1r: Genesis 1

This Bible was an extraordinary achievement both in terms of scholarship and typography. It is the first printed polyglot – i.e. multi-lingual – Bible, and the text is arranged in different languages in parallel columns on each page. The Old Testament is printed in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic, the New Testament in Greek and Latin. The work on this huge edition of the Bible in six volumes was led by Cardinal Franciscus Ximenes. It was begun in 1502 in the Spanish town of Alcalá de Henares. From the Latin name of this town, Complutum, the work is often called the Complutensian Bible.
This copy belonged to Peter Frederik Suhm (1728-1798) as it appears from his note at the bottom of the title page: Hauniæ 1790 P F Suhm (“Copenhagen 1790 P F Suhm”). Suhm was a Danish historian and collector of books. He collected a library amounting to c. 100,000 volumes which he opened to the public in 1778 – 15 years before the Royal Library was made publicly accessible. In 1796 Suhm sold his collection to the King for 2,000 rigsdaler, plus an annual payment.

37 x 27.2 cm.

© Det Kongelige Bibliotek 2003