Abraham Elzas

Abraham Elsaz, a Jewish theologian, was born 1835 in the small town of Eibergen, Province Gelderland, in the eastern part of The Netherlands, bordering Germany. He was educated in Holland, and went to England from Russia about 1867. He traveled extensively, visiting for scholastic purposes many parts of the world. In 1871 he removed from Leeds to Hull, and there became master of the Hebrew school, and for some years filled the post of minister to the congregation. Owing to failing health he was obliged to resign his positions in 1877. For some years previous to his death he was occupied in literary as well as scholastic pursuits. He passed away in Kingston upon Hull, England (U.K.), in 1880.
(Source: Jewish Encyclopedia, with amendments)

Proverbs of Solomon – 1871

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Title: The Proverbs of Solomon / Translated from the Hebrew Text, / with Notes, Critical and Explanatory, / by / A. Elzas
Date: 1871

Publisher: Leeds, England (U.K.): Charles Goodall, J. W. Bean & Co.
London, England (U. K.): Trübner & Co.

Contents: Proverbs of Solomon; – Preface. – Appendix: Various Readings of the Talmud. List of Subscribers.
References:Chamberlian 386-10
Images: Cover, Title page
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum. Karlsruhe/ Baden, Germany


Comments: Clothboard octavo; sewn binding, 78 & (4) pp.; Scripture text in single column, versification in the margin. Explanatory annotations, together with alternate readings, cross references, in footnotes.

Abraham Elzas wrote a brief Preface, dated „24 Belgrave Street, [Leeds], June 1871“,

»On sending forth a new version of the Book of Proverbs, the translator desires to make the English reader better able to understand the Divine original than he is from the authorized version, and put to him, at least in some degree, in the position of one able to read the Hebrew text. No translation, however good, can fully express the meaning of the original, or shew the beauties of its composition; therefore some notes are needed to enable the reader to understand and appreciate these beauties. The translator has spared no pains in consulting the ablest commentators within reach – Jewish and Christian, English and Foreign. He has also searched the Talmud for information on some portions of the text. Several various readings of note, not known to any Biblical critic, have thus been discovered, which, it is hoped, may prove both interesting and instructive to the reader.«

Book of Job – 1872

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Title: The Book of Job / Translated from the Hebrew Text, / with an Introduction / and / Notes, Critical and Explanatory, / by / A. Elzas
Date: 1872

Publisher: London, England (U.K.): Trübner & Co.
Contents: Book of Job; – Preface; Introduction; Appendix: List of Subscribers
References:Chamberlian 254-1
Images: Title page
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum. Karlsruhe/ Baden, Germany


Comments: Clothboard octavo; sewn binding, 147 pp.; Scripture text in single column, versification in the margin. Critical and explanatory annotations, together with cross references, in footnotes.

Abraham Elzas wrote in his Preface, dated Leeds, England, in January 1872:

»As was his desire with respect to the Book of Proverbs, so here also he hopes to make the English reader better able to understand the Divine original than he is from the authorized version. The Book of Job, being far more difficult to translate intelligibly than the Proverbs, he has bestowed much care upon the critical and explanatory notes, and consulted the ablest commentators within his reach.«
The Introduction, five pp, deals with five topics: I. The Question Where Job Lived. – II.The Question When Job Lived. – III. The Question When the Book was Written. – IV. The Question Who was the Author of the Book, and in What Language it was Written. – V. The Division of the Book.

Minor Prophets Vol. I – 1873

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Title: The Minor Prophets / Vol. I, Translated from the Hebrew Text, / with an Introduction, / and a / Commentary, Critical, Philological, and Exegetical / by / A. Elzas
Date: 1873
Publisher: London, England (U. K.): Trübner & Co.

Contents: Minor Prophets: Hoshea [and] Joel; – Preface; Introduction – Appendix: List of Subscribers. Advertisement / Praise for “The Proverbs of Solomon“ and “The Book of Job“.
References:Chamberlian 473-7
Images: Cover, Title page
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum. Karlsruhe/ Baden, Germany


Comments: Clothboard octavo; sewn binding, 129 pp.; Scripture text in single column, versification in the margin. Explanatory annotations, together with alternate readings, cross references etc., in footnotes.

Abraham Elzas wrote a brief Preface, dated „29, Francis Street, West, [Leeds], January 1873“,

»The principles on which the Author proceeded in preparing his commentary on Job and the Proverbs of Solomon have been followed also in the present work. He has laid under contribution all the means within his reach in order to ascertain the original state of the Hebrew text, and the true and unsophisticated meaning of that text. He has constantly had recourse to the collection of various readings made by Kennicott and De Rossi; he has compared the renderings of the LXX.; the Targum, the Syriac, the Arabic, the Vulgate, and other ancient versions. He has consulted the best critical commentaries; he has availed himself of the results of modern modern philological researches. (…)«

Minor Prophets Vol. II – 1874

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Title: The Minor Prophets / Vol. II, Translated from the Hebrew Text, and a / Commentary, / Critical, Philological, and Exegetical / by / A. Elzas
Date: 1874

Publisher: London, England (U. K.): Trübner & Co.

Contents: Minor Prophets: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah. – Introduction – Appendix: Opinions on “The Minor Prophets, Vol. I“.
References:Chamberlian 473-7
Images: Title page
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum. Karlsruhe/ Baden, Germany


Comments: Clothboard octavo; sewn binding, 85 pp.; Scripture text in single column, versification in the margin. Explanatory annotations, together with alternate readings, cross references etc., in extensive footnotes. Each book is introduced separately.


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