attempted to designate accurately the rhythmical peculiarities of each book, and to connect them with the other peculiarities : I have also been attentive to their æsthetic value. I trust scholars acquainted with the subject will not overlook these and other attempts, and will examine them with candor.

Since I have often contradicted my predecessors, and without any circumlocution, so it is but candid here to declare that I am grateful to them, notwithstanding the contradiction, for the service they have rendered me. This is true especially of Bertholdt, whose opinions I often reject, but whose diligence in collecting has always afforded me a strong support, and whose critical sagacity, even when it has not conducted him to the truth, has yet excited and directed me. I have throughout referred to his manual, and those who possess it may profitably compare the passages where I contradict and correct him. That I am sensible of the merits of Eichhorn, no one will doubt, who knows how much the Introduction to the Old Testament rests on his previous labors. But I am not blind to his faults; I even reprove them. May his admirers forgive me. The friends of truth will justify the

freedom I have taken.

BERLIN, at the end of June, 1817.

THE AUTHOR.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

THE translation of De Wette's Introduction to the Old Testament, now offered to the public, was undertaken several years ago, at the suggestion of an eminent theologian, of the Orthodox denomination, who thought the work would be valuable to the American public; though he by no means coincided with the author in all his opinions respecting the Scriptures. Dr. De Wette stands at the head of the liberal school of German critics. He is already known to a portion of American readers, by translations of two of his minor and less important works."

The work here translated is his most laborious and most valuable production. The first edition was published in 1817, and the fifth, which has been followed in this translation, in 1840. It imbodies the results of the critical labors of the whole world upon the Scriptures, and exhibits, in a brief space, the opinions of the great critics of past and present times. Besides this, it refers to all the most valuable literature, ancient and modern, respecting the Old Testament. In his successive

• Theodore, or the Skeptic's Conversion, translated by J. F. Clarke, (2 vols. 12mo., Boston, 1841;) Human Life, or Practical Ethics, translated by Samuel Osgood, (2 vols., Boston, 1842;) published in Ripley's Specimens of Foreign Standard Literature. For a brief account of the author and his works, see Encyclopædia Americana; Krug's Encyclopäd. und Philosophisch. Lexicon, article De Wette.

Lehrbuch der historisch-kritischen Einleitung in die kanonischen und apocryphischen Bucher des Alten Testamentes, von Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette, der Theologie Doctor und ordentlichem Professor an der Universität zu Basel; fünfte, verbesserte und vermehrte Ausgabe; Berlin, bei G. Reimer, 1840, p. xviii. and 444.

editions, the author has been aided by the friendly or hostile works of his contemporaries - the great critical scholars of Germany. As they contemplate the Bible from different points of view, and bring the conflicting prejudices of their several schools to the investigation of the subject, it is plain they must arrive at different results. But one corrects the other; for, when many are running to and fro, knowledge will be increased. The successive editions of this Introduction show that the author has availed himself of the results of others continually, abandoning opinions as soon as their erroneous character was pointed out. He says himself, in the preface to the fifth edition, "In the seven years that have passed, since the publication of the fourth edition, so much has been written on the criticism and explanation of the Old Testament, that I have found enough to do in comparing, using, or refuting it. The results of this work, and of my own corrections, appear in various portions of this book..... I have often found myself constrained to alter my opinion. I have been aided by the investigations of my highly-esteemed friend and colleague, Stähelin, in tracing the document Elohim' through all the books of the Pentateuch. The conviction at which I have arrived that the Jehovistic' portions of those books, with a few exceptions, never had an independent existence — has induced me, with Bleek, Tuch, and others, to place the date of the Pentateuch earlier than I had done before. It seems to me now that the critical investigation of the Pentateuch is brought much nearer to its proper conclusion. With the help of Stähelin, I have also traced the document Elohim' in the book of Joshua, and by this means a new light is shed upon that book. We may hope for still further explanations, from the analytical researches of the same critic in the books of Judges and Samuel. The works of Keil and Movers, in defence of the Chronicles, have not led me to any essential alteration of my former views; but, as I had no other opportunity, I have here replied to their objections somewhat more in detail than the space of this text-book seemed to allow. what relates to the books of Nehemiah and Ezra, I have, in

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some respects, allowed myself to be taught by another. But my views, essentially, remain as before. I have not been convinced of the credibility of the book of Esther by Baumgarten's diligent defence of it. I have examined the acute inquiries of Movers on Jeremiah; have found them correct in the main, and have made use of them. I have felt obliged to adhere to Köster's view of the second part of Zechariah. Hirzel's profound view of the book of Job has led me to a repeated examination of the plan of the book; but I cannot entirely agree with him?"

"The reader will easily see that, in many subordinate. matters, I am indebted to the writings of Ewald, Grimm, Hitzig, Knobel, Von Lengerke, Tuch, and others. I will only add, further, that I have entirely rewrought the chapter on the outward form of the text, in conformity with the views of Hupfeld. I have made a comparison of Hävernik's Introduction throughout, but have found in it little that was useful."

Perhaps it is worth while to say a few words about the method pursued in preparing this work for the American public. The original was designed as a sort of guide-book for both teachers and learners. If it were simply translated, it would be intelligible to but a few. I have found it necessary to supply much that the author took for granted; I have therefore made extracts from other writers, given essays of my own, or a compendious statement of the opinions of various critics. In all such cases, I have carefully distinguished these additions from the original by enclosing them in brackets [ ]. De Wette often refers to the passages which prove a statement in the text. Sometimes I have printed the passages themselves, sometimes given a synopsis of their contents. He makes numerous extracts from other writers, especially the ancients, in their own language. I have translated these extracts, and also given the original in the margin. An example of the manner in which passages are wrought over, may be seen in § 145, 147–160, and, indeed, in the greater part of the second volume. Here I have, as I trust, faithfully given the author's

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opinions, but in a form very different from his own." translating, I have aimed more to give the sense of the author than to render his language word for word. I have not hesitated, therefore, to condense or to expand the original, as the case seemed to require. I have removed notes into the text, or placed the text in the notes, as I found it convenient for my purpose. I have added an Appendix to the first volume, and had prepared numerous essays, on the credibility of the Pentateuch, on the Hebrew Prophets, on several separate books of the Old Testament, which are excluded for want of space. In quotations from the Bible, I have generally followed the common version; but in the Pentateuch, (§ 138—156,) I have used the Hebrew words "Elohim" and "Jehovah," instead of "God" and "the Lord." In the Prophets and Psalms, I have often followed the beautiful version of Dr. Noyes. Sometimes I have attempted a new translation of a passage.

I have translated the chapter relating to the canon of the New Testament, (§ 18-29,) though it may seem out of place in an Introduction to the Old. The author's entire work is divided into two parts, the first relating to the Old Testament -and Apocrypha, which I have not translated, the second, to the New Testament; and therefore the inquiry on the canon of the New Testament is appropriate. I intend, at some future day, to prepare an Introduction to the New Testament, on a similar plan, and this chapter will serve to connect the two.

It is but fair to suppose that, in a work so large and so difficult, I have made mistakes. I leave them for the critic's sagacity to discover, and for his kindness to excuse; hoping that he will remember how often the spirit is willing, while the flesh is weak; and, while he exposes my errors,, will do it in candor,

I hesitated, for some time, whether to call the work a Translation of De Wette's Introduction, or an Introduction on the Basis of De Wette; but, as the former is the more modest, and as I have endeavored to translate the whole of his work faithfully, I have preferred this title.