Meet the Staff: Yucheng Guan, Digitization Intern, Part 2
The Polyglot Bible

Museum of the Bible Magazine is featuring staff and interns to provide a closer look into the museum, the people working behind-the-scenes, and research and projects our staff are working on.

This month, we're highlighting our digitization intern, Yucheng Guan, who shares fascinating insights into the Luther Bible and the Polyglot Bible while interning here at the museum.

The Polyglot Bible: Updates from the Digital Imaging Lab

Among the most fascinating projects I’ve undertaken during my internship at Museum of the Bible has been the digitization of the Polyglot Bible. This monumental work is not only a masterpiece of biblical exegesis but also a remarkable example of early printing technology and multilingual scholarship.

The Polyglot Bible

The Polyglot Bible, compiled between 1514 and 1517, was the first printed polyglot, or multilingual, Bible. Commissioned by Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros and produced at the University of Alcalá (Complutense University), this six-volume work features texts in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, with extensive notes and references. The goal was to provide scholars with the tools needed to understand the Bible’s original languages and to promote a deeper understanding of the scriptures.

The significance of the Polyglot Bible lies in its scholarly ambition and the meticulous care taken in its production. It brought together some of the finest scholars of the time, who labored for years to ensure the accuracy and quality of the text. The polyglot format, presenting multiple languages side by side, facilitated comparative study and set a precedent for future biblical scholarship.

The Polyglot Bible is a six-volume set. The first four volumes contain the Old Testament with Hebrew, Greek (with Latin interlinear), and Latin texts presented in parallel columns, allowing for direct comparison. The fifth volume features the New Testament in Greek and Latin. The sixth volume is an extensive dictionary and glossary, aiding in the understanding of the texts. This comprehensive approach made the Polyglot Bible an invaluable resource for scholars and theologians.

Digitizing the Polyglot Bible

The process of digitizing such a complex and historically significant text involves multiple steps to ensure the preservation and accuracy of the digital images. Utilizing the latest technology in our digital imaging lab, we strive to maintain the integrity of the original volumes while making them accessible to a global audience.

As of now, we have successfully digitized the first two volumes of the Polyglot Bible. This ongoing project requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep appreciation for the historical significance of the work. Each page is carefully photographed to ensure that every detail is captured with the highest accuracy. Once our project is completed, the Polyglot Bible will be made accessible to scholars and the public worldwide. Through our online collections database, individuals can once again explore this monumental work and gain insights into its historical and cultural context. We are currently in the process of putting the images into the database, however, you can still take a closer look at this Bible here and explore this monumental work of biblical exegesis.

Figure 1: Upper part: Hebrew on the outside; Latin Vulgate in the middle; Greek Septuagint with Latin interlinear on the inside. The Aramaic text (the Targum Onkelos) and its own Latin translation are added at the bottom.

Also see Yucheng's previous article about his work on the Luther Bible and his role as the digitization intern. Read here.

By Yucheng Guan, Digitization Intern

Published August 29, 2024