The purpose of this essay is to provide the reader with not simply a history, but rather a veritable genealogy of the different versions of the Hebrew Scriptures so that one can determine the pedigree of each. The author traces the progeny of the earliest printed texts noting the various subsequent editions and how they build upon one another. Thus, this work provides a comprehensive study of the history of the recensions of the Hebrew Bible from the late fifteenth century down to the author’s own time. Highly readable and well organized this work is an excellent resource for the enthusiast and scholar alike.

Bernhard Pick (1842-1917) studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. From there he went on to minister throughout the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, predominately in New York and Pennsylvania. He was also an active scholar in the areas of Early Jewish and Christian Literatures. His numerous publications include The Cabbala: Its Influence on Judaism and Christianity; The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas; and The Talmud: What It Is and What It Knows about Jesus and His Followers.