Franz Delitzsch

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Franz Delitzsch (1813, Delitzsch - March 4, 1890) was a German Lutheran theologian and Hebraist.

He held the professorship of theology at Rostock from 1846 to 1850, at Erlangen until 1867, and after that at Leipzig until his death. Delitzsch wrote many commentaries on books of the Bible, Jewish antiquities, biblical psychology, a history of Jewish poetry, and Christian apologetics.

He defended the Jewish community against anti-Semitic attacks and translated the New Testament into Hebrew. In 1880 he established the Institutum Judaicum[1] in Leipzig for the training of missionary workers among Jews.

Today Delitzsch is best known for his translation of the New Testament into Hebrew. Delitzsch's translation is still considered the standard New Testament edition in Hebrew and in its 10th Edition it was revised by a young Arnold Bogomul Ehrlich at Delitzsch's insistence. This edition was to be utilized for proselytization among Jews. It is remarkable that these editions were composed before the modern revival of Hebrew, but the translations still remain fresh and alive for readers today.

Delitzsch also collaborated with J. F. K. Keil on a commentary series which covers the whole of the Old Testament and is still in print, having first appeared in 1861. Delitzsch contributed the commentaries on Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Isaiah.

His son, Friedrich Delitzsch (1850–1922), was an Assyrian scholar and author of works on Assyrian language, literature, and history.

[edit] Quote

• "After God had so bountifully offered proof of His goodness, our first parents behaved as though the Devil intended only good and God intended only ill." (regarding the fall of man)

[edit] External links

• HabBrit HaChadasha (Delitzsch's translation of the New Testament into Hebrew)
• Messianic Prophecies: Lectures
• Jewish artisan life in the time of our Lord
• A Day in Capernaum
• Iris: Studies in Colour and Talks about Flowers
• Biblical Commentary on the Psalms

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.