(Q23928)

These leaves seem to form a group because of the consistency of the leaf and text measurements and the ruling pattern; leaves are paginated with pencil numbers in the upper left-hand corner of each side of each leaf.

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This leaf is from a set of thirty-one leaves that were cut from a single manuscript that once comprised a complete Bible.

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Beginning of Leviticus

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The page begins the Book of Leviticus, which is mainly concerned with laws and priestly rituals. In the initial V that begins the book, Aaron appears offering a sacrificial lamb to God. The image of the sacrificial lamb prefigures Christ's sacrifice, which is described in the New Testament.

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Beginning of Judges

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This page begins the Book of Judges, which in its first chapters tells how God chose Judah to lead the Israelites against the Canaanites and Perizzites and how they were defeated. The historiated initial P on this page represents Judah being appointed leader of Israel.

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Beginning of 3 Kings

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This page begins 3 Kings, which tells of David's later life. In the initial E, David appears in bed, weak with old age, being attended to by the young and beautiful maiden Abishag.

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Beginning of 4 Kings

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This page begins 4 Kings. The historiated initial P that begins the book illustrates the death of King Ochozias. Ochozias was hurt after falling through the latticework of his upper chamber. He sent messengers to consult the god Beelzebub to find out if he would recover, but because of this disloyalty to the God of Israel, he died from his injuries (4 Kings 1: 1-6). He is shown here falling...

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Beginning of Nehemiah

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This page begins the Book of Nehemiah, which tells of the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the end of the Babylonian Captivity. The historiated initial V that begins this book shows the meeting of Nehemiah and his brother Hanam, who told Nehemiah of Jerusalem's ruined state and prompted him to return to oversee the rebuilding.

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Beginning of Proverbs

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This page begins the Book of Proverbs, which was believed to have been written by King Solomon, the son of David. The first lines of chapter 1 tell the purpose of the book: 'To know wisdom, and instruction; to understand the words of prudence' (Proverbs 1: 2-3). The historiated initial P shown here depicts Solomon teaching.

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Beginning of Ecclesiasticus

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This page begins the Book of Ecclesiasticus, which was believed to have been written by Jesus of Sirach. In the historiated initial O which begins the book, he is shown speaking to God.

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Beginning of the Song of Songs

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This page begins the Song of Songs, which is also known as the Canticles or the Song of Solomon, who was believed to have written the book. The book comprises a collection of poems on the theme of love, which explains the subject of the historiated initial O, which depicts the Virgin enthroned and embracing the Christ Child.

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Beginning of Wisdom

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This page begins the Book of Wisdom, which begins 'love justice, you that are the judges of the earth' (Wisdom 1:1). The historiated initial D depicts King Solomon enthroned and holding a pair of scales to signify his reputation as a just judge.

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Beginning of Isaiah

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This page begins the book of the prophet Isaiah. In chapter 50, verse 6, Isaiah prophesized: 'I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me.' Christian interpreters saw this as a reference to Christ's torture before his Crucifixion, which explains the imagery of the historiated initial...

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Beginning of the Lamentations

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This page begins the Lamentations, which comprise the poems of the prophet Jeremiah, written to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. The historiated initial Q, which begins the book, depicts Jeremiah grieving.

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Beginning of Hosea

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This page begins the book of the prophet Hosea, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial V that begins the book, Hosea is depicted conversing with God.

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Beginning of Joel

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This page begins the book of the prophet Joel, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books.

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Beginning of Amos

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This page begins the book of the prophet Amos, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial that begins the book, Amos is depicted holding a scroll on which his name appears: 'Amos propheta.'

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Beginning of Jonah

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This page begins the book of the prophet Jonah, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial E that begins the book, Jonah is depicted being cast up from the mouth of the whale. Because this was thought to prefigure Christ's resurrection, the scene appears below a representation of God.

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Beginning of Micheas

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This page begins the book of the prophet Michaes, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial V that begins the book, Michaes is depicted enthroned.

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Beginning of Nahum

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This page begins the book of the prophet Nahum, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial O that begins the book, Nahum is depicted enthroned.

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Beginning of Zephaniah (Sophonias)

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This page begins the book of the prophet Zephaniah, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial V that begins the book, Zephaniah is depicted enthroned.

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Beginning of Malachi

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This page begins the book of the prophet Malachi, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are referred to as minor because of short length of their books. In the historiated initial O that begins the book, Malachi is depicted enthroned.

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Epistle of Hrabanus Maurus to King Louis

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This page begins a letter from the ninth-century theologian Hrabanus Maurus to King Louis. Hrabanus Maurus wrote a number of Bible commentaries, including a commentary on Maccabees, the book that this epistle precedes.

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Beginning of 1 Maccabees

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This page begins the book of 1 Maccabees. Both 1 and 2 Maccabees tell of the struggle of the Jews against their Greco-Syrian rulers. The historiated initial E, which begins this book, depicts two warriors in battle.

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Beginning of 2 Maccabees

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This page begins the book of 2 Maccabees. Both 1 and 2 Maccabees tell of the struggle of the Jews against their Greco-Syrian rulers.

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Jerome's prologue to the Eusebian Canon Tables

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Script: Gothic bookhand

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acknowledgements

Contributor: David Kalish

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