The Alba Bible also known as the Arragel Bible, was created to foster understanding between Christians and Jews. It is an
illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...
containing a translation of the
Old Testament
The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...
made directly from
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
into
mediaeval Castilian. The translation was completed under the supervision of , who was
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
of the
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
community of
Maqueda
Maqueda is a Spanish town located 80 kilometers from Madrid and 45 kilometers from Toledo. Located within the autonomous community Castilla-La Mancha and the province of Toledo, Maqueda is located in the comarca of Torrijos. The town is best kn ...
in the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
province of
Toledo
Toledo most commonly refers to:
* Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain
* Province of Toledo, Spain
* Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States
Toledo may also refer to:
Places Belize
* Toledo District
* Toledo Settlement
Bolivia
* Toledo, Or ...
. This was done at the request of Grand Master of the
Order of Calatrava
The Order of Calatrava (, ) was one of the Spanish military orders, four Spanish military orders and the first Military order (society), military order founded in Kingdom of Castile, Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bu ...
.
[Noticiasdot.com (2004). ]
El fabuloso patrimonio de los Alba, Grandes de España pero de con Mayúsculas
''. Retrieved October 19, 2006. During the antisemitic riots of 1430, the Alba Bible was created.
[University of Wisconsin (2001). ]
''. Retrieved October 19, 2006. Arragel initially hesitated due to the unrest, but ultimately chose to assist Guzman in translating and interpreting the manuscript. This collaborative process lasted eight years, from 1422-1430.
[Old Manuscripts & Incunabula (2006). ]
'. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
After the fall of Granada in 1492, the Spanish Inquisition led to the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the destruction of many books. The Alba Bible was one of the few that was spared, hidden among society's elites and passed down through generations.
The Alba Bible is currently displayed in the House of Alba in Liria, Madrid. In 1992, five hundred facsimile copies were made to mark five hundred years since the expulsion of the Jewish population from Spain. The original has 515 folios while the facsimile editions contain 513 folios.
The first 25 folios were expressed in an argument made by Arragels on his reluctance to accept the position. They worked on with a collaborative effort with Christians also involved in the making. The Bible was produced in the Spanish provinces of Toledo. The work has 334 miniatures. Of these miniatures, six are full-page works.
The Bible's uniqueness stems from its incorporation of Christian and rabbinical texts, and accompanying images.
More biblical contex can be found alongside rabbinical imagery. Some of the descriptions listed in this Bible are deeply connected with Jewish backgrounds and iconography. Such miniatures as the menorahs, the parting of the Red Sea, the Zeal of Phineas, and images of circumcision.
The Alba Bible’s significance is that it is a response to antisemitism, and its patron who initiated the creation of this bible for the purpose of extending an olive branch.
There is also a significance in the way it was written using the vernacular or common language instead of an overly formal language.
History
Origins
During the 15th century, many people within Spanish society held hostile views toward Jews. In the aftermath of a series of anti-Jewish riots centered in Madrid,
Don Luis de Guzmán believed that he could help heal the rift and build a bridge of understanding between Christians and Jews by commissioning a
Castilian translation of the Old Testament from the original
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
, accompanied by commentary from Jewish scholars interpreting the text of their holy book.
On April 5, 1422, Don Luis de Guzmán initiated his project by sending a letter to rabbi Moses Arragel inviting him to compose ''"vna biblia en rromançe, glosada e ystoriada."'' It is unknown what convinced Rabbi Arragel to accept as he initially hesitated in an extensive reply letter to Guzmán. Nevertheless, eight years later the bible was completed.
Religious Context in Spain
After the fall of Granada on January 2, 1492, Spain's religious tolerance came to an end. Following this event, the
Inquisition
The Inquisition was a Catholic Inquisitorial system#History, judicial procedure where the Ecclesiastical court, ecclesiastical judges could initiate, investigate and try cases in their jurisdiction. Popularly it became the name for various med ...
acted without restraint. Jews who refused to be baptized were compelled to leave the country that year. As a result, Jewish Old Testament translations into Castilian were burned on September 25, 1492. Around twenty Bibles containing
heretical
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy.
Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...
writings were publicly burned in
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
on the same day.
Meanwhile, the hunt for so-called heretical writings continued, and many copies were kept safe by the highest-ranking members of society.
Queen Isabella of Spain, a devout
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, possessed at least four different translations.
Although she was not the commissioner of the Alba BIble, it was common that such writings would be passed down generationally once in the royal collection.
Modern History
Today, the original Alba Bible is preserved by the
House of Alba
The House of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as the House of Alba, is a prominent Spanish noble family that descended from 12th-century nobility of post-conquest Toledo. The family's claim to Alba de Tormes dates from 1429, when Gutierre Ál ...
and is on exhibition in the
Palace of Liria in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
. The original Bible has been valued at 2.5 million
euro
The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
s.
In 1992, to commemorate the five hundredth anniversary of the expulsion, Mauricio Hatchwell Toledano, President of the Fundacion Amigos de Sefarad published five hundred copies in an exact
facsimile
A facsimile (from Latin ''fac simile'', "to make alike") is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of r ...
edition, one of which was given to
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until Abdication of Juan Carlos I, his abdic ...
, the reigning
King of Spain
The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country.
The Spanish ...
.
[Facsimile Editions Limited (2006). ]
The Alba Bible: HISTORY OF THE MANUSCRIPT
'. Retrieved October 19, 2006. Copies of the five hundred were sold for US$44,000.
The whereabouts of the Alba Bible were unknown from 1492, the year the
Alhambra Decree
The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Decreto de la Alhambra'', ''Edicto de Granada'') was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdi ...
was issued mandating the expulsion of all Jews from Spain. It resurfaced in 1622 at the
Palace of Liria, owned by the
House of Alba
The House of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as the House of Alba, is a prominent Spanish noble family that descended from 12th-century nobility of post-conquest Toledo. The family's claim to Alba de Tormes dates from 1429, when Gutierre Ál ...
. In 1922 an illustrated facsimile edition of three hundred copies was published by the scholar Antonio Paz y Meliá.
Stockholm Exhibition
During the history of this Bible it was once on display as a Spanish exhibition at the
National Museum in Stockholm starting in the winter of 1959 through 1960.
Roxburghe Club
Between 1918 and 1921, the Duke of Alba gave permission for a printed version of the Alba Bible to be issued. Printed in two volumes, the copies were created using a letter press instead of a facsimile. This was an advantage because it made the Castilian text easier to read. The
Roxburghe Club
The Roxburghe Club is a Bibliophilia, bibliophilic and Text publication society, publishing society based in the United Kingdom.
Origins
The spur to the Club's foundation was the sale of the enormous library of the John Ker, 3rd Duke of Roxburghe ...
commissioned the facsimile for their personal use.
Description

The work contains 515 folios.
Inserted at the beginning of the work are 25 folios of correspondence between Rabbi Arragel and Don Luís Guzmán as well as between the rabbi and various Franciscans involved in illustrating the translation and discussing matters related to the collaboration.
The Rabbi Arragel expressed his hesitancy for the project in these 25 folios, listing concerns about this project and how it may lead to his ruin, or even death. This hesitation may have been well founded as any record of him disappears after the creation of this Bible. It’s not just hesitation that he expressed within the first 25 folios; he also argued that this book should not be completed in the first place, expressing fears that this may even fan the flames of further unrest between the communities that it is intended to help. Eventually Arragel gave in to the demands and agreed to working on the Alba Bible.
The Alba Bible contains a series of comments on the writing of both Jewish and Christian theologians, including
Abraham ibn Ezra
Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra (, often abbreviated as ; ''Ibrāhim al-Mājid ibn Ezra''; also known as Abenezra or simply ibn Ezra, 1089 / 1092 – 27 January 1164 / 23 January 1167)''Jewish Encyclopedia''online; '' Chambers Biographical Dictionar ...
,
Maimonides
Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
,
Nahmanides
Moses ben Nachman ( ''Mōše ben-Nāḥmān'', "Moses son of Nachman"; 1194–1270), commonly known as Nachmanides (; ''Nakhmanídēs''), and also referred to by the acronym Ramban (; ) and by the contemporary nickname Bonastruc ça Porta (; l ...
,
Joseph Kimhi
Joseph Kimhi, Qimḥi, or Kimchi (1105–1170) () was a medieval Jewish rabbi and Hebrew Bible, biblical commentator. He was the father of Moses Kimhi, Moses and David Kimhi, and the teacher of Rabbi Menachem Ben Simeon and poet Joseph Zabara. ...
,
Asher ben Jehiel
Asher ben Jehiel (, or Asher ben Yechiel, sometimes Asheri) (1250 or 1259 – 1327) was an eminent rabbi and Talmudist best known for his abstract of Talmudic law. He is often referred to as Rabbenu Asher, “our Rabbi Asher” or by the Hebrew ...
,
Shlomo ben Aderet
Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet ( or Solomon son of Abraham son of Aderet) (1235 – 1310) was a medieval rabbi, halakhist, and Talmudist. He is widely known as the Rashba (Hebrew: ), the Hebrew acronym of his title and name: Rabbi Shlomo ben Avrah ...
, Ya'acob and
Nissim of Gerona
Nissim ben Reuven (1290 – 9th of Shevat, 1376, ) of Girona, Catalonia was an influential talmudist and authority on Jewish law. He was one of the last of the great Spanish medieval Talmudic scholars. He is also known by his Hebrew acronym, the ...
. There is also commentary taken from rabbinic literary sources such as the
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
and the
Midrash
''Midrash'' (;["midrash"]
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. ; or ''midrashot' ...
.
[JTS — The Jewish Theological Seminary (2003–2006). ]
Between the Lines: Vol. 11, No. 1, Facsimile of Famed Alba Bible Acquired
''. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
Collaboration
Although the text of the Alba Bible was the product of Rabbi Arragel, the elaborate artistic detail is wholly the product of
Franciscans
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...
of
Toledo
Toledo most commonly refers to:
* Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain
* Province of Toledo, Spain
* Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States
Toledo may also refer to:
Places Belize
* Toledo District
* Toledo Settlement
Bolivia
* Toledo, Or ...
. The work contains 334
miniatures that illustrate passages from the religious text.
Six of these occupy whole pages.
Because this manuscript was the result of a collaboration between the Abrahamic religions, there were significant differences to other Christian Bibles. An example of this would be the miniature depiction of the killing of
Abel
Abel ( ''Hébel'', in pausa ''Hā́ḇel''; ''Hábel''; , ''Hābēl'') is a biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within the Abrahamic religions. Born as the second son of Adam and Eve, the first two humans created by God in Judaism, God, he ...
by
Cain
Cain is a biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He is the elder brother of Abel, and the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first couple within the Bible. He was a farmer who gave an offering of his crops to God. How ...
. This is described in the Hebrew text that Cain, with snake-like intention, bit the neck of Able thus causing his death. This is depicted clearly in this manuscript being illustrated by one miniature, folio 29v, making it a perfect example of how the differences between this Bible, and many others that are not collaborative.
Although Grand Master Guzman was not directly involved, he appointed two monks to assist Rabbi Moses. Brother Arias was from the monastery in Toledo and through their theological collaboration it is likely that Arragle was able to understand the view of Grand Master Guzmán. Although he would have been aware of classic works and activity such as Aristotle without Christian intervention. His primary reason for work, however, was his rabbinical perspective which widely occupied space within the commentary. Though in isolated cases, these viewpoints were already present and part of Arrangles' plan and can be found in captions alongside the miniatures. However, many of the rabbinical illustrations have no corresponding features within the accompanying text.
Miniatures
First Miniature (Fol. 1v)

The top miniature o
folio 1Vshows Guzmán sitting in a Gothic courtyard, his left hand making a pointing gesture while his right hand holds a
falcon
Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...
, and a servant holds a letter from Guzmán to Rabbi Moses. The second miniature on folio 1V shows that the rabbi has received the letter and is flanked by two monks.
In addition, this page features
interlace coming from the mouths and tails of two dragons. There are also two
humanoid
A humanoid (; from English ''human'' and '' -oid'' "resembling") is a non-human entity with human form or characteristics. By the 20th century, the term came to describe fossils which were morphologically similar, but not identical, to those of ...
beings, one with sword and wings in the right- hand corner and the other in the top middle of the page. The colors on this page are purple, red and yellow.
The Parting of the Red Sea (Fol. 68v and 69r)

Folios
68v and 69r both tell the story of the parting of the
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
as it is usually depicted in Christian art, with iconography influenced by the
Jewish Torah. Compared with other Bibles that are likely using the Vulgate as a basis, the Alba Bible directly translates from Hebrew, meaning that the images are more authentically Jewish.
Descriptions of Menorahs (Fol. 77r. 88v. 236v.)
A noteworthy image of this bible is the
menorah featured on folio 77r; the menorah is center of the page, the stem of which extends to the bottom parting text as it reaches down from there; there’s a beveled bowl stand with three legs. The color is primarily pale yellow. There are seven pale red flames. The text is parted yet again within the center of the north menorah, putting the other two columns.
The
menorah makes a return in folio, 88v in a full-page image not featuring text. On this page, the colors are gray, yellow, red, and green pictures framed by the military tent. There are also depictions of ritual sacrifice of a horned animal, a chest of some kind, and individuals who do not interact.
Folio 236v is a full-page miniature detailing
Solomon's temple
Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple (), was a biblical Temple in Jerusalem believed to have existed between the 10th and 6th centuries Common Era, BCE. Its description is largely based on narratives in the Hebrew Bible, in which it ...
in three stories. Each level contains five rooms, with the ground floor room in the middle containing a seven-branched menorah. The scene also represents a sacrifice on the first floor and on top of this scene in another room that shows a high priest with two children. The archway in the middle of this miniature has an inscription discussing the gates of heaven and righteous entry.
The Spies with a Cluster of Grapes (Fol. 1008v)
A manager featured folio 108V, the spies, with a
cluster of grapes
In viticulture, the grape cluster (also bunch of grapes) is a fertilized inflorescence of the grapevine, the primary part of this plant used for food (grape leaves are also used in some culinary traditions). The size of the grape bunch greatly va ...
which is described in the Bible in verse 23, as being carried by two men. The cluster of grapes is nearly the size of the men themselves. In the image, there are eight men carrying this large
cluster of grapes
In viticulture, the grape cluster (also bunch of grapes) is a fertilized inflorescence of the grapevine, the primary part of this plant used for food (grape leaves are also used in some culinary traditions). The size of the grape bunch greatly va ...
which is carried between two poles with sprouting leaves. It is likely that the inspiration for this image came from the
Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
particularly, Midrash Numbers Rabbah XVI, in which there were also two poles but nothing said about the number of people carrying them.
The Zeal of Phinehas (Fol. 127v and 128r)

The miniature on folio
127V depicts
Phinehas
According to the Hebrew Bible, Phinehas (also spelled Phineas, ; , ''Phinees'', ) was a priest during the Exodus. The grandson of Aaron and son of Eleazar, the High Priests (), he distinguished himself as a youth at Shittim with his zeal again ...
outside the tent of a sinning couple engaged in licentious acts. He then takes his javelin (which was said to belong to
Moses
In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...
) and strikes the couple while they are together, being sure to impale them so that they stay connected. This way there could be no doubt of their sinning. The couple in question is Zimri, a man from Israel, and a Midianitish woman named Cozbi.
The second image on folio 128r shows Phinehas lifting the couple with the strength given to him by angels (one of the nine miracles) to show their sinful coupling to onlookers. The couple only die when Phinheas dislodges his lance from them. After their deaths, the plague that God had created due to their sinning stopped. The thought that the couple only died after the lance was dislodged made it clear that Phinehas was free from sin, or any such wrongdoing.
In both images, blood flows from the couple but does not taint Phinehas' clothes (this is a representation of his purity). While there are nine miracles in the story of this Bible, it changes from Bible to Bible, some saying anywhere from six, eight, or as high as twelve miracles happen. Only in the Alba Bible does it say that the blood fell up on the ground in this particular case. Due to a misinterpretation within the text, it is said that there was no blood upon Phinehas, though in many cases' it could be construed as there was no blood at all, that being one of the miracles on this occasion. But since it was thought that the illustrations had been drawn with the blood pouring on the ground before the Bible’s comments were made, there may have been adjustments to the tale.
The Circumcisions of the Alba Bible (Fol. 37r and Fol. 167v)
Folio 37rdepicts Abraham kneeling between two small, rounded trees and bushes, his right foot extended up against the trunk of the tree. He then proceeds to circumcise himself as blood is pouring from the appendage while he drags the knife upward.
Folio 167v shows Joshua
circumcising the people. There are mostly bearded men who are un-clothed from the waist down. One of these men is standing completely nude and facing forward, while the other is turned in profile view. His lower half is bleeding as he is being attended to by Joshua, who has a radiating halo of scalloped light. Next to this miniature is a small mound of foreskins and it states that the collection of the sacrifice smelled so sweet that it brought joy to the Lord.
Significance
This Bible was made at a time when there were anti-Semitic riots by the Christian majority against the Jewish minority of Spain. The
patron
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
intended to create a conversation, in order to find a way towards an understanding, though this proved to be too ambitious.
(citation #'s still need to be fixed)
Another significant part of this Bible was Rabbi Arragel’s use of common language, often using
idiom
An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...
s and a turn of phrase popular at this time. As discussed, the type of language used in this Bible meant that it was to be seen by multiple people and there can be an argument made for the ambition of accomplishing a coexistence among the Jewish and Christian population. This common
vernacular
Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken language, spoken form of language, particularly when perceptual dialectology, perceived as having lower social status or less Prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige than standard language, which is mor ...
also contains a historical record of what these particular turns of phrases were at this time, and it is an excellent vessel for the study of that vernacular.
See also
*
Cloisters Hebrew Bible
*
Damascus Crown
*
Kennicott Bible
The Kennicott Bible ( or ), also known as the First Kennicott Bible, is an illuminated manuscript copy of the Hebrew Bible, copied in the city of A Coruña in 1476 by the calligrapher and illuminated by Joseph ibn Hayyim. This manuscript is cons ...
*
Golden Haggadah
The Golden Haggadah is a Hebrew illuminated manuscript originating around c. 1320–1330 in Catalonia. It is an example of an Illustrated Haggadah, a religious text for Jewish Passover. It contains many lavish illustrations in the High Gothic sty ...
References
External links
*
(Ladino)AKI YERUSHALAYIM
*{{in lang, es}
15th-century biblical manuscripts
15th-century illuminated manuscripts
Illuminated biblical manuscripts
Jewish illuminated manuscripts
Jewish Spanish history
Bible translations into Spanish