1827 Ottoman Turkish Bible (OTAK27)

Overview

The 1827 Ottoman Turkish Bible is the first complete printed Bible (Old and New Testaments) in Ottoman Turkish, published in Paris by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) [1][2]. It is an expansion of the 1819 New Testament edition, both based on the manuscript translation by Ali Bey (Wojciech Bobowski), who completed the work between 1662 and 1666 [1][2]. The revision for publication was carried out by Professor Jean Daniel Kieffer of the University of Paris, who had previously prepared the 1819 New Testament [2][3]. This edition served as the standard Ottoman Turkish Bible text and formed the basis for further revisions throughout the 19th century, including the landmark 1878 Kitab-i Mukaddes [1].

Translation History

Ali Bey's original manuscript, which included both Old and New Testaments, had been held at Leiden University since the 17th century [2]. Following the successful publication of the New Testament in 1819, Kieffer continued his editorial work on the Old Testament portions. The complete Bible appeared in 1827, printed in Paris with endorsements from prominent Orientalists [3]. This edition established Ottoman Turkish as a language of the printed Bible and preceded later translation efforts by American missionaries such as William Schauffler [1][3].

References