''Smith's Bible Dictionary'', originally named ''A Dictionary of the Bible'', is a 19th-century

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

dictionary containing upwards of four thousand entries that became named after its editor, William Smith. Its popularity was such that condensed dictionaries appropriated the title, "Smith's Bible Dictionary". The original dictionary was published as a three-volume set in 1863, in London and

Boston, USA Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- most p ...

. This was followed by ''A Concise Dictionary of the Bible'' (1865), intended for the general reader and students, and ''A Smaller Dictionary of the Bible'' (1866), for use in schools. ''A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Bible'' (1868), was published simultaneously in London and New York, and a four-volume ''Dictionary of the Bible'' (1871), was published in Boston, amongst other things incorporating the appendices of the first edition into the main body of the text. In the UK, a corresponding second edition of the first volume in two parts, edited by Smith and J. M. Fuller, was published in 1893. The original publications are now in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

; some derivative, commercial versions are still in copyright. Noted contributors to the dictionary include

Harold Browne Edward Harold Browne (usually called Harold Browne; 6 March 1811 – 18 December 1891) was a bishop of the Church of England. Early life and education Browne was born on 6 March 1811 at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, the second son of Robert ...

, bishop of Ely; Charles J. Ellicott, bishop of Gloucester and Bristol; and the

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

scholars J. B. Lightfoot, William W. Selwyn, and

Brooke Foss Westcott Brooke Foss Westcott (12 January 1825 – 27 July 1901) was an English bishop, biblical scholar and theologian, serving as Bishop of Durham from 1890 until his death. He is perhaps most known for co-editing ''The New Testament in the Orig ...

, who would later become bishop of Durham. One of the American contributors was

George Edward Post George Edward Post (1838–1909) was an American surgeon, academic and botanist. Biography George Edward Post was born in New York City on December 17, 1838, the son of Alfred Charles Post. He was a Professor of Surgery at the Syrian Pro ...

, a medical doctor and botanist (of the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...

(AUB)).Robert E. Thompson.

Editions

*''A Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by William Smith (3 volumes: London, John Murray, 1863). *''A Concise Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by William Smith (London, John Murray, 1865). *''A Smaller Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by William Smith (London, John Murray, 1866). *''A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by Samuel Barnum (New York, Appleton; London, Little Britain, 1868). *''A Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by H. B. Hackett (4 volumes: New York, Hurd and Houghton, 1871). *''A Dictionary of the Bible'', edited by William Smith and J. M. Fuller, 2nd edition (vol. 1 part I, vol. 1 part II: London, John Murray, 1893). *''A Dictionary of the Bible'', revised and edited by Rev. F. N. Peloubet and M. A. Peloubet, "with the latest researches and references to the

Revised Version The Revised Version (RV) or English Revised Version (ERV) of the Bible is a late 19th-century British revision of the King James Version. It was the first and remains the only officially authorised and recognised revision of the King James Versio ...

of the New Testament" (Philadelphia: Porter and Coates, 1884; Reprint: Philadelphia: John C. Winston Co., 1948).

References

External links

''Smith's Bible Dictionary'' – Table of Contents

''Webster's'' 1828, ''Easton'' and ''Smith's Bible Dictionaries'' - Android App

''Webster's'' 1828, ''Easton'' and ''Smith's Bible Dictionaries'' - IOS App
1863 non-fiction books Reference works in the public domain Bible dictionaries {{biblical-studies-stub

Editions

See also

References

External links