BAR-HEBRAEUS or ABU'L-FARAJ (1226-86), a maphrian or catholicus of the Jacobite (Monophysite) Church, he wrote in Syriac and Arabic numerous and elaborate treatises on theol ogy, philosophy, science and history. The son of a physician of Jewish descent, Bar-Hebraeus was born at Malatiah on the upper Euphrates. In 1246 he was ordained at Tripolis as Jacobite bishop of Gubas near Malatiah, and a year later was transferred to the neighbouring diocese of Lakabhin, whence in 1253 he passed to be bishop of Aleppo. In 1264 he was promoted by the patriarch Ignatius III. to be maphrian—the next rank below that of patriarch. It is mainly as an historian that Bar-Hebraeus interests the modern student. His great historical work—the Syriac Chronicle—is made up of three parts. The first' is a history of secular events from the creation to his own time, and in its later portions gives valuable information regarding the history of south-east Europe and western Asia. A compendium in Arabic of this secular history was made by Bar-Hebraeus under the title al-Mukhtasar fi'd-Duwal (Compendious History of the Dynasties). The second and third parts' of the Chronicle deal with the history of the church, the second being mainly con cerned with the patriarchate of Antioch, and the third with the eastern branch of the Syrian Church. Of special value to theolo gians is the Ausar Rdze (Storehouse of Secrets), a critical and doctrinal commentary on the text of the Scriptures, see J. Gotts berger, Bar-Hebrdus and seine Scholien zur heiligen Schri f t (Freiburg i. B. Igoo).
See W. Wright's Syriac Literature, p. 268-281. Bar-Hebraeus's more important works are:-(i) Kethdbhd dhe-Bhabhatha (Book of the Pupils of the Eyes) , a treatise on logic or dialectics; (2) Hewath Hekhmetha (Butter of Wisdom), an exposition of the whole philosophy of Aristotle; (3) Sulldka Haunanayc (Ascent of the Mind), a treatise on astronomy and cosmography, edited and translated by F. Nau (1899) ; (4) various medical works; (5) Kethdbhd dhe-Semhe (Book of Rays) , a treatise on grammar; (6) ethical works; (7) poems; (8) Kethabhd dhe-Thunndye Meghahhekhane (Book of Entertaining Stories) , edited and translated by E. A. W. Budge (1897)•