JUNIUS, FRANgots Du JON, a French scholar and theologian, was born at Bourges, May ist, 1545. Having studied jurisprudence in his native town, he repaired to Lyons, hoping to join there the ambassador whom the king sent to Con stantinople. But he was too late. Having re mained some time in the place, he returned to Bourges. He then repaired to Geneva, with the intention of devoting himself to the study of theo logy. In 1565 Ile became minister of the Walloon Church at Antwerp ; and was afterwards Protes tant pastor at Limbourg, whence he went to Heidelberg, and superintended a small church in the neighbourhood. In 1568 Ile went to the Low Countries, and officiated as chaplain to the Prince of Orange. Returning to his church in the Palati nate, Ile remained there till 1573, when the elector Palatine Frederick III. called him to Heidelberg to work Upon a Latin version of the 0, T. along with Tremellius. In 1578 he was sent to Neustadt, where he taught in the college newly established by the elector, for sixteen months. Repairing thence to Otterbourg, in order to found a Re formed Church, he returned to Neustadt, whence he was called to the chair of theology at Heidel berg. Having been taken to France by the Duke de Bouillon, he was charged by Henry IV. with a mission to Germany. Returning to his native country with the purpose of settling at Bourges, he was requested by the magistrates of Leyden, as he passed through their city, to accept the chair of theology. He died there of the plague, October 13th, 16oz.
Junius was a man of extensive erudition. He was well acquainted with the ancient languages ; and as a theologian, was distinguished by good judgment, moderation, and tolerance. His dispo sition was kindly and benevolent. The number and character of his works shew vast industry and multifarious learning.
His principal work, which he executed in con junction with Tremellius, was his Latin translation of the O. T. It appeared in five parts, the first containing the five books of Moses, Frankfurt 1575, folio ; the second, embracing the historical books, 1576 ; the third, the poetical books, 1579 ; the fourth, the prophets, 1579 ; and the fifth, the Apocryphal books, 1579. After the death of Tremellins, the translation was revised by his colleague and printed at London, 1584, 8vo. In the course of twenty years it passed through twenty editions, and was printed for the last time at Zurich, 1764, 8vo. Junius lived to superintend a third edition, 1596, folio ; but the best is that called the seventh, published in 1624, folio, con taining a good index by Paul Tossanus. The index was published in a volume by itself at Frank furt, 1687, folio, and repeatedly after. The trans lation cannot be called elegant. It is too literal, and is sometimes obscure on that account. It is also disfigured with useless glosses and rabbinical traditions. He wrote besides, Apocalypseos Ana lysis, 1392; Grammatica Lingua Hebrew', 1593, 3d edition ; Acta Apostolorum et epistala 2 S. Paulli ad Corinth. ex Arabica translatione Latine reddita; Procataclema ad V. T. interpretallanem ; Pralectiones 3 priora capita Geneseas ; Expli catio 4 priorun: pahnarum ; Psalmns seu principis Christiani institutio ; Comment. in Eze chielem ; Expositio Danielis ; Lectiones in 7onam ; Sacra Parallela ; Nota in epistolam S. Yuda. His Opera thealagica appeared at Geneva, 1613, 2 vols. folio, containing an autobiography written about 1592, with curious particulars of his life.— S. D.