KROCHMAL, NACHMAN B. SHALMON, born in Brody, Feb. 18, 178o, and died in Tarnopol, July 31, 184o. This erudite critic and eminent Hebraist was the first among the Jews who, with a rare sagacity and independency of mind, investi gated the Hebrew Scriptures, in order to ascertain the origin, unity, and date of each book, as well as to characterise its peculiarity of style and language, irrespective of the fixed traditional opinions held alike by the synagogue and the church about the authors and ages of the respective canonical volumes. He, however, published very little in his lifetime, but immediately after his death four treatises of his appeared in the Hebrew Annual, called lierem Chemed, vol. v., Prag 1841, p. 51 ff., on The Sa cred Antiquities and their import (rip nryn-rp ir-ozrn). On the age of the comforting promises in the second part of Isaiah, chap. xl.-lxvi. ant rrvv, *-1Dn ,r)pnzr., ninnan rwm1), in which he tries to demonstrate the late date of this part of the volume, and to show that Hui Ezra was of the same opinion, only that he veiled it in enigmatical language [1.mq Emq. a'. On the date and compo sition of Ezra and Chronicles, with an investigation of the ancient statement on this subject contained in the Talmud, Baba Bathra, 14, b (Nrvn nal 91, rnpn nrylvip) ; which is very important. Ile
tries to trace and analyse the different parts of which these books are composed, and to shew that they extend to the destruction of the Persian empire. iii. On the date and composition of Ezekiel, the Minor Prophets, Daniel, and Esther, with an examination of the ancient statement on this subject contained in the same passage of the Talmud (xpaz -rvz: rryczn Nrvizz raCri riinto, which is still more important, inasmuch as Krochmal shews here what is meant by the Creat Synagogue, and tries to de monstrate, that some portions of the Minor Pro phets belong to the period of the Greek empire.
iv. On Origin and date of Ecclesiastes (4rip rnrin rrori Int), in which he shews, that it is the latest composition in the canon. The learned Dr. Leopold Zunz, to whom Hebrew scholars are so much indebted for some of the most masterly treatises on Hebrew literature, has edited a work which Krochmal has left behind him, entitled, Afore Neboche Ha-Senzan, Leopoli 185r, which is a trea sury of criticisms on Jewish philosophy, Biblical literature, and sacred antiquities.—C. D. G.