العربية / Arabic Bible History (3m)

**List: Arabic Ministry

Holy Bible ( الكتاب المقدس )
Arabic: North African...
MOGREBIN, AFRICAN-MOORISH,
OR WESTERN ARABIC.

"AN attempt has very recently been made to produce a translation of the Scriptures in the Arabic
dialect spoken in all the states of Barbary.   We have no exact statistical account of the amount of
population to whom this idiom is vernacular.   According to the latest authorities, the empire of Morocco
(the largest and most populous of the Barbary States) contains about eight million of inhabitants.
Algeria, which is now a French colony, has a native population of two million.   Adding to these the
estimated population of Tunis and Tripoli, and also vast regions to the south of Morocco, the whole
amount of population to be reached by this dialect may perhaps be estimated at from fifteen to twenty
million.   These millions of inhabitants are principally Moors, and followers of the Moh_mm_dan religion;
but recent experience has shown that they are not inaccessible to the teachers of the Christian faith.
   After some difficulty, arising from the religious scruples of the people.   Dr. Thomson (the agent
of the British and Foreign Bible Society) has succeeded in obtaining a translation of a portion of the
Kor_n into the vernacular dialect of Barbary; the work was executed with much reluctance and hesita-
tion by a Moor, and under the express condition that the fact of his having rendered this assistance
should be kept secret from his countrymen.   The object of this translation was, to enable the learned
to form an accurate judgment concerning the idiomatic difference between this modern Arabic dialect,
and the Arabic of the Kor_n.
   Dr. Thomson subsequently met with a Jew who, like all the other members of his race born in
Barbary, spoke the vernacular of the country, and who also possessed the ability, seldom attained by
the Jews, of writing in the Arabic character.   Dr. Thomson employed him in translating the first
three chapters of Genesis, and afterwards engaged him to produce a version of the entire Book from

the Hebrew, into African Arabic.1   In a letter dated Tetuan, December 1847, Dr. Thomson applied
to the Bible Society for assistance in this undertaking, but it does not appear that his appeal has been
successful.   A portion of St. Luke was printed by the Bible Society in Berber.

1 A portion of this fragment is given above as a specimen, with the corresponding passage from the Arabic Scriptures,

published by the Bible Society."
--1860   S. Bagster   [Info only]

MOGREBIN, AFRICAN-MOORISH, OR WESTERN ARABIC.   THE MOGREBIN VERSION.   MOORISH ARABIC.--1860   S. Bagster   [Info only: Arabic Character   n.d. Genesis 1:1-8 unknown; used Allah.]

MOGREBIN, AFRICAN-MOORISH, OR WESTERN ARABIC.   THE ORDINARY ARABIC.- -1860   S. Bagster   [Info only: Arabic Character   n.d. Genesis 1:1-8 unknown; used Allah.]

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