Maunder, E. W., F.R.A.S. ‘The Astronomy of the Bible: an Elementary Commentary on the Astronomical References of Holy Scripture – With Thirty-Four Illustrations’ Third Edition – Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1909[1].
Original pictorially gilt-stamped cloth. [1 leaf] + [frontis.] + [2] + [1 leaf] + [pp. vii-xvi] + [plate] + [pp. 3-24] + [plate] + [pp. 25-46] + [plate] + [pp. 49-92] + [plate] + [pp. 95-100] + [plate] + [pp. 103-8] + [plate] + [pp. 111-126] + [plate] + [pp. 129-146] + [plate] + [pp. 149-226] + [plate] + [pp. 229-266] + [illustration] + [pp. 269-316] + [plate] + [pp. 319-320] + [plate] + [pp. 323-348] + [illustration] + [pp. 351-400] + [pp. 401-4 of tables] + [pp. 405-10] + [Imprimatur]
[1] According to library records, both the first and second editions were published in 1908 and of the same overall length. The preface retains the date of January 1908; and the author’s note to the third edition indicates that the second was published four months after the first. The author indicates the alteration of a few paragraphs in the present edition, “where it seemed desirable to bring forward new information”
About this Book Scan
The Astronomy of the Bible by Edward Walter Maunder (1851-1928) is likely to be of interest to students of Bible astrology and Biblical allusions to astronomy and astrology in general.
Maunder was not an astrologer but an astronomer who studied sunspots. The Maunder Minimum was named after him. His allegiance to the astronomical community, which in modern times has tended to be opposed to astrology, perhaps explains why he chose to call his book The Astronomy of the Bible and not The Astrology of the Bible.
Our full-colour scan is taken from the original printing of the 1909 third edition in our library. This followed on from first and second editions printed in 1908. It is not known whether there are any material differences between the first three editions of whether the work simply outsold initial expectations and was therefore reprinted twice in close succession.