World’s oldest Hebrew Bible headed for auction

Sotheby’s London says the oldest and most complete Hebrew Bible will be displayed in London next week before auction in May. The so-called Codex Sassoon is named after previous owner David Solomon Sassoon, who acquired the manuscript in 1929. Sotheby’s estimates the 1,000-year-old book could sell for up to $50 million, which would make it the most valuable printed text ever sold at auction. After being shown in London, the book will be exhibited in Tel Aviv, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York, where the auction will be held.

What’s the difference between the Hebrew and Christian Bibles? The Hebrew Bible, known as the Tanakh, consists of 24 books, which are also part of the Christian Bible’s Old Testament. The Tanakh is organized into three sections: the Torah, the Nevi’im, and the Ketuvim.

Dig deeper: Listen to Paul Butler’s story on The World and Everything in It podcast about a lead tablet that bolsters early Biblical accounts.