at Marburg and the newly-founded university of Herborn, at the latter of
which C. Olevian (1536-1587) and J.P. Piscator (1546-1625) had been
appointed professors of theology. At a later date Piscator received the
assistance of Buxtorf in the preparation of his Latin translation of the
Old Testament, published at Herborn in 1602-1603. From Herborn Buxtorf went
to Heidelberg, and thence to Basel, attracted by the reputation of J.J.
Grynaeus and J.G. Hospinian (1515-1575). After a short residence at Basel
he studied successively under H.B. Bullinger (1504-1575) at Zuerich and Th.
Beza at Geneva. On his return to Basel, Grynaeus, desirous that the
services of so promising a scholar should be secured to the university,
procured him a situation as tutor in the family of Leo Curio, son of
Coelius Secundus Curio, well-known for his sufferings on account of the
Reformed faith. At the instance of Grynaeus, Buxtorf undertook the duties
of the Hebrew chair in the university, and discharged them for two years
with such ability that at the end of that time he was unanimously appointed
to the vacant office. From this date (1591) to his death in 1629 he
remained in Basel, and devoted himself with remarkable zeal to the study of
Hebrew and rabbinic literature. He received into his house many learned
Jews, that he might discuss his difficulties with them, and he was
frequently consulted by Jews themselves on matters relating to their
ceremonial law. He seems to have well deserved the title which was
conferred upon him of "Master of the Rabbins." His partiality for Jewish
society brought him, indeed, on one occasion into trouble with the
authorities of the city, the laws against the Jews being very strict.
Nevertheless, on the whole, his relations with the city of Basel were
friendly. He remained firmly attached to the university which first
recognized his merits, and declined two invitations from Leiden and Saumur
successively. His correspondence with the most distinguished scholars of
the day was very extensive; the library of the university of Basel contains
a rich collection of letters, which are valuable for a literary history of
the time.

WORKS.--_Manuale Hebraicum et Chaldaicum_ (1602; 7th ed., 1658); _Synagoga
Judaica_ (1603 in German; afterwards translated into Latin in an enlarged
form), a valuable repertory of information regarding the opinions and
ceremonies of the Jews; _Lexicon Hebraicum et Chaldaicum cum brevi Lexico
Rabb