Jablonski, Paul Ernst

Jablonski, Paul Ernst a distinguished German theologian and philologist, and son of the former Jablonski, was born at Berlin in 1693. He was educated at the University of Frankfort on the Oder, where he acquired such great proficiency in the Coptic as well as other Oriental languages that the government of Prussia sent the young man of twenty-one years, at the expense of the king (in 1714), to visit the principal libraries and high schools of Europe, to perfect himself in his knowledge of the Oriental tongues, and decipher Coptic and other MSS. For this purpose he visited the universities of Oxford, Leyden, and Paris. After his return home he entered the ministry, and was appointed pastor at Liebenberg in 1720. He, however, soon found that his place was in the rostrum rather than in the pulpit, and in 1721 accepted the professorship of philosophy in his alma mater. In 1722 he was honored with the appointment of professor of theology, and shortly after was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Berlin. He died December 14, 1557. Jablonski was one of the most learned of the many who have endeavored to throw light on the language, literature, and antiquities of the Egyptians. His Egyptian Glossary-, which makes the first volume of the Opuscula quibes lingua et antiquitas AEgyptiorums, etc., published by J. S. te Water (Leyden, 1804-10,3 vols. 8vo), is pronounced by Quatremere the most complete work in that department. Another work of great value in this department, and certainly one of the best productions of Jabloniski, is the Pantheon AEgyptiorum sire de diis eoraum commentarius, cume prolegomenis de eligione et theologia Aegyptiorum. (Berlin, 1750-52, 3 vols. 8vo). The other works of especial value, and of interest to our readers, are, Disquisitio de Lingua Lycaonica (Berlin, 1714, 4to; 2nd edition, Utrecht, 1724), an attempt to prove that the language of Lycaonia, mentioned in Ac 14:11, bore no relation to Greek: — Exercitatio historico-theolougica de Nestorianismo, etc. (Berlin, 1724, 8vo; German by Immermann, Magdeburg, 1752, 4to); this work, intended as a defence of Nestorianism, excited great controversy among the German theologians: — Remphan, AEgyptiorums Deus, ab Israelitis deserto cultus (Franefort ad Oder, 1735, 4to): — Disserf. exeg. histor. de Serapi parabolico, ad Mt 12:31 et 32 (Francfort ad Oder, 1736, 4to): — De ultimis Pauli apostoli laboribus a beato Luca pretermissis (Berl. 1746, 4to): — De Memnone Graecorun et AEgyptiorum, hujusque celeberrima in Thebaide statua, Syntagmata III (Frankfurt ad Oder, 1753, 4to): — Institutiones histories Christiance antiquioris (Franefort ad Oder, 1753, 8vo): — Institutiones hist. Christiane recentioris (Francf: 1756, 8vo); the two latter works were published together under the title Inst. Hist. Christiance (Frankfurt ad Oder, 1766,1767,2 vols. 8vo; revised and augmented by E. A. Schulze, id. 1783. 1784. 2 vols. 8vo; 3rd vol. by E. H. D. Stosch, containing the history of the 18th century, idem. 1767, 8vo; revised and completed by A. P. G. Schickedanz, id. 1786, 8vo). See Ersch u. Gruber, Allg. Encyklop.; Hoefer. Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 26:146 sq.: Kitto, Cyclop. of Bib. Lit. s.v.; Herzog, Real-Encyklopadie, s.v.