De auctoribus divinorum librorum.
The Authors of the Law and the Prophets
Hugh enumerates the traditional authors of the Pentateuch, historical books, and prophetic writings, distinguishing the major and minor prophets.
Moses wrote the five books of the Law. The book of Joshua is believed to have been written by Joshua himself, whose name it bears as its title. They say Samuel published the book of Judges. Samuel himself wrote the first part of the book of Samuel; the rest, however, all the way to the end, was written by David. Jeremiah first gathered the Kings into a single volume, because previously the material had been scattered throughout the individual histories of each king. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel each produced their own books, which are inscribed with their names. The book of the twelve prophets is also titled under the names of its authors: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These are called the minor prophets because their discourses are brief, so they are contained within a single volume.
The Authors of the Hagiographa
Hugh identifies the authors of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Daniel, Ezra, and Esther, and notes the disputed status of Wisdom.
Isaiah, however, and Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel — these four are the major prophets, each set apart in his own volume. As for the book of Job, some say Moses wrote it, others say one of the prophets, and a number of people believe that Job himself wrote it. David produced the book of Psalms, but Ezra later arranged the psalms into the order they're in now and added the titles. Solomon, for his part, composed Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Daniel was the author of his own book. The book of Ezra is titled after its own author, and within its text the words of that same Ezra and of Nehemiah are both contained. Ezra is believed to have written the book of Esther. The book of Wisdom is nowhere found among the Hebrews, and even its title itself smells more of Greek eloquence.
The Authorship and Canon of Ecclesiasticus
Hugh discusses the Jewish attribution of Wisdom to Philo and then affirms that Ecclesiasticus was composed by Jesus son of Sirach.
Some Jews assert that this book is by Philo. The book of Ecclesiasticus was most certainly composed by Jesus son of Sirach, a Jerusalemite, the grandson of Jesus the great priest, whom Zechariah mentions.
Apocryphal Books of Uncertain Authorship
Hugh notes that Ecclesiasticus is classed among the apocrypha and that the authorship of Judith, Tobit, and Maccabees is uncertain, with Jerome indicating their Greek character.
This book is found among the Hebrews, but it is classed among the apocrypha. As for Judith and Tobit and the books of the Maccabees — whose authors, as Jerome testifies, are shown to be more likely Greek — it is by no means certain by which authors they were written.
Read the original Latin
Quinque libros legis Moyses scripsit. libri Iosue, idem Iosue, cuius nomine inscribitur, auctor fuisse creditur. librum Iudicum a Samuele editum dicunt. primam partem libri Samuel ipse Samuel scripsit, sequentia vero usque ad calcem, David. malachim Ieremias primum in unum volumen collegit, nam antea sparsus erat per singulorum regum historias. Isaias, Ieremias, Ezechiel, singuli suos libros fecerunt qui inscripti sunt nominibus eorum. liber etiam duodecim prophetarum auctorum suorum nominibus praenotatur, quorum nomina sunt Osee, Ioel, Amos, Abdias, Ionas, Michaeas, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophonias, Aggaeus, Zacharias et Malachias. qui propterea minores dicuntur, quia sermones eorum breves sunt, unde et uno volumine comprehenduntur.
Isaias autem et Ieremias et Ezechiel et Daniel, hi quattuor maiores sunt singuli suis voluminibus distincti. librum Iob, alii Moysen, alii unum ex prophetis, nonnulli ipsum Iob scripsisse credunt. librum Psalmorum David edidit, Esdras autem postea Psalmos ita ut nunc sunt ordinavit et titulos addidit. Parabolas autem et Ecclesiastem et Cantica canticorum Salomon composuit. Daniel sui libri auctor fuit. liber Esdrae auctoris sui titulo praenotatur, in cuius textu eiusdem Esdrae Nehemiaeque sermones pariter continentur. librum Esther Esdras creditur conscripsisse. liber Sapientiae apud Hebraeos nusquam est, unde et ipse titulus Graecam magis eloquentiam redolet.
hunc quidam Iudaei Philonis esse affirmant. librum Ecclesiasticum certissime Iesus filius Sirac Ierusolymita, nepos Iesu sacerdotis magni, cuius meminit Zacharias, composuit. hic apud Hebraeos reperitur, sed inter apocryphos habetur. Iudith vero et Tobi et libri Machabaeorum, quorum, ut testatur Hieronymus, secundus magis Graecus esse probatur, quibus auctoribus scripti sint minime constat.
Didascalicon de Studio Legendi (On the Study of Reading) companion
Hugh said begin with small daily portions. Start tomorrow.
Chosen Portion serves one short, ordered devotional reading each day — the medieval lectio pattern, free on iOS.
Hugh taught that formation comes from ordered, incremental daily reading, and Chosen Portion is that ordered daily portion delivered to your phone.
- A curated daily portion in 2-3 minutes, no decision fatigue about what to read
- Progress through complete historic works in order, the way Hugh prescribed
- Free app plus a weekly email unpacking one reading in depth