Bible Encyclopedias
Esquimaux Version of the Scriptures

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Espy, T.B., D.D.

Next Entry
Esril

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

The Esquimaux are a people dispersed over the northern coast of North America, inhabiting the shores of all the seas, bays, gulfs, and islands of the Arctic Ocean, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They are also found on the Atlantic side of the continent, along the coast of Labrador, as far south as the fiftieth degree of latitude; and are likewise to be met with on the opposite coast of America, along the shores of the Pacific, from Behring Strait to Mount St. Elias, in the sixtieth degree of latitude. Moravian missionaries were the first who proclaimed the glad tidings of the Gospel in these inclement regions. The first part of the New Test. which was published in that language was the gospel of John, and three years later, in 1813, the British and Foreign Bible Society published the other three gospels. Other parts soon followed, till in 1826 the entire New Test. was given to that benighted people. Of the Old Test. different parts were published from time to time, till in 1871 the entire Bible was printed for the Esquimaux. The language has been treated in modern times by Kleinschmidt, in Grammatik der gromlandischen Spriache (Berlin, 1871). (See GREENLANDISH VERSION). (B.P.)