World's Oldest Hebrew Bible Set To Be Auctioned For $50 Million

A Hebrew Bible, that dates back more than 1,100 years, is expected to be sold at an auction, according to a report in The Guardian. The ninth-century book is called the Codex Sassoon and is considered to be a critical link between the Dead Sea scrolls and the Bible of today, the outlet further reported. It is the earliest and most complete Hebrew Bible ever discovered. News agency Reuters reported that the book is set to go on display before it heads to auction in May.

Sotheby's, which will hold the auction of the Hebrew Bible, said pre-sale estimate is between $30 million and $50 million. 

"(It) is undeniably one of the most important and singular texts in human history," said Richard Austin, Sotheby's global head of books and manuscripts. 

The Codex Sassoon is one of only two codices, or manuscripts, containing all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible to have survived into the modern era.

It is substantially more complete than the Aleppo Codex and older than the Leningrad Codex, two other famous early Hebrew Bibles, Sotheby's said.

The Guardian said that the Hebrew Bible is composed of 24 books divided into three parts and is the foundation of Judaism and other Abrahamic faiths.

In Christianity, the texts are referred to as the Old Testament and are incorporated into the biblical canon. Islam also holds the stories of the Hebrew Bible in special regard, with many of them included in the Qur'an and other significant works of Islamic literature.

Sotheby's said the Bible always held a prominent place in Sassoon's collection, but it was only recently scientifically studied and carbon dated by the current owner, whom the auction house declined to name.