1850 MOSES STUART. A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. First Edition by Hebrew Scholar.

Rare first edition of an important work by Hebrew scholar, Moses Stuart (1780–1852). Stuart was one of the most important biblical scholars in 19th-century America, and his commentary on Daniel was a landmark.

Most significantly, Stuart broke with the dominant tradition of conservative Protestant interpretation by arguing that the Book of Daniel was written during the Maccabean period (around 165 BCE) rather than during the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE. This placed him in agreement with critical European scholars, particularly those of the emerging German historical-critical school, and made his commentary a bold and somewhat controversial contribution to American biblical scholarship.

His willingness to engage seriously with questions of historical authorship and dating was significant because it helped introduce rigorous critical methods to an American audience that had largely been resistant to them. Stuart was deeply familiar with German scholarship and served as a conduit between European critical traditions and American theological education, particularly through his long tenure at Andover Theological Seminary.

At the same time, Stuart was not a theological radical. He tried to balance critical historical conclusions with orthodox Christian faith, arguing that accepting a later date for Daniel did not necessarily undermine the book's spiritual authority or its place in the canon. This made his work a kind of middle ground — unsatisfying to strict conservatives who rejected critical methods entirely, but also distinct from the more thoroughgoing skepticism of some European scholars.

His commentary thus represents a pivotal moment in American biblical studies, reflecting the tension between traditional faith and the rising tide of historical criticism that would come to define much of 19th and 20th-century theological debate.

Very faint early ownership inscription of Rev. W. H. Eaton, Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society during the mid-19th century. 

Stuart, Moses. A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. Boston. Crocker & Brewster. 1850. First edition. 496pp.

Overall good +. Unusually well preserved textually. Some fading to spine as shown, minor chips at corners and extremities of spine. Content exceptionally crisp and clean with only very slightest traces of foxing.