BIBLIA, THET ÄR ALL THEN HELIGA SKRIFT PÅ SWENSKO, EFTER KONUNG CARL THEN TOLFTES BEFALNING ..

Stockholm, Henric Keysers Tryckerij, 1702 - 1703. Folio [43,4 by 28,5 cm]. [96], 962 pp. + errata leaf + engraved frontispiece + engraved portrait of Karl XII + 5 double-page engraved maps + 3 double-page engraved plates. Engraved vignette on title-page. Title printed in red and black. Pp. 193-4 & 382-3 omitted in pagination.
Contemporary full calf over bevelled wooden boards (possibly by Andreas Höök?, active in Stockholm 1702-1751 and binder to Antikvitetskollegium). Gilt-lettered spine in eight compartments. Gilt filleted covers, the three golden crowns of Sweden in each corner, and Karl XII.s gilt crowned cipher in centre of both covers. Both covers also with a frame of onlaid red leather sticked to the main skin, giving a contrasting mosaic effect. Gauffered edges. Brass clasps.

First edition of the Swedish bible known as Charles XII's Bible. A revised edition of the Bible of 1617-8 (commonly called Gustavus Adolphus Bible).

The general title is dated 1703, and the N.T. title is dated 1702.

"In 1680 J. Gezelius, Bishop of Åbo, mooted the question of a proper revsion of the Bible, and in 1691 King Charles XI appointed a commission to carry this out thoroughly, with reference to the original texts, the Observationes Strengnenses, and Luther's latest revision. The work, however, was not definitely completed in 1697, when the King died. In November, 1697, his successor, Charles XII ordered the revision to be accelerated. But in 1698 the plan of a thoroughgoing revision was abandoned, as it proved too protracted in execution, and Eric Benzelius, then Bishop of Strängnäs and afterwards Archbishop of Uppsala, who had been president of the commission of revisers, was appointed by royal ordinance to take charge of a new edition of the Bible, which appeared in 1702-3.

For this Bible former editions were collated, and chapter-headings, notes, marginal matter etc. were revised, but very few changes were made in the text. It was much more carefully printed than its predecessor, and became the standard edition of the Swedish Bible"(Darlow & Moule).