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CHAPTER I

The Babylonian Period

The period of Biblical history may be counted as extending from the beginning of written human history, about the first dynasty of Egypt or say 3400 fe.C (or 4200) more or less, until the death of the last of those who figure in the books of the New Testament or say the middle of the second century A.D.

The Biblical story of course, and the Biblical story of libraries in a way, extends from the creation, which is by the "Word," to the last Judgment, which, according to the account, is based on a collection of books. Not all of the events told in the Biblical writings have however yet happened, others, being parables, may never have happened and others, while

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