Dedication (to Gracia Nasi): Ferrara Bible

In Ferrara, Italy, where many conversos fleeing the Iberian Peninsula found refuge, the first full Spanish translation of the Old Testament in Latin characters was published by the translator Abraham ben Solomon Usque and typographer Yom Tob ben Levi Athias (who also funded the endeavor). The translation, intended largely for New Christians who wanted to revert to Judaism but lacked a knowledge of Hebrew, drew heavily on Spanish Jewish translation traditions, thus creating a bridge between the past in Spain and contemporary reality. This Bible, which was reprinted in numerous editions, influenced later Spanish translations of the Bible, was used in many Jewish communities—especially in the Netherlands—and was quoted
by Christian scholars. However, some criticized the translation and its language, particularly the literal translations that closely replicated the Hebrew syntax without regard for Spanish sentence structure. Two versions were printed, one for Jewish audiences, dedicated to Doña Gracia Nasi, the financier of this press, and the other, with a dedication to the Duke of Ferrara, intended for a Christian audience.