BONFRÈRE, JACQUES. - A Belgian Jesuit, born at Dinant on 12 April 1573, died at Tournai on 9 May 1642. A worthy disciple of Cornelius a Lapide, he first taught philosophy and theology, then Sacred Scripture and Hebrew. He is counted among the best exegetes of his time, both for his commentaries and for his collateral biblical works.
Principal writings: *Pentateuchus Moysis commentario illustratus* (Antwerp 1625), preceded by some *Praelogia*; *Josue, Judices, Ruth, commentario illustrati* (Paris 1631); *Onomasticon urbium et locorum Sacrae Scripturae* (ibid. 1631). Some observations in the *Praelogia* concerning the possibility of subsequent inspiration for the books of the Bible, the multiplicity of the literal sense, and the possibility of increasing the number of books regarded by the Church as inspired, gave rise to sharp controversies and cannot be admitted.