JAHN, JOHANN. - Exegete and orientalist, b. at Tasswitz (Moravia) on 18 June 1750, d. at Vienna on 16 Aug. 1816. A Premonstratensian (1772), he was professor at Olmütz (1774), then (1789) of Oriental studies, introduction to the Old Testament, and archaeology at Vienna, where in 1803 he was also entrusted with the chair of dogma. Although possessed of broad and select learning, J. had to be removed from his chair because of his overly free opinions, tending toward rationalism.
Principal works: Hebräische Grammatik (1792; 1799, with vocabulary; 1809, enlarged in Latin); Aranäische Grammatik (1793); Arabische Grammatik (1796); Chaldaic (1800) and Arabic (1802) chrestomathies; Lexicon Arabicolatinum (1802); Biblia Hebraica (4 vols., 1806); Einleitung in die göttlichen Schriften des Alten Bundes (5 vols., 1792; 2nd ed. 1802-1803), of which a Latin compendium appeared (1804; 2nd ed. 1814; on the Index, decree of 26 Aug. 1822); Biblische Archäologie (5 vols., 1797-1804; 2nd ed. 1817-25) with a Latin compendium (1805; 2nd ed. 1814; on the Index, decree of 26 Aug. 1822); Enchiridion hermeneuticae generalis (1812-13) and Appendix hermen. (1813-15; both on the Index, decree of 26 Aug. 1822); Nachträge zu seinen Werken (1821).