The first five books of the Old Testament, supposed to be
written by Moses. (Greek, pente, five; teuchos, a book.)
The Chinese Pentateuch.
The five books of Confucius: (1) The Shoo-King, or Book of History; (2) The Lee-King, or Book of Rites; (3) The Book of Odes, or Chinese Homer; (4) The Yih-King, or Book of Changes; and (5) The Chun-Tseu, or Spring and Autumn Annals.
The Samaritan Pentateuch.
A version of the Pentateuch in the Samaritan character. It varies
in some measure from the Jewish version. Not earlier than the fourth,
nor later than the seventh, century. (See Apocrypha: 2 Esdras xiv. 21-48.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
