The Septuagint

The Septuagint

English Junior A Beverly

Nick

Evan

Senior A Sylvia

Outline

• Introduction

• Why was the Bible translated?

• Septuagint vs. Masoretic text, and Apocrypha

• The importance of the Septuagint

Introduction

The Septuagint(LXX)

• The Septuagint derives its name from Latin Interpretatio septuaginta virorum, "translation of the seventy interpreters.“

• The Septuagint is called for short--LXX

L=50, X=10; LXX=50+20=70• Septuagint is the Koine Greek version of the

Hebrew Bible.• It had been translated in stages between the 3rd

and 2nd Centuries BCE in Alexandria.

• The oldest of several ancient translations of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean Basin from the time of Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE).

• Of significance for all Christians and for Bible scholars, the LXX is quoted by the New Testament and by the Apostolic Fathers.

Creation of the Septuagint

• Jewish scholars first translated the

Torah into Koine Greek in the third century BC.

• According to the record in the Talmud,

“King Ptolemy once gathered 72 Elders…”

>>> “Write for me the Torah of Moshe, your teacher.' God put it in the heart of each one to translate identically as all the others did.”

>>>Legendary--The Letter of Aristeas

• Further books were translated over the next two centuries.

• The quality and style of the different translators also varied considerably from book to book, from the literal to paraphrasing to interpretative.

Why the Bible was translated?

Background: The Septuagint has its

origin in Alexandria, Egypt and was

translated between 300-200 BC. (so-

called Hellenistic civilization)

Affect: The Greek became the mainstream of

language>>> many Jews lose their Hebrew

language

Other reasons:

A. To protect their believe from being destroyed

B. The process of translating the Hebrew to Greek also gave many non-Jews a glimpse into Judaism.

C. The translation of the Bible can also be a tool to introduce the history of Jews, the law of Jews, making it easier to convey their religion to those non-Jews.

To conclude, the Septuagint is the first translation version of the Hebrew Bible, the contribution of it is great to the world.

Septuagintvs. Masoretic text (Jewish Bible)

Relationship between the Septuagint and the Masoretic text

The differences between the LXX and the MT

• Different Hebrew sources for the MT and the LXX.

• Differences in interpretation

• Differences as a result of idiomatic translation issues

• Transmission changes in Hebrew or Greek

Genesis 1:2, LXX (Brenton English portion)

But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water.

Genesis 1:2, LXX (KJB)

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The differences between the LXX and the MT

• Different Hebrew sources for the MT and the LXX.

• Differences in interpretation

• Differences as a result of idiomatic translation issues

• Transmission changes in Hebrew or Greek

Genesis 4:7, LXX (Brenton English portion)

If you offer correctly but do not divide correctly, have you not sinned? Be still; his recourse is to you, and you will rule over him.

Genesis 4:7, LXX (KJB)

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.

The differences between the LXX and the MT

• Different Hebrew sources for the MT and the LXX.

• Differences in interpretation

• Differences as a result of idiomatic translation issues

• Transmission changes in Hebrew or Greek

The hidden books--Apocrypha

Fake? Evil? Or other meangings behind?

The importance of the Septuagint

• Translation

I. First step

II. From the Sociological view

III. To Jews

• Effects on the Bible as literature

The New Testament

• study the Septuagint

I. Hebrew Scriptures

II. Hebrew grammar and word meanings

III. The earliest commentary