The first theory is based upon the Letter of Aristeas , otherwise called Pseudo-Aristeas. Demetrius, the chief librarian of Ptolemy II BC , suggested to the king that he add the Jewish Law to his famous and expansive collection of books. The king was persuaded, and envoys headed to Palestine.
Seventy-two translators were sent by the high priest in Jerusalem to Ptolemy along with Torah scrolls from the Temple. After a fruitful meeting with the king, the translators were escorted off to comfortable quarters on an island.
Seventy-two days later the translators emerged with their work, which was completely without error and in total agreement. The Jewish people in the area rejoiced and accepted it as divine scripture, and the translators were sent home bearing gifts.
Demetrius, the chief librarian, had been banished two years before the events, although Swete thinks he may have still influenced the decision prior to his departure. In light of this and other questions, many scholars today believe that Aristeas is extremely unreliable, 21 due to historical inaccuracies and the apologetic nature of the letter.
Responses to the charges of inaccuracy and unreliability have been answered in a number of ways. First, it is evident that Ptolemy wished to include in the royal library at Alexandria copies of all the books known to the world. Although there are strong arguments in favor of attributing various levels of historical reliability to Aristeas, the evidence should be secondary to a primary reliance upon the LXX itself.
He begins with internal evidence in the actual text of the LXX, 27 and then considers evidence from Aristeas and other external sources. The motivation for diaspora Jews to have the scriptures in their vernacular was strong.
The situations that arose from the Babylonian exile on, required the practice of Targum. Collins, however, sharply disputes the theory of Jewish demand. The shape in which the original translation of the Septuagint took form, is another debated issue.
Were there more versions circulating prior to the establishment of the text as we now have it, or did the Septuagint originate in one version? Kahle agreed with most scholars that the translation of the Pentateuch originated in Alexandria but that the historicity of Aristeas was flawed. He was unique, however, in positing that the work done in Alexandria was not a translation, but a revision of a previous work.
Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Ancient History and Latin Expert. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. Updated January 13, Featured Video. There are numerous examples where the writers of the New Testament follow the Septuagint translation rather than the Hebrew text. Four examples will suffice: 1 For Genesis , where the Hebrew text says 'Israel worshipped as he leaned on top of his bed,' it is rendered 'on top of his staff' in the Septuagint and Hebrews Here the Septuagint translators are explaining the metaphor, not just in terms of the ear, but in terms of the whole body of the LORD's servant listening and obeying the LORD's command.
Limitations of the Septuagint The Orthodox Church argues that the Septuagint is more accurate than the Hebrew Bible and should be used in Bible translation. However, it is good to be aware of some of the Septuagint's limitations. The Septuagint of Job is about a sixth shorter than the traditional Hebrew text of the Bible known as the Masoretic Text.
The missing portions were supplied from the Greek version of Theodotion. The Septuagint of Jeremiah is about an eighth shorter than the Masoretic Text, repeated passages are cut out and the order is changed. Furthermore, the Septuagint often preserves different numbers, e.
So, perhaps for all the plaudits the Septuagint supposedly received from Ptolemy II, it should come as no great surprise that the Septuagint did not receive a universally favorable reception among the Jews: 'That day was as ominous for Israel as the day on which the golden calf was made since the Law could not be accurately translated' Mesechet Sopherim [Tractate for Scribes] 1.
Ultimate Significance of the Septuagint It was the adoption of the Septuagint by the early Church that was the biggest factor in its eventual abandonment by the Jews. The Septuagint's use of parthenos, meaning 'virgin' in Isaiah to describe the mother of the promised son Immanuel, was used by Matthew as evidence for Yeshua's virgin birth. Like any translation the Septuagint has its limitations, but it was the first translation of any part of the Hebrew Bible into another language, so its place in world history is assured.
Furthermore, its use as the version of the Old Testament most frequently used by the writers of the New Testament only serves to further enhance its significance. Join us in our mission! No matter what your level of interest, from keeping abreast of the fascinating research that comes out of the field work, to actively participating in an archaeological dig, you can become an integral part of our ministry.
Research Topics. King David and Solomon: Men or Myths? Supersessionist theology argues that Christians have replaced Jews as the people of God, and often refers to the quotation of Jeremiah in Hebrews ; but how ought these texts to be understood? Jesus' virgin birth as described in the Gospel of Matthew is based in part on a mistranslation of Isa The Hebrew designation for the book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, a book of instruction and proverbs.
Literally, "second canon"; refers to texts accepted by Catholics and Eastern Orthodox as sacred scripture, but not included in the Hebrew Bible. Not to be confused with Apocrypha, which include noncanonical works. Hebrew is regarded as the spoken language of ancient Israel but is largely replaced by Aramaic in the Persian period.
An early second-century B. Jewish document considered part of the Pseudepigrapha and dealing mostly with the circumstances and rationale for the creation of the Septuagint, a Hellenistic Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. Shorthand title for the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures fabled to have been completed by 70 translators LXX is 70 rendered in roman numerals.
Relating to the Masoretes, a group of medieval scribes who preserved and transmitted the written Hebrew text of the Bible. A collection of first-century Jewish and early Christian writings that, along with the Old Testament, makes up the Christian Bible.
Also called the Hebrew Bible, those parts of the canon that are common to both Jews and Christians. The designation "Old Testament" places this part of the canon in relation to the New Testament, the part of the Bible canonical only to Christians.
Because the term "Old Testament" assumes a distinctly Christian perspective, many scholars prefer to use the more neutral "Hebrew Bible," which derives from the fact that the texts of this part of the canon are written almost entirely in Hebrew.
0コメント