THE SEPTUAGINT

英四 C 許施敏 Tina

英三 B 田偲妤 Sally

英三 B 廖曼淇 Mandy

英三 B 陳侃茵 Anteia

英三 B 翁良權 Ben

Outline

1. Historical background

2. The definition of the Septuagint

3. The importance of the Septuagint

4. The influence of the Septuagint

Historical Background

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE SEPTUAGINT

• Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 331 BC, and established the empire in the lands of Israel.

• Greek became one of the common languages in the Mediterranean world.

LOCATION

• The Ptolemy, the Seleucids, and the Pergamon kingdoms

• The primary language of the Jews in Alexandria, Egypt was Greek.

Produced in Alexandria, Egypt

The Definition of the Septuagint

The Letter of Aristeas

1. This document revealed much information about the Septuagint.

2. This document was written by a Hellenistic Jew in the mid

second century BC.

3. This document mentioned about how the translation of the Septuagint was done, and the reasons for it, and the circumstances.

4. This document claimed that the Septuagint was even

more authoritative than the Hebrew one.

Septuagint (LXX) = “translation of the seventy interpreters”

1. What- Greek translation of the Old Testament

2. When- 300-200 BC.

(The Greek King of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus)

3. Who - 70-72 Jewish scholars

4. Where- Alexandria, Egypt

5. Why- a. Many Jews were beginning to lose their Hebrew

language.

b. Greek was a common language at the time.

6. How- • Many early Christians, spoke and read Greek, relied

on the Septuagint to understand the Old Testament.

b. The New Testament writers quoted directly from the Septuagint.

c. Whenever Christianity spread, translations of the Hebrew Scriptures were made based on the Septuagint.

The Importance of the Septuagint

• The disciple Philip explained a passage that was read from the Septuagint.

• The apostle Paul often quoted from the Septuagint.

The importance of the Septuagint1. The oldest and the most important of all the versions (of

Bible translations) made by the Jews in Egypt.

2. The key to understand the Greek of the New Testament

3. Provide the earliest commentary on Hebrew text

4. Quoted by the New Testament

5. Shed light on translation debates

6. Know the different interpretations between Hebrew and Greek Old Testament

The Influence of the Septuagint

The reinterpretation

• behold, a “virgin” shall conceive. • behold, a “young woman” shall conceive.

• I desire “mercy” and not sacrifice. • I desire “goodness” and not sacrifice.

• He gave them “bread” out of heaven to eat.• He gave them “food” or “grain” from heaven.

The writing style

1. Idioms and vocabulary

ex: Nephilim Gegenes

2. Hellenistic sources and thoughts

Thank you for your attention