The Septuagint: (Understanding the Bible and Its World)

About the Book

Jennifer Dines provides an introductory survey of current scholarship on the Greek Bible - the Septuagint. She outlines its origins in the third to first centuries BCE, going on to trace its subsequent history to the fifth century CE. The Septuagint's relationship with the standard Hebrew text and its translational characteristics are examined, as is its value as a collection with its own literary and exegetical character.

The Septuagint is shown to be an important source for biblical studies (both Old and New Testament), to make a distinctive contribution to the history of biblical interpretation, and to be of considerable interest for understanding the early development of both Judaism and Christianity.

Table of Contents:
Contents; Preface; Resources; Abbreviations; 1. What is 'the Septuagint'?; Terminology; Scope of the Term in Antiquity; Scope of the Term in Contemporary Usage; Primary Sources: Manuscripts and Editions; The Earlist Jewish Manuscripts; The Earliest Christian Manuscripts; Printed Editions; Secondary Sources the Christian Versions; The Old Latin; The Coptic; The Content of the Septuagint; Differences between Hebrew and Greek Order; The Individual Books of the Septuagint; The Pentateuch; The Histories; The Poetical Books; The Prophets; Summary; Further Reading; 2. Origins: Facts and Fictions; Introduction; The Letter of Aristeas; Outline of Content; Relevance to the Septuagint; Aristobulus; Sources; Aristobulus on the Septuagint; Earlier Versions of the Septuagint?; Relationship between Aristobulus and The Letter of Aristeas; Aristobulus in Context; Further Reading; 3. Origins: Questions and Issues; Dating, Location and Purpose: The Translation of the Pentateuch; The Translation of the Prophets and the Writings; The Septuagint as a Whole: Theories and Questions: The 'Texts for Worship' Hypothesis; The 'Texts for Study' Hypothesis; The Question of the Septuagint Further Reading; 4. The Status of the Septuagint: from Philo to Jerome; Introduction; Philo of Alexandria (c.20 BCE-c.50 CE); Philo on the Making of the Septuagint; Special Features in Philo's Account; Philo on the 'Inspiration' of the Septuagint; A Defence of the Septuagint?; Josephus (37-c.100 CE); Continuation of the Septuagint Legends in Judaism; Rabbinic Sources and the Septuagint; Continuation of the Septuagint Legends in Christianity; The Defence of the Septuagint; The Septuagint and Jewish Alternatives; Augustine and Jerome; Further Reading; 5. Textual Developments to the Fifth Century CE; The Jewish Versions; The kaige Revision; 'Theodotion'; Aquila; Symmachus; Other Jewish Versions; Christian Use of the Versions; The Christian Recensions; The 'Hesychian Recension'; The Hexaplaric Recension; The Lucianic (Antiochian) Recension; Further Reading; 6. Language and Style; Introduction; The Septuagint and Koine Greek; The Septuagint's First Readers; Summary; Translation Technique; 'Literal' and 'Free' Translations; Conclusion; Further Reading; 7. The Use of the Septuagint: from the Beginnings to the Present; Day; The LXX and the MT: Interpreting the Differences; Identifying Distinctive Theological Elements; Jewish and Christian Reception History: Early Jewish Interpretation; Hellenistic Jewish Authors; Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha; Philo and Josephus; Early Christian Interpretation; Influence of the Septuagint on New Testament Interpretation; Patristic Use of the Septuagint; The Influence of the Septuagint on Biblical Interpretation; Issues in the Patristic Use of the Septuagint; Modern Interest in the Septuagint; The Septuagint and Textual Criticism; Modern Translations; The Septuagint as Christian Scripture; The Septuagint as Jewish Scripture; The Septuagint and Hellenistic Culture; Furt

About the Author :
Jennifer Dines is Research Associate in the AHRB Parkes Centre Project, "The Greek Bible in the Graeco-Roman World." She is also a member of the Strasburg-based team preparing the Amos volume of the 'Bible d'Alexandrie'.

Review :
'An accessible but scholarly handbook on the Greek translation of the Bible, complete with a chapter on the use of the LXX in exegesis, bibliography and indexes. Bery informative and up to date.'   ~ Taken from review in International Review of Biblical Studies, Vol. 51:2004/05 'If you are looking for a comprehensive introduction to the Septuagint, this book is just that. It guides the reader around all of the basic issues of the formation and interpretation of that text...Dines guides the reader through the subjects with enormous clarity...layout also makes consultation the text on specific subjects a quick and painless exercise. Dines writing is very readable, making the process of understanding a fairly complicated subject relatively pleasureable...It is also concise, in that she explains a great deal quite clearly in little space...an excellent introduction to the Septuagint and guide to modern study of that text...For the serious student of biblical studies and for anyone involved in research on biblical texts at a postgraduate level, this book is a must-have. Reading it will give a good grounding in the area, and it is a great little volume to have on the shelves to consult.' "The Septuagint or early Greek translation of the Old Testament has lacked a good, current introduction until recently. The strength of Dr. Dines's introduction is its thoroughness, compactness, and readability. The user-friendly layout, with sub-headings and sections clearly indicated, and the detailed table of contents and indexes all make this an easy volume to read and also to consult and refer to for the answer to specific questions. It has one of the most comprehensive discussions on Septuagint origins that I have seen. The treatment of topics, even the controversial ones, is balanced and judicious. I do not believe the student can do better for a guide to the Septuagint, and working biblical scholars and even Septuagint specialists will also want it on their bookshelf." —Lester L. Grabbe, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism, University of Hull 'Dines is to be congratulated on producing a readable introduction to a complex field of study. Each chapter is followed by a page of further reading, which not only provides good advice on where to go next, it also acts as a guide to contemporary discussion. She is very even handed.' ~ Steve Moyise, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 27.5 "Her summary of scholarly positions is good and her criticisms even better...this enjoyable introduction by a highly qualified and well-balanced LXX scholar will fill a need. The work contains three handy indices and a seventeen-page bibliography, and for use as a textbook it has the added attraction of the Hebrew and Greek always being transliterated...it will serve not only as an introductory guide for Septuagint courses proper, but due to its small size it can easily be used as a secondary text in courses on Hellenistic Judaism, New Testament/Christian origins." -Review of Biblical Literature, June 2005 'One of the primary benefits of Dine's book is that the arguments for each of the respective viewpoints are articulated fairly and objectively...Dine's book is especially useful in explaining difficulties arising in textual criticism of the LXX and understanding possible translation techniques...The Septuagint serves as a positive introduction to the issues of the LXX translation and origin, while being helpful in pointing towards area of further study.' Themelios, Vol 31, Issue 2, January 2006     'This is a sure-footed, readable, user-friendly introduction to its subject.' John Goldingay, Theology