Joshua: Commentary

Codex Vaticanus (fourth century CE) includes the oldest, and probably the most important, complete copy of the Greek translation of the biblical book of Joshua (or Jesus, in Greek). The translation had been made in the second century BCE from a Hebrew version of Joshua which differed at many points from the Hebrew text now familiar to us. It was mostly rather literal; and, where it appears surprisingly free, it is often inviting attention to relevant passages in the books of Moses. What the first scribe of the Codex wrote is transcribed uncorrected. The deliberately literal rendering into English on facing pages provides ready access to alternative forms of the many proper names in Joshua. The commentary discusses both translation and exegetical technique.