T&T Clark Companion to the Septuagint

by James K. Aitken

Publisher:

Bloomsbury

, 2015

Overview

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and the Scriptures read by early Christians. Septuagint studies have been a growth field in the past twenty years. It has become an area of interest not only for textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible but as a product of Judaism in the Graeco-Roman world. It is even being utilized occasionally by scholars of Greek religion. At the same time renewed interest in the daughter versions (Syriac, Vulgate, Ethiopic, Coptic etc.) has thrown new attention onto the Septuagint.

The T&T Clark Companion to the Septuagint provides a cutting-edge survey of scholarly opinion on the Septuagint text of each biblical book. It covers the characteristics of each Septuagint book, its translation features, origins, text-critical problems and history. As such it provides a comprehensive companion to the Septuagint, featuring contributions from experts in the field.

Key Features

• Examines the linguistic features of each Septuagint book
• Provides cutting-edge scholarship on the questions and issues domination Septuagint study
• Unpacks historical and text critical issues book-by-book

Contents and Contributors

• Genesis: M. Scarlata
• Exodus: A. Salvesen
• Leviticus: A. Voitlia
• Numbers: T.V. Evans
• Deuteronomy: L. Perkins
• Joshua: M.N. van der Meer
• Judges: P. Satterthwaite
• Ruth: E. Bons
• 1-2 Kingdoms: P. Hugo
• 3-4 Kingdoms:T.M. Law
• Paralipomena 1 and 2: R. Good
• 1 Esdras: H. Patmore
• 2 Esdras: G. Wooden
• Psalms: J.K. Aitken
• Prayer of Manasseh: J.K. Aitken
• Proverbs: L. Cuppi and J.K. Aitken
• Ecclesiastes: J.K. Aitken
• Song of Songs: J.M. Auwers
• Job: C. Cox
• Wisdom of Solomon: J.K. Aitken
• Sirach: B.G. Wright
• Psalms of Solomon: D. Pevarello
• Esther and Additions: C. Boyd-Taylor
• Judith: J. Corley
• Tobit: S. Weeks, and L. Stuckenbruck
• Isaiah: Abi T. Ngunga and J. Schaper
• Jeremiah: A. Shead
• Baruch: D.T. Ryan
• Lamentations: K. Youngblood
• Epistle of Jeremiah: B.G. Wright
• Ezekiel: K. Hauspie
• Daniel: T. McLay
• Additions to Daniel: L. Lahey
• 1 Maccabees: D.S. Williams
• 2 Maccabees: Frank Shaw
• Maccabees: S.R. Johnson
• 4 Maccabees: R. Hiebert

Top Highlights

“A further problem is that there is no one Septuagint, not only in terms of the books included, but in terms of the text itself.” (Page 2)

“Jewish translations of the canonical Hebrew Bible along with other works, conventionally called apocryphal or deuterocanonical, that are either translations or original Greek compositions. In early codices of the Bible these books were included alongside the New Testament and sometimes other works, but never with absolute consistency. There is therefore no one Septuagint, since in antiquity, as well as in different churches today, books such as 3 and 4 Maccabees or Psalms of Solomon are sometimes included, sometimes not.” (Page 1)

“The type of Greek (Lee, Lexical Study, pp. 139–44; Evans, Verbal Syntax, pp. 263–64) and early citations of the translation indicate that the time the Pentateuch was completed is almost certainly the third century b.c.e.” (Page 3)

“While there is some confidence in the dating and setting of the translation of the Pentateuch, little can be inferred regarding the rest of the books in the lxx.” (Page 4)

“Though we cannot be certain of the religious convictions of the translators, Wevers is right to highlight the fact that lxx Genesis reflects a thoughtful translation that still allowed for the removal of contradictions—as well as interpretive additions—where the Hebrew text remained difficult. He concludes that the Greek can stand on its own as a worthy composition and portrays the translator as one who carefully rendered a sacred text but was not afraid to translate freely when needed.” (Page 14)

Product Details

• Title: The T&T Clark Companion to the Septuagint
• Author: James K. Aitken
• Series: Bloomsbury Companions
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Print Publication Date: 2015
• Logos Release Date: 2016
• Pages: 622
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. O.T. Greek › Versions--Septuagint
• ISBNs: 9780567031341, 9780567200075, 9780567439758, 0567031349, 0567200078, 0567439755
• Resource ID: LLS:TTCLRKCMPSPTGNT
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:33:24Z

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About James K. Aitken

James K. Aitken is lecturer in Hebrew, Old Testament and Second Temple Studies at the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.