Introduction to the Septuagint and Hebrew Bible

The Septuagint is an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). It was translated by Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt, between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The name "Septuagint" comes from the Latin word for seventy, reflecting the tradition that seventy or seventy-two Jewish scholars completed the translation.

The Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh, is the canonical collection of Jewish texts, which is also a significant part of the Christian Old Testament. The Hebrew Bible was written primarily in Hebrew, with some portions in Aramaic, and was standardized by Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries AD.

Image credit: Gutenberg Bible by Joshua Keller

Text used for translations

The Hebrew texts used for the Septuagint translation likely date to the 4th–2nd centuries BC or earlier, often referred to as the Proto-Septuagint.

The Masoretic tradition is based on Hebrew manuscripts from around the 1st century AD or earlier. These texts became dominant in Jewish communities after the destruction of the Second Temple (AD 70), often referred to as the Proto-Masoretic Texts.

What did the Apostles use?

Greek was the lingua franca of the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus and the Apostles, and most early Christians, especially those in the diaspora, spoke Greek. The New Testament itself was written in Greek, making the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) the natural choice for early Christians.

1. Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14

• Septuagint: "Behold, a virgin (parthenos) shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel."
• Masoretic Text: "Behold, the young woman (almah) shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel."
• Matthew 1:23: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel."

2. Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2

• Septuagint: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor... to set at liberty those who are oppressed."
• Masoretic Text: Omits "to set at liberty those who are oppressed."
• Luke 4:18-19: Jesus reads from the scroll, quoting the LXX version, including "to set at liberty those who are oppressed."

3. Hebrews 10:5-7 and Psalm 40:6-8 (39:7-9 in Septuagint)

• Septuagint: "A body you have prepared for me."
• Masoretic Text: "My ears you have opened."
• Hebrews 10:5-7: "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."

4. Acts 15:16-17 and Amos 9:11-12

• Septuagint: "That the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called."
• Masoretic Text: "That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name."
• Acts 15:16-17: "That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called."

What about the Early Church?

Image credit: St. Justin Martyr/Bert Ehrman

The writings of the Apostolic Fathers and other early Christian authors frequently quote the Septuagint.

• Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD):
  • In his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin explicitly defends the use of the Septuagint, arguing that it contains prophecies about Christ that are not as clear in the Hebrew text.
• Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD):
  • In his work Against Heresies, Irenaeus quotes extensively from the Septuagint, treating it as authoritative Scripture.
• Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215 AD) and Origen (c. 185–253 AD) also reference and support the Septuagint in their writings.