Studying Early Judaism: the Septuagint

A Guide to Resources for New Testament Studies

Studying Early Judaism

We recently kicked off this studying EJ series, check out the first post.

In this post, we are recommending resources for studying the Septuagint.

What is the Septuagint?

The Septuagint is the academic term for the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was produced in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The language of the Septuagint became influential in both early Jewish (non-canonical) writings as well as NT writings. The term “Septuagint” means “70” and refers to the legendary story that 70 Jewish translators independently worked on a translation of the Old Testament, and when they came together their translations matched identically. This is abbreviated in scholarship as the LXX (=70).

Reading the Greek Text of the Septuagint

In 1935, Alfred Rahlfs edited a complete text of the Septuagint, and this has been the academic standard for many years. It is freely available online. You can access it HERE. This edition tends to be included in packages from Logos Bible Software and Accordance.

A new critical edition has been produced called the Göttingen Septuagint. It costs several hundreds of dollars to purchase, but this is what experts would use to study and discuss the Septuagint. Unless someone is willing to buy it for me as a gift (pretty please), sadly I do not have access to this.

English Translations of the Septuagint

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the go-to complete translation of the Septuagint was Brenton’s 1844 work, which is freely available online.

However, in the early 21st century, the NETS (New English Translation of the Septuagint) was completed and published, and is offered for free online and offered in software packages; so this has become the new academic standard. You can learn about it and read it for free HERE.

Introductions

Invitation to the Septuagint (Jobes/Silva)

The go-to textbook is Jobes/Silva, now in its Second Edition.

The Septuagint: What Is It and Why It Matters (Lanier and Ross)

Another great intro is Lanier and Ross, shorter, easier to digest.

When God Spoke Greek: The Septuagint and the Making of the Christian Bible (Timothy Michael Law)

A well-written, witty discussion of the background and relevance of the Septuagint for the formation of early Judaism and early Christianity.

Other Resources

Septuaginta: A Reader’s Edition

Ross and Lanier edited a “Reader’s Edition” of the Greek text of the Septuagint, which offers vocabulary helps for students who want to read some or all of the Septuagint.

It’s huge and expensive, but there is nothing else out there like this!

Discovering the Septuagint: A Guided Reader (Ed. Jobes)

Jobes as produced a “guided reader” to help Greek students dip their toes into reading the Septuagint.

The Oxford Handbook of the Septuagint (ed. Salvesen and Law)

If you already know a bit about the Septuagint and want to dig into more scholarship, this Oxford handbook is a great resource (warning: very expensive).

T&T Clark Handbook of Septuagint Research (Ross and Glenny)

Another excellent technical resource.

William Ross’s Resource Website

Ross has provided links to lots of online information and resources. See HERE.

Introduction to the Septuagint Video

The Museum of the Bible has produced a nice explainer-video.