Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GREEK VERSIONS

One of the main reasons for the rise of multiple Greek versions of the Hebrew Scriptures in the early centuries c.e. was the theological discussions between Jewish and Christian scholars. However, revision of the Old Greek (so-called Septuagint or LXX) translation and/or new translations of books probably were initiated even before the beginning of the Common Era. This is known because some of the books in the LXX exhibit a close relationship with the translational characteristics in other books that are attributed to Theodotion. The fact that citations of Theodotion’s material appear in the NT means that the material attributed to him must have been produced even earlier. In contrast to the Old Greek, which at times has wide departures from MT, Theodotion’s version exhibits a close formal correspondence to MT. Thus, it is probable that another reason for the production of Greek versions at the beginning of the Common Era was the existence of multiple Semitic forms of some biblical books.

Beside Theodotion, there are two other famous revisions of the LXX. Aquila (128 c.e.) produced an extremely literal translation of the Hebrew. He attempted to maintain a one-to-one correspondence between the Hebrew and Greek words. In contrast to Aquila, Symmachus (late 2nd century) provided a revision that was more in the style of everyday Greek while still rendering the Hebrew text faithfully.

The primary source of knowledge of the work of Theodotion, Aquila, and Symmachus is readings preserved from the Hexapla, which was composed by Origen (ca. 230-240). In six parallel columns Origen set out: 1) the Hebrew text as he knew it; 2) a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew; 3) Aquila; 4) Symmachus; 5) the LXX; and 6) Theodotion. Origen employed Aristarchian symbols to indicate the relationship between the LXX and the Hebrew text. Greek words that had no counterpart in his Hebrew text were placed between an obelus and metobelus, while translations of Hebrew words that had no counterpart in the LXX were inserted in the text from another version (usually Theodotion) and marked by an asterisk and a metobelus. An important witness to Origen’s work in the Syro-Hexaplar, a very literal translation of the 5th column into Syriac by the bishop of Tella (618).

Jerome mentions two other recensions: one by Hesychius for use in Egypt and the other by Lucian for Antioch. There is no evidence to confirm the existence of the former, while the latter can only be isolated in certain books.

Bibliography. S. Jellicoe, The Septuagint and Modern Study (1968, repr. Winona Lake, 1993).

Tim McLay

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GREEK VERSIONS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)