Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG]

Agreed - I didn't mean to suggest that there was a single translator 
(just that for each of the many misunderstandings one translator was 
responsible, which may be an oversimplification).

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: LXX
Author:  anku AT CelsiusTech.com.au at internet
Date:    10/05/1999 20:21


 -----Original Message-----
> From: peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG [mailto:peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG] 
>
> I am working on the generally accepted theory that LXX was translated 
> in Alexandria in 3rd-2nd century BC. I think it is generally agreed
> that the Alexandrian Jews of this period were losing their Hebrew and 
> speaking mostly Greek, and that is why the LXX translation had to be 
> made. There are many cases in LXX where it seems that the translator 
> misunderstood the Hebrew Vorlage. Does anyone seriously dispute this 
> reconstruction?

My understanding of the LXX is that it is a very uneven translation. It is 
not the work of a single translator or even a single group, since the 
quality of translation varies so much. In some parts it is quite literal and 
in other parts it is quite free. This suggests it was done in bits and 
pieces over a period of time by different translators, of different skill.

Does anyone know of a good analysis of the history and origin of the LXX? 
I'd very much like to look at it.

cheers,
Andrew
--
Andrew S. Kulikovsky B.App.Sc(Hons) MACS 
Software Engineer
Celsius
 CelsiusTech
Endeavour House, Technology Park S.A. 5095
Phone : +61 8 8343 3837 (Direct) Fax : +61 8 8343 3778 
Email : anku AT celsiustech.com.au

"The road to tyranny, we must never forget, 
is the destruction of the truth."
    -- President Bill Clinton, during a
       speech at the University of
       Connecticut, 1995.