Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ianyoung AT plato.arts.usyd.edu.au]

On Tue, 21 Aug 2001 09:11:14 -0400 klbarney AT yahoo.com (Kevin L. Barney) wrote:

>I understand that the LXX of Isaiah is considered to be rather
>periphrastic and developed; that it is largely concerned with adapting
>Isaiah to issues and concerns of the translator's own time.  My question
>is, is it sufficient to deal only with Hebrew sources to establish the
>text of Isaiah (esp. MT and 1QIsa(a))?  Or are there places where the LXX
>or other ancient versions do seem to establish the original text?  Can
>anyone give specific examples where the LXX or other ancient versional
>evidence seems to be superior to the Hebrew?
>
>Kevin Barney
>klbarney AT yahoo.com
>Hoffman Estates, Illinois
>
A basic principle of textual criticism is that even the most inferior text
could preserve an original reading.  Every single variant must be weighed.
See E Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, especially chapter 6.

Ian Young
Sydney University