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  • From: Bearpecs AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] 5 scrolls or 1
  • Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 15:55:29 EDT


In a message dated 8/17/2005 12:34:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
peterkirk AT qaya.org writes:

I doubt if there is any evidence old enough to tell us
whether the LXX names were inventions of its translators, or of later
Greek commentators, or were based on an alternative Hebrew naming tradition.


Two sets of names for the books of the Torah were used in ancient times.
The current practice is to use the names which refer to the first
distinctive
word in the book: Bereishit, Shemot, Wayyiqra, Bamidbar, Debarim.

There was, however, a second set of names which referred to the contents of
the book: Ma`asei Bereishit [acts of at-the-beginning], Yetsi'at Mitsrayim
[going-out from Egypt], Torat Kohanim [code of priests], Pequdim [censuses],
Mishne Tora [repitition of tora].

I suspect we may never know whether the Greek names were meant to translate
this second set of Hebrew names, or if they named the books logically and
those names were the same as the Hebrew names.


Hayyim Obadyah
, MPA
New York, New York 10027





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