<\/span><\/h2>\nUnderstanding the Septuagint is essential to interpreting the history of the Bible and its influence on the ancient world.<\/span>
<\/span> Here I explain in detail its most relevant aspects:<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is the Septuagint and why is it so important?<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.<\/span>
<\/span> It was made between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC in Alexandria, Egypt, primarily for Jews living in the Diaspora who did not speak Hebrew.<\/span><\/p>\nThis version was widely used in Jesus' time and became the Bible of early Christians.<\/span>
<\/span> Many Old Testament quotations in the New Testament come directly from the Septuagint, making it central to understanding the connection between the two covenants.<\/span><\/p>\nIt also allowed Gentiles access to the Hebrew Scriptures in the common language of the Greco-Roman world, opening the door to evangelism beyond the Jewish people.<\/span><\/p>\nThe origin of its name and its numerical symbolism (LXX)<\/b><\/h3>\n
The term \u201cSeptuagint\u201d comes from Latin <\/span>Septuagint<\/span><\/i>, which means \u201cseventy.\u201d<\/span>
<\/span> This refers to the legend that 70 or 72 Jewish sages were summoned by Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus to translate the Torah into Greek.<\/span><\/p>\nThe story goes that, working separately, they all produced exactly the same translation, which was considered a divine miracle.<\/span>
<\/span> Although this narrative has legendary overtones, it gave rise to the use of the symbol \u201cLXX\u201d (Roman numeral for 70) as the official abbreviation for the Septuagint.<\/span><\/p>\nThis number not only symbolizes the translators, but also reflects the perception of inspiration and authority that was given to this version in Hellenistic Judaism.<\/span><\/p>\nHistorical, theological and cultural relevance<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Septuagint was not just a linguistic work, but a bridge between cultures.<\/span>
<\/span> It served as a textual basis for the spread of Christianity in the Greco-Roman world and shaped early Christian theology.<\/span><\/p>\nFurthermore, its influence extended to the liturgy, patristic commentaries, and later biblical versions such as the Vulgate.<\/span>
<\/span> It was key to the development of the Christian canon, as it included deuterocanonical books that would later become part of the Catholic Bible.<\/span><\/p>\nCulturally, it represented an act of preserving the Jewish faith in a world dominated by the Greek language and thought.<\/span>
<\/span> And spiritually, it prepared the way for the messianic prophecies to be understood and proclaimed by the apostles in terms accessible to the Gentile world.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Historical context of the Septuagint<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\nTo understand the birth of the Septuagint, it is necessary to understand the historical and cultural context in which it was created.<\/span>
<\/span> Here are the key factors that explain it:<\/span><\/p>\nThe Hellenistic Empire and the spread of Greek<\/b><\/h3>\n
Following the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, Greek became the common language in vast regions of the Mediterranean.<\/span>
<\/span> This process of Hellenization not only affected commerce and politics, but also education, religion, and daily life.<\/span><\/p>\nKoine Greek established itself as the universal language, displacing local languages such as Hebrew in many Jewish communities outside Palestine.<\/span>
<\/span> This phenomenon created a new generation of Jews who thought and spoke in Greek, but no longer clearly understood the Hebrew Scriptures.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Jewish Diaspora in Alexandria<\/b><\/h3>\n
Alexandria, Egypt, was a cosmopolitan city with a large Jewish community.<\/span>
<\/span> Many of these Jews were descendants of exiles or emigrants who had settled there for economic, social or political reasons.<\/span><\/p>\nIn this multicultural context, the Alexandrian Jews adopted Greek as their primary language, while maintaining their religious identity.<\/span>
<\/span> This created a strong need to adapt the Scriptures to their new language so as not to lose the connection with their faith and traditions.<\/span><\/p>\nThe need for a Greek Bible for Hellenized Jews<\/b><\/h3>\n
As time passed, many Diaspora Jews could no longer read Hebrew or Aramaic.<\/span>
<\/span> This made teaching, worship, and personal access to the Scriptures difficult.<\/span><\/p>\nTo preserve the faith and facilitate the spiritual life of these believers, the initiative arose to translate the Hebrew Bible into Greek.<\/span>
<\/span> Thus the Septuagint was born: as a pastoral, educational and cultural effort to ensure that the Hellenized Jewish people would not lose their spiritual roots.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Translation process of the Septuagint<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\nThe creation of the Septuagint was surrounded by history, legend, and theological relevance.<\/span>
<\/span> Let's see how this monumental project developed:<\/span><\/p>\nThe legend of the 70 translators in Alexandria<\/b><\/h3>\n
According to the tradition recorded in the Letter of Aristeas, King Ptolemy II asked 72 Jewish scholars to translate the Torah into Greek for inclusion in the Library of Alexandria.<\/span>
<\/span> Each worked in isolation, but in the end they all produced identical versions, which was interpreted as a divine sign.<\/span><\/p>\nAlthough this story may be partly symbolic, it illustrates the perceived unity, authority, and fidelity of the translated text.<\/span>
<\/span> From then on, the number 70 (LXX) became a symbol of the Septuagint and its supposed miraculous origin.<\/span><\/p>\nTranslation of the Pentateuch and later books<\/b><\/h3>\n
The first step was to translate the five books of Moses, known as the Pentateuch.<\/span>
<\/span> This part was the most carefully crafted, as it formed the basis of the Jewish faith.<\/span><\/p>\nLater, other Old Testament books were translated, including historical, wisdom, and prophetic books.<\/span>
<\/span> Some of these books\u2014such as Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, and Maccabees\u2014were not in the Hebrew canon, but were included in the Septuagint, which created differences with the later Jewish canon.<\/span><\/p>\nWas it really an inspired translation?<\/b><\/h3>\n
For many early Christians, the Septuagint was more than just a translation: it was the Word of God.<\/span>
<\/span> They used it in preaching and considered it authoritative, especially when the quotations coincided with Jesus' teaching.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Church Fathers, such as Augustine and Justin Martyr, defended his divine authority.<\/span>
<\/span> Even today, some churches\u2014such as the Eastern Orthodox\u2014regard the Septuagint as their official Old Testament.<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, within Judaism, its status declined over time, especially as Christians began to use it to support messianic doctrines.<\/span>
<\/span> Even so, the spiritual, historical, and theological influence of the Septuagint is unquestionable, and it remains an object of study and reverence.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Content and scope of the Septuagint<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\nThe Septuagint not only translated existing texts, but also defined the scope of the Old Testament for many generations.<\/span>
<\/span> Here I explain its composition and influence:<\/span><\/p>\nBooks included: canonical and deuterocanonical<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Septuagint contains all the books of the Hebrew canon, known as the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi'im), and the Writings (Ketuvim).<\/span>
<\/span> But it also includes other books not found in the later Jewish canon, called deuterocanonical by the Catholic Church or apocryphal by the Protestant reformers.<\/span><\/p>\nThese additional books include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Tobias<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Judith<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Wisdom<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Baruch<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- 1 and 2 Maccabees<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Additions to Esther and Daniel<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These texts formed an integral part of the spirituality of the Hellenized Jewish community and, later, of the early Christian Church.<\/span><\/p>\nDifferences with the Hebrew canon (Tanakh)<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Hebrew Tanakh has a different number of books and a different organization.<\/span>
<\/span> For example, the Minor Prophets are grouped into one book and Ezra and Nehemiah are considered one.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Septuagint, on the other hand, divides the books further and adds the deuterocanonical ones, expanding the collection of sacred texts.<\/span>
<\/span> It also presents textual variations that, in some cases, are cited by the New Testament instead of the Hebrew text.<\/span><\/p>\nThese differences led to debates between Jews and Christians over which should be considered the true canon, especially after the first century AD.<\/span><\/p>\nWhich Christian versions adopted its content?<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Catholic Church, at the Council of Carthage (397 AD) and then at the Council of Trent (16th century), confirmed many of the books included in the Septuagint as canonical.<\/span>
<\/span> The Orthodox Church also adopts the Septuagint as the basis of its Old Testament.<\/span><\/p>\nThe most influential versions based on the Septuagint are:<\/span><\/p>\n\n- The Latin Vulgate (in part)<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- The Greek Orthodox Bible<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n
- Some modern versions of interlinear study<\/span>\n
<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In contrast, many Protestant Bibles use the Hebrew canon (Tanakh) as their basis, excluding the deuterocanonical books.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Use of the Septuagint in Biblical Times<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\nIn the centuries before and after the birth of Christ, the Septuagint played a central role in the religious life of believers.<\/span>
<\/span> Here I show you how it was used:<\/span><\/p>\nReading in Greek synagogues<\/b><\/h3>\n
In the synagogues of the Diaspora, where Greek was the common language, the public reading of the Scriptures was done in the Septuagint version.<\/span>
<\/span> This practice facilitated access to the sacred text to people who no longer understood ancient Hebrew or Aramaic.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Septuagint was also an educational tool to teach Gentile children and converts the basics of Israel's faith.<\/span>
<\/span> Its liturgical use strengthened the Hellenized Jewish identity and allowed the oral transmission of the Scriptures in a different cultural context.<\/span><\/p>\nUse by Jews before Christianity<\/b><\/h3>\n
Before the rise of Christianity, the Septuagint was already widely accepted by many Jewish groups.<\/span>
<\/span> It was used by philosophers such as Philo of Alexandria and in later Aramaic translations and commentaries.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Dead Sea Scrolls also show that some Septuagint texts matched ancient Hebrew manuscripts, reinforcing their textual legitimacy in the Second Temple period.<\/span><\/p>\n