SEPTUAGINT, or THE ALEXANDRINE VERSION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, the most ancient translation of any part of the Scriptures. It is in the Greek language. Tho account of its origin is given in a letter ascribed to Aristeas, an officer at the court of Ptolemy Philadelphus, and repeated by Josephus (' c. 2) and Eusebius `Prapar.', Evang. viii., e. 2-5. [Aimee/a, in Bum. Div.] Philo says that the Septuagint was translated from the Chaldaic, by which he means the Hebrew Scriptures as they existed after the Captivity. But from certain points of resemblance between the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, many eminent critics have concluded that the former was translated from the latter, and not from the Hebrew. It is, however, quite incredible that, if this had been the case, the Septuagint should have been, as it was, universally received by the Jews.
The character of the version varies greatly. By far the best part is the version of the Pentateuch, which was evidently made by a man well acquainted with both Hebrew and Greek. Next in Mille is the book of Proverbs, which is for the most part very accurate, and dis plays much taste. The translation of Ecclesiastes is too literal. The books of Judges, Ruth, Samuel, and Kings appear to have been translated by the atune author, and do not contain so many Ilebmisms as other parts of the version. In the book of Job many interpolations are made in the narrative, and there are considerable omissions in the poetical parts. The book of Esther, and the Psalms and Prophets, appear to have been translated between 130 and 170 n.c., but in a very inferior manner : indeed a great part of the version of the Psalms is quite unintelligible. Jeremiah is the best translated of the prophets ; next coma Amos and Ezekiel. The version of Isaiah, which Lowth places 100 years later than that of the Pentateuch, is the worst of all, except that of Daniel, which differs so much from the Hebrew, that the early Christians rejected it altogether, and substituted the version by Theodotion hi its place. The Septuagint contains also the apo cryphal books of the Old Testament. [Amer erns.] The Septuagint was used not only by the liellenintic Jews, but by all Jews who understood Greek ; and even some of the Talinudists mention It with praise. It is constantly quoted by Josephus, and very frequently by the writers of the New Testament.
Soon after the Christian era, however, we find the opinion of the Jews respecting it very much altered, probably in consequence of the use made of it against them by the Christians. They went so far as to institute a solemn feast on the 811 of the month Thebet (December) to execrate the memory of its having been made, and afterwards a new version, that of Aquila, was made for the express .purpose of super seding the use of the Septuagint In the synagogues. [Aevits, in Ilion. Div.] The fathers of the Greek church always quote the Septuagint. All the early versions, except the Syriac, were made from it. And thus, through the Vulgate, it was used hi the Latin as well as in the Creek church. Its text having become corrupted by frequent transcription, Origen uudertook to roves() it, and produced his eels. brated ' Hexapla.' [Oniomes, in Moo. Div.] At the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 9th centuries, three recensions of the text of the Septuagint were produced. The first was undertaken by Lucian, a presbyter of Antioch, who suffered martyrdom A.D. 311. This edition was conformed to the Hebrew text, and was received in the churches from Antioch to Constantinople. The second was edited at the same time by Heayeldus, an Egyptian bishop. It Is not known whether he followed the Hebrew text or ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint ; but his alterations appear to have been fewer than those of Lucian. His edition was received by the churches of Egypt, and is cited by Jerome as the ! Exemplar Alexandrinum.' The third was transcribed by Eusebius and Pamphilus from the text in the Ilex:spin, with the whole of Origen's critical marks. In process of time these marks became so altered by frequent transcription, that they were at length altogether omitted, so that It is now impossible to distinguish Origen's emendations from the original text. This edition was received by the churches of Palestine, and had a place in all libraries. All the subsequent editions of the Septuagint are founded upon these three recensions.
There have been many modern editions of the Septuagint; the earliest is the Complutensian in 1514-4517.
For an account of the other Greek versions of the Old Testament, sea AQUILA ; SYMMACEIUS; TUEODOTION, in Bum. Div. (The Intro ductions' of Horne and Jahn, and the authorities quoted by them.)