Old Testament Studies

The Major Contemporary LXX Translation Projects

Ancient Interpreters

Beginning with the present post, I am launching a Resource Review series devoted to the various current approaches among Septuagint scholars to “translating the Translation.” What I mean by this is the different strategies employed in the four current translations of the Septuagint itself. While one might think that the task of translating the LXX would be straightforward enough, it is not. Of course, even translating the New Testament – originally composed in Greek, not as a translation – can be controversial. But when it comes to translating a translation like the Septuagint, countless questions of methodology arise, each of which demands taking a stance on any number of other difficult and uncertain issues.

For beginners entering the discipline, this topic can be like navigating a corn maze that turns out to have been built over a minefield. Complexity and hazards abound. So for the sake of the newcomer, as much as myself, I would like to overview the four modern translation projects, some of which are complete, others ongoing. In this post, I will simply identify these projects and their respective teams of scholars, leaving the details of their work for future posts.

How to translate?Most of what I will do in this series will be to present the strategy of each translation project, without delving too much into critique. Enough scholars are spending their careers on that as it is, and in far heavier-hitting formats than blog posts!

(Hint: if you are looking for some place to find a doctoral supervisor in LXX studies, the scholars involved in these projects are some of the best.)

Current Translation Projects

As I said, there are four major, modern language translations. Hopefully you weren’t expecting them all to be in English; only one is. The other three are in French, German, and Spanish. You may be thinking, “I can’t read [insert one or more language here]!” Well, first of all, you should consider learning, especially if you are interested in Biblical Studies doctoral work. Secondly, even if you can’t read the translation translation, you can learn from how it was done. Remember, we’re talking about process, not (necessarily) product in this series.

New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS)

The first project is NETS, the English translation complete with the deliciously long subtitle: “and the Other Greek Translations Traditionally Included under That Title: A New Translation of the Greek into Contemporary English – An Essential Resource for Biblical Studies.” NETS was completed in 2007 and has already undergone a reprinting. Carried out by a group of scholars under the auspices of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS), this translation will eventually have a commentary series published along with it.

NETS is also accessible freely online (copyright), although owning a hard copy is well worth the cost since you’ll be referring to it so often. You can also purchase it for Accordance as well as Olive Tree.

If you’re monolingual (monolectorial?), you do have two very much older options to choose from in English. One is the translation by Charles Thomson (here), the other Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton (here). Given the price difference, and the differences in the state of LXX studies, I would recommend NETS, generally speaking, for an English translation.

La Bible d’Alexandrie (BdA)

If you couldn’t guess, the BdA translation project is in French, published by Éditions du Cerf. Launched by the formidable scholarly figure of Marguerite Harl in 1986 at the Université de Paris-Sorbonne, and assisted by Gilles Dorival, Olivier Munnich and others, the project is not yet complete. A number of volumes remain to appear, awaited with great anticipation.

One of the main differences from NETS is that BdA includes rather extensive textual commentary throughout, which is the primary reason it is multi-volume. The introduction and translation notes made in each volume are themselves worth the purchase price if you are working closely on a particular OT book. In addition to providing a French translation of the Septuagint, BdA is a collection of top tier scholarship that cannot be overlooked.

Septuaginta Deutsch (LXX.D)

The LXX.D project was completed for the German Bible Society, and was the first of its kind in that language. The translation was undertaken between 1999 and 2008 by eighty seven scholars, and then edited by the eminent Drs. Wolfgang Kraus (Koblenz) and Martin Karrer (Wuppertal), along with nine co-editors.

As the picture to the left indicates, there are two volumes for LXX.D. In one volume, textual studies and book-by-book introductions are presented, while in the second volume the actual German translation appears, along with relevant commentary. This approach is similar to that of BDA, though less extensive, and likewise must be consulted for its valuable contributions.

La Biblia Griega (LBG)

Lastly, there is the Spanish translation, La Biblia Griega, published by Ediciones Sígueme under the leadership of Natalio Fernández Marcos and María Victoria Spottorno. This project will be produced in four volumes:  I. Pentateuco (=Pentateuch); II. Libros históricos (= Historical Books); III. Libros poéticos o sapienciales (=Poetry & Wisdom Literature); and IV. Libros proféticos (=Prophetical Books). The first three volumes came out in ’08, ’11, and ’13, respectively, and the last is due in 2015.

I have not personally seen any of these works, so I cannot comment much further. Suffice it to say that Natalio Fernández Marcos has produced one of the best LXX introductions available, The Septuagint in Context, so his work is well worth attention generally speaking.

More to Come

In the not-too-distant future I will deal with each of these translations and outline their various strategies to their task. Hopefully this will prove to be a useful introduction to some common issues in the discipline of Septuagint study.

Doctoral Studies in Old Testament

A few months ago I posted that I was working on doctoral applications and had begun to hear back from schools. As the cards have fallen, I have accepted a place as a doctoral candidate in divinity at the University of Cambridge. The decision took time given the many variables, but in the end I am very happy – honored, actually – to have the opportunity. Come Michaelmas Term of 2014, which begins 1 October, I will begin my work at Cambridge in Old Testament studies under the supervision of Dr. James Aitken (also here).

To those unfamiliar with how a British university system works (this is most of humanity), it comes as a surprise that my work will consist not of attending classes and taking exams. Instead, I will be conducting independent research and writing – lots and lots of writing. Much of this work will take place at my college, Fitzwilliam (“Fitz”) College,  and the Faculty of Divinity (which is a building, not just a group of people).

I have also arranged to conduct much of my research at the Tyndale House, which is located in Cambridge, close to Fitz and the Faculty (map). The Tyndale House is a research center specifically for Christian biblical studies scholars. It has carrels “to let” for long-term projects like mine, and even accommodations for shorter-term stays (like professors on sabbatical). It also has a fabulous library, of course!

So although many (many) details have yet to be worked out as to relocating my family across the pond, this is a basic picture of our next three or four years. I won’t discuss my research topic in detail here, but will leave it for a later post, perhaps. I will also likely post on some of the broad differences between British and American doctoral programs (and why my extended family is so confused about what I’ll actually be doing in England).

On a more personal note, my wife is hoping to keep up with posts on our “family blog,” The Ross Family in Cambridge, to post updates about our life in Cambridge. If you’re inclined, you can keep up with us that way!

 

 

North American Graduate Programs in Septuagint

Finding a LXX Intro course can be this difficult…

Occasionally someone will ask me what the best way is to get an introduction to Septuagint studies. Most of the time my response is something like “Here are five books to read.” The reason is that there are very few institutions where LXX features in the curriculum in any meaningful way. As a result, there are very few places to go to take an actual course in LXX studies, much less an introductory course. Another reason is the small number of scholars specifically trained in LXX to offer courses in the first place!

In this post, then, I will review the few exceptions to this rule in North America. Think of it as a Resource Review of graduate programs. Hopefully this will help those interested save some time scouring the internet at random (which is what I did).

Septuagint Studies in the States

There are two programs to mention, which feature prominently because of the people at the helm of each. If you are reading this and know of others I have overlooked, please let me know or post to the comments.

1) Peter Gentry – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

 

southern_baptist_theological_seminary_logoFirstly, there is a community of Septuagint scholarship at SBTS under the leadership of Dr. Peter Gentry. Gentry was the last student to study under John W. Wevers at the former bastion of LXX studies in North America, the University of Toronto. When both Pietersma and Wevers were at that institution, they produced a number of now senior scholars in LXX studies, and Gentry is among them. (Some others will feature below.)

Gentry’s interests are wide-ranging and extend well beyond the Septuagint. He is involved in the Göttingen Septuagint Series (Ecclesiasties, Proverbs), and takes particular interest in Hexapla studies. If you thought the Septuagint was obscure, the Hexapla is even more so. It is a terribly interesting, and terribly complex, aspect of LXX history, and for that reason the discipline benefits greatly from competent scholars like Gentry. 

He and others are currently involved in the Hexapla Project of the IOSCS, and for that reason many of his doctoral students also work in all things hexaplaric. Gentry also teaches graduate level courses in LXX, such as his Septuagint Seminar. So although SBTS does not offer a full graduate degree in LXX studies per se, it is certainly an option for focusing in a ThM or PhD.

2) Karen Jobes – Wheaton College Graduate School

photoSecondly, there is Dr. Karen Jobes at Wheaton College Graduate School. Jobes is a product of my own institution in days gone by, Westminster Theological Seminary, where she completed her doctorate under Moisés Silva. She keeps a website here.

Her primary professional interests focus upon New Testament, particularly the General Epistles. In conversation with her, she once told me that Septuagint was her “night job.” Considering she’s so productive in her NT day job, it’s remarkable how active she also is in LXX studies. Her and Silva’s Invitation to the Septuagint is always one of those five books I recommend for introduction to the discipline. Rumor has it there is a revision of this volume underway.

Like SBTS, there is no full-fledged LXX degree at Wheaton. However, Jobes offers a course on Greek Exegesis in the Septuagint. So Wheaton is another option for tailoring your focus on LXX studies in either an MA or a PhD program.

[Update: Dr. Jobes has now retired from teaching as of 2016]

3) Other Scholars of Note

There are other North American scholars who are doing excellent work in Septuagint as well. Some of them include J. Ross Wagner at Duke Divinity School, Benjamin G. Wright at Lehigh University, and W. Edward Glenny at University of Northwestern. I did not feature these scholars as prominently since they do not offer actual courses in Septuagint, as far as I know. Wagner, however, takes doctoral students focusing in LXX studies.

Canada, Eh?

1) [Update: PhD Program in Septuagint at McMaster Divinity College]

As of early 2017, McMaster Divinity college is launching a full-fledged PhD program in Septuagint. You can read about that here.

2) The J. W. W. Institute for Septuagint Studies

There is one other excellent place to mention, namely The John William Wevers Institute for Septuagint Studies. The Institute is located under the auspices of Trinity Western University in Vancouver, B.C. In the post-Wevers-Pietersma era at the University of Toronto, this is the single most LXX-concentrated faculty that I can think of, with four highly qualified scholars. Better still, both Wevers and Pietersma have donated their extensive personal libraries (and a large endowment) to further LXX studies at TWU. 

The Institute’s scholars include Drs. Robert Hiebert (director), Larry Perkins, Dirk Büchner, and Peter Flint. You’ll also have valuable access to Cameron Boyd-Taylor, currently a research assistant at the Institute. Hiebert, incidentally, is also the joint-editor-in-chief of the SBL Commentary on the Septuagint. Each of these professors’ research interests can be viewed on their respective faculty pages. The unique aspect of the Institute is that it is the only place in North America where a full-fledged Septuagint degree is offered, as both a Master of Theological Studies and the shorter Master of Theology. [Update: Dr. Flint passed away in late 2016]

Furthermore, the Institute for Septuagint Studies typically offers a week-long Septuagint seminar in May or June each year. I participated in the first such seminar in May 2013 (read about it here) and again in 2016. This is a wonderful opportunity to study LXX in taught format under some excellent scholars. I hope for others’ sake they continue with this seminar in the future. Speaking of which, there have been efforts, unsuccessful so far, to offer a PhD through TWU as well, which could be a great opportunity if it ever comes to fruition.

Part of what I especially like about the Institute is that it is literally surrounded by seminaries. TWU is part of the ACTS coalition of seminaries in Canada, and hosts a number of them in one building where the Institute is also located. Where the Septuagint is, the Church (rightly) is also.

Stay tuned for further Resource Reviews as they come…