 |  |
We must include a more modern work among our books of reference to the LXX and
that is:
An introduction to the Old Testament in Greek, by Henry Barclay Swete, D.D.,
published in 1900 by the Cambridge University Press.
In this work of over 590 pages almost every phase of the subject is dealt with. The
book is divided into three parts:
1:
The History of the Greek Old Testament and of its transmission. This is subdivided
into six chapters and occupies pages 1-194.
2:
The contents of the Alexandrian Old Testament. This is subdivided into six chapters
and occupies pages 197-366.
3:
Literary use, value, and textual condition of the Greek Old Testament. This is
subdivided into six chapters and occupies pages 369-497. There is an Appendix and
two Indexes.
It must be clearly understood that in recommending books as tools in this series, we
expect the student to be discreet, that he has no hesitancy regarding the Inspiration of the
Scriptures, and where a modernistic tendency is observable, he will nevertheless be able
to use what is good and true without endorsing everything that is put forward and without
accepting every conclusion.
One other books must be mentioned under this heading, it is:
Essays in Biblical Greek by Edwin Hatch, M.A., D.D., published in 1889.
The work consists largely of the lectures delivered by the author as Grinfield Lecturer
on the Septuagint. The contents are in the form of seven essays, and are very
comprehensive in their scope and full of detailed examples. The seven essays are:
1:
On the value and use of the Septuagint.
2:
Short studies of the meaning of words in Biblical Greek.
3:
On psychological terms in Biblical Greek.
4:
On early quotations from the Septuagint.
5:
On composite quotations from the Septuagint.
6:
On Origen's revision of the LXX text of Job.
7:
On the text of Ecclesiasticus.
The book does not permit of extracts. It is a valuable acquisition. With these works
and a good concordance to the LXX, the earnest student has not only a mine in which
Treasure lies, but real tools with which to work it out.
For the benefit of any who may have been perturbed by a recent misleading reference,
take note, the phrase en tois epouraniois "in heavenly places", does not occur in the
70: