Septuagint of the Book of Isaiah

This project aims to analyze from different perspectives the Old Greek version of the Book of Isaiah.

This project aims to analyze from different perspectives the Old Greek version of the Book of Isaiah which is marked by many and sometimes striking differences from the Hebrew texts (MT; Qumran), and the question arises whether are part of a particular interpretive strategy, or not.

Leader: Prof.dr. A. van der Kooij

Project I: The minuses and pluses in LXX Isaiah

LXX Isaiah contains a large number of cases of a minus or a plus. The project aims at a broader analysis than has been carried out before (Ziegler), on the level of syntax, style, and other contextual matters. An important aspect is the matter of categorization of cases, that is to say, whether some patterns may emerge. 

An analysis is made of all pluses and minuses in the Septuagint of Isaiah, that is: those textual elements in the Greek translation which are missing in the Hebrew source text (pluses), and those which are present in the source text but missing in the translation (minuses). The question is asked why these pluses and minuses exist: Do they find their origin in a different source text or in changes made by the translator? In this study it is claimed that most pluses and minuses have intentionally been created by the translator himself: The translator had his own ideas and wishes regarding the content and style of his endproduct, which provided for him the justification to add or to omit elements from his source text in translating the book of Isaiah.

Drs. M. Croughs
Period: 2004-2009
Promotor: Prof. dr. A. van der Kooij

Project II: The vocabulary of LXX Isaiah in the light of papyri

LXX Isaiah has been produced in Egypt (second century BCE), it therefore is appropriate to study its vocabulary in the light of papyri dating to the Ptolemaic and early Roman times. The Leiden Institute of Papyrology offers excellent conditions for this research.

Michael van der Meer

Project III: LXX Isaiah and the Issue of its Coherence

Based on earlier research, particularly so on the projects I and II, the purpose of this project is to deal with the issue of coherence in LXX Isaiah. The main question is whether all kinds of differences, including minuses and pluses, are related to each other contextually in LXX Isaiah, both in units like pericopes and chapters as well as in the book as a whole.

Prof.dr. A. van der Kooij

Project IV: A Commentary on LXX Isaiah

This project is related to the Commentary Series of NETS. It aims to provide a commentary on the Old Greek of Isaiah.

Prof.dr. A. van der Kooij

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Last Modified: 25-11-2011