The Theodotionic Revision of the Book of Exodus: A Contribution to the Study of the Early History of the Transmission of the Old Testament in Greek

341 Pages·1972·18.417 MB·English

by  Kevin G. O'Connell

Harvard Semitic Monographs
Volume 3
Editorial Committee
Frank Moore Cross
William L. Moran
Isadore Twersky
G. Ernest Wright

The Theodotionic Revision of the Book of Exodus
A Contribution to the Study of the Early History
of the Transmission of the Old Testament in Greek
Kevin G. O'Connell, S.J.
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
1972
© Copyright 1972 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College
All rights reserved
Library of Congress card number 76-160026
SBN 674-87785-3
To my Father and Mother

PREFACE
The following study was prepared as a doctoral dissertation at Har-
vard University in 1965-67 under the direction of Professor Frank M. Cross,
Jr. Prior to publication, the author has had the benefit of critical sug-
gestions from Professor John Strugnell of Harvard and Msgr. Patrick W.
Skehan of Catholic University. While their comments have always been
taken into account, they are in no way responsible for the final expres-
sions of opinion on specific points.
This book is not meant to provide the last word on the Palestinian
revisions of the Septuagint in the first centuries B.C. and A.D. Rather
it attempts, by rigorous investigation and careful attention to methodology,
to provide a firm basis of information and evaluation from which further
investigation can safely advance.
At this time I need only express my thanks to all who have helped
make this book a reality: the Danforth Foundation, which supported my re-
search and writing of the original dissertation through a Kent Fellowship;
Miss Carol Cross, who has twice carefully typed the entire manuscript; Mr.
Charles Przybylek and Mr. James D. Redington, S.J., who spent many weary
hours helping me proofread the original manuscript; and especially my
Jesuit brethren and my students, who found so many ways to help me stay
human in the face of so much detailed and often random data.
Kevin G. O'Connell, S.J.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
August 1970

CONTENTS
Introduction 1
I Eight Selected Passages from the Theodotionic Version 9
II A Special Case--MT Exodus 28:22-30 (LXX w.22-26) 56
III The Relationship Between the Theodotionic Material
and the Present MT in Exodus 110
IV The Relationship Between the Theodotionic Material
and the OG in Exodus 164
V Aquila's Agreement with Theodotion in Exodus 201
VI Aquila's Dependence on Theodotion in Exodus 252
VII The Relationship Between Theodotion in Exodus and
the KAITE Recension Elsewhere 274
VIII Additional Suggested Characteristics of the Theodo-
tionic Revision in Exodus 286
Conclusion 292
Appendices
A A Classified List of Theodotionic Readings in
Exodus 295
B An Index to Hebrew Words in Exodus Whose Theo-
dotionic Equivalents are Preserved 305
Bibliography 327