Septuagint facts for kids
The Septuagint (often called LXX) is a very old translation of the Hebrew Bible and other books into the Greek language. It was created a long time ago, between about 250 BC and 100 BC, in a city called Alexandria in Egypt.
This translation is special because it's the oldest known version of the Hebrew Bible in Greek. The Septuagint includes all the books found in the Old Testament. It also has extra books that some Christian groups, like Catholics and Orthodox Christians, consider part of their Bible. These are called Deuterocanon. However, Protestants call these same books the Apocrypha, and they don't see them as sacred.
There's an old story about how the Septuagint was made. It says that 70 Jewish scholars worked on translating the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) from Hebrew into Greek. The amazing part of the story is that they all worked in separate rooms, but when they finished, their translations were exactly the same! People believed this was a miracle. The Latin word for "70" is septuaginta, which is where the name "Septuagint" comes from. You might also see it written as "LXX," which is a Roman numeral for 70.
The Septuagint was very important. It was used as a starting point for many other Bible translations that came much later.
Contents
What is the Septuagint?
The Septuagint is a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible. It was made a long time ago, even before Jesus was born. This translation helped many people who spoke Greek to read the sacred texts. It includes all the books that are in the Old Testament today.
Extra Books in the Septuagint
The Septuagint also has some books that are not in the Hebrew Bible. These books are called the Deuterocanon by some Christians. They include books like Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees. Other Christian groups call these books the Apocrypha. They do not believe these books are part of the main Bible.
How the Septuagint Was Made
The Septuagint was created in Alexandria, a big city in Egypt. This happened between the 3rd and 1st century BC. At that time, many Jewish people lived in Alexandria and spoke Greek. They needed a Greek translation of their holy books.
The Story of the 70 Scholars
A famous story tells us about the creation of the Septuagint. It says that 70 (or 72) Jewish scholars were sent from Jerusalem to Alexandria. Their job was to translate the Torah from Hebrew into Greek. The legend says they worked alone, but their translations matched perfectly. This story made people believe the Septuagint was truly special and inspired by God.
Why is it Called Septuagint?
The name "Septuagint" comes from the Latin word septuaginta, which means "seventy." This refers to the 70 scholars in the famous story. Sometimes, you will see the Septuagint called "LXX." This is the Roman numeral for 70, used as a short way to refer to this important translation.
Importance of the Septuagint
The Septuagint was very important for several reasons:
- It allowed many Greek-speaking Jews to read their holy scriptures.
- Early Christians often used the Septuagint. Many quotes from the Old Testament in the New Testament come from this Greek version.
- It became the basis for many later Bible translations into other languages.
Images for kids
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Beginning of the Letter of Aristeas to Philocrates (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 11th century)
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See also
In Spanish: Septuaginta para niños
