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Reconstructing the Old Testament: Ancient Versions
The most important witnesses to the Old Testament text are those preserved in the original language, Hebrew. Manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, as reflected in sources like the Leningrad Codex and the Aleppo Codex, are of first-rate. Close in value are the earlier Hebrew scrolls found at Qumran near the Dead Sea. These resources confirm that the Hebrew origins of the text were faithfully preserved across many centuries.
Secondary to Hebrew manuscripts are Ancient Versions (VSS) of the Old Testament. While these manuscripts of antiquity were not composed in Hebrew, they offer a variety of significant benefits and, as such, are worthy of discussion. So, what are these VSS, why were they made, which ones are important, and what benefits do they offer in reconstructing the Old Testament?
Simply put, Ancient VSS are very old translations of the Hebrew Bible. They range from the Inter-testamental Period all the way down to several centuries after the inauguration of Christianity. Why did people feel the need to translate the Bible out of Hebrew? Well, you probably have heard the oft-cited remark that the Bible is the most popular and widely distributed book in history. In tandem to this is usually added that the Scriptures have been translated into more languages than any other book ever written. Statistics are usually lacking with such remarks; still, they are likely accurate. No one can deny that the Bible is widely distributed, especially in the post-Guttenberg era. Clearly, believers have been quite zealous in providing Bibles to anyone who asks, no matter the obstacles. William Tyndale and others who died to put the Bible into the hands of the common man and woman would be proud! This service often necessitates translating the Bible into other languages and dialects. This really is no different from early Christianity! As the gospel spread from nation to nation (cf. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:23; et al), there arose a need to bring the inspired text into the common tongues of varying peoples.
While there are a vast assortment of Ancient VSS, there are several that play an integral role in faithfully reconstructing the Old Testament. Among the oldest VSS are the Aramaic Targums. The word targum is Aramaic for “interpretation, translation, version” (a form of the word is used in Ezra 4:7). Originally, targumim were forbidden from being written down, in order to preserve the holiness of the text of God. However, over time this conception dissipated and written copies were produced in the first few centuries A.D. While there are many targumim, including several found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the most authoritative are Targum Onkelos on the Torah (i.e., Law of Moses) and Targum Jonathan on the Nevi’im (i.e., Prophets). Another Ancient Version is the Syriac Peshitta. These manuscripts were written in Syriac, an eastern form of Aramaic, and were translated around the middle of the first century. Since the gospel broadcast throughout the Roman Empire, translations of the Old Testament into Latin were also necessary. While there is an older Version known as the Old Latin, the most well-known of these Latin Bibles is the standardized Latin Vulgate, developed by Jerome around 400 A.D. Jerome was the first to translate the actual Hebrew text into Latin—earlier Latin VSS depended on translations and therefore were not nearly as precise. By far the most important Ancient Version of the Old Testament is the Septuagint (aka the LXX). The LXX was an earlier translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, dating to around 250 B.C., commissioned by Ptolemy II, and developed in the seat of intellectualism at that time, Alexandria, Egypt. The Letter of Aristeas (c. 2nd century B.C.) gives a fairly detailed account of this project, explaining that Ptolemy II chose six elders from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, totaling 72 elders, and these men completed the translation in 72 days on the island of Pharos. This Ancient Version was so important that it became THE Old Testament for the early church. Almost universally, New Testament quotations from the Old Testament more exactly match the Septuagintal readings rather than the available Hebrew text.
Since the Old Testament Ancient VSS are not in Hebrew, they cannot be afforded primary status in rebuilding the text in the absence of autographs. This is because, as the old adage goes, something always gets lost in translation! Even so, they offer several important benefits. First, they testify to the status of the Hebrew text at the time of their composition. Ancient VSS of the Old Testament pre-date the development of the Masoretic Text, yet they consistently affirm its faithfulness. Second, when conscientiously used, Ancient VSS can clarify or complement the text when our Hebrew copies appear to be defective. Just as the use of multiple English translations and versions today can benefit our understanding, so too Ancient VSS can offer added insight into the Hebrew text. Translators will often compare different sources like this in order to ascertain original intent, overcoming the minor miscues of even professionally-trained human hands. Third, Ancient VSS consistently align with the Hebrew text that we have and therefore grant us increased confidence in our own modern Old Testament texts.
