What is best version of LXX in Logos?

P A
P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

Hi

What is best version of LXX in Logos?

1) in terms of Greek text

2) functionality

Thanks

P A

Comments

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,427

    Greek text: Gottingen Septuagint is the current best critical text

    English translation: Pietersma, Albert, and Benjamin G. Wright, eds. A New English Translation of the Septuagint (Primary Texts). New York; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. is the top of class

    Functionality: The Lexham English Septuagint. Second Edition. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020. has a reverse interlinear

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    First, some caveats. I'm no expert, but IMHO the Septuagint with Logos Morphology, Rahlfs Edition is as advertised, the most modern critical edition. Versatile and accurate with a reverse interlinear.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭
  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,012 ✭✭✭

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    Gottingen is the best critical edition; Rahlfs is the best fallback. [In Logos].

    I added. But easily, the Gottingen apparatus is best.

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    DMB said:

    Gottingen is the best critical edition; Rahlfs is the best fallback. [In Logos].

    I added. But easily, the Gottingen apparatus is best.

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    I guess I never noticed ... Titelseite ... Kapitel.  I already feel like an expert in german!  But more seriously I have it linked to my LXX's, so I never saw the TOC.

    I have much more problems with the latin (bad for me; good for the volume).

    I've read, your comment on Rahlf's has quite a few supporters (which surprised me, given its age).  My guess was to favor the Cambridge LXX (which didn't make it past Esther).  Gottingen gets a mixed set of opinions. More recent (?), Rahlfs-Hanhart. I look more at the apparati.

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    DMB said:

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    I guess I never noticed ... Titelseite ... Kapitel.  I already feel like an expert in german!  But more seriously I have it linked to my LXX's, so I never saw the TOC.

    I have much more problems with the latin (bad for me; good for the volume).

    I've read, your comment on Rahlf's has quite a few supporters (which surprised me, given its age).  My guess was to favor the Cambridge LXX (which didn't make it past Esther).  Gottingen gets a mixed set of opinions. More recent (?), Rahlfs-Hanhart. I look more at the apparati.

    My other issue with the magisterial Göttingen is that it is incomplete. I'm studying Joshua 1:8; Göttingen is of no help.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,427

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    Well . . . when I complained about the Pali grammar being in German, which I didn't read, I was offered an alternative in Russian. I learned just enough German to decipher a German grammar. So, the answer is - you adapt and use a translation service when absolutely necessary.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    Well . . . when I complained about the Pali grammar being in German, which I didn't read, I was offered an alternative in Russian. I learned just enough German to decipher a German grammar. So, the answer is - you adapt and use a translation service when absolutely necessary.

    I yield.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    If non-German speaking/reading, how does one navigate this worthy tome?

    Well . . . when I complained about the Pali grammar being in German, which I didn't read, I was offered an alternative in Russian. I learned just enough German to decipher a German grammar. So, the answer is - you adapt and use a translation service when absolutely necessary.

    I yield.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    My other issue with the magisterial Göttingen is that it is incomplete. I'm studying Joshua 1:8; Göttingen is of no help.

    Yep ... Gottingen is incomplete.  Rahlfs-Hanhart incomplete.  Cambridge incomplete.  Quinta (hebrew) incomplete.  DSS fragmented.  So, yes, Rahlf's or Swete (both with apparatus and alternative readings).

    You mentioned Jos 1:8 ... I don't know if you have the LXX Commentary (which includes Joshua).  I was curious the final phrase in the LXX, but not the MT.  Unfortunately there was little explanation:

    "The ‘awareness’ in which v. 8 comes to its climax is much richer than we had imagined in v. 7."  

    He also translates verse 8 different for NETS: "And the book of this law shall not stand aloof from your mouth, and you shall practice in it day and night, that you may know to be doing all things written: then you will be helped on the way and he will help your ways, and then you will be aware."

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,313 ✭✭✭✭

    Anyone have any thoughts on Lexham's versions? I know they came out with a second edition but never thought on it much. Just curious if anyone preferred one version over the other.

    https://www.logos.com/product/229033/lexham-english-septuagint-2nd-ed-with-reverse-interlinear 

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,313 ✭✭✭✭

    DMB said:

    You mentioned Jos 1:8 ... I don't know if you have the LXX Commentary (which includes Joshua).  I was curious the final phrase in the LXX, but not the MT.  

    May I ask more on this resource? Is it in Logos? I searched just for LXX Commentary but didn't see anything.

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭

    DMB said:

    My other issue with the magisterial Göttingen is that it is incomplete. I'm studying Joshua 1:8; Göttingen is of no help.

    Yep ... Gottingen is incomplete.  Rahlfs-Hanhart incomplete.  Cambridge incomplete.  Quinta (hebrew) incomplete.  DSS fragmented.  So, yes, Rahlf's or Swete (both with apparatus and alternative readings).

    You mentioned Jos 1:8 ... I don't know if you have the LXX Commentary (which includes Joshua).  I was curious the final phrase in the LXX, but not the MT.  Unfortunately there was little explanation:

    "The ‘awareness’ in which v. 8 comes to its climax is much richer than we had imagined in v. 7."  

    He also translates verse 8 different for NETS: "And the book of this law shall not stand aloof from your mouth, and you shall practice in it day and night, that you may know to be doing all things written: then you will be helped on the way and he will help your ways, and then you will be aware."

    Your point is well taken, many are incomplete, and Gottingen intends to be complete, though only the youngest among us will be around to see it. The Septuagint with Logos Morphology Rahlfs Edition is complete and this is one of the reasons I prefer it to the rest of the offerings.

    Edit:Matillo, here is what you seek:

    https://www.logos.com/product/53612/septuagint-commentary-series-scs 

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    Mattillo said:

    May I ask more on this resource? Is it in Logos? I searched just for LXX Commentary but didn't see anything.

    Thank you, Beloved for the followup.

    Regarding the commentary, let's just say it's not going to help too much on 'critical' ... wording differences, source patterns, etc. And this is going to sound bad, but I'm not sure why I would buy it ... obviously I'm unimpressed.  A bit pricey too.

    But ... there's more! It is good for translational opinions.  Beloved's verse example was a good example. Now, I have to track down 'the way' ... did it formalize from the LXX, by the time it repeatedly shows up in Acts, as 'the Way'.

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    Mattillo said:

    Anyone have any thoughts on Lexham's versions? I know they came out with a second edition but never thought on it much. Just curious if anyone preferred one version over the other.

    https://www.logos.com/product/229033/lexham-english-septuagint-2nd-ed-with-reverse-interlinear 

    I don't know if you have Rick's Lexham editions.  If you do, he has a good introduction to the LXX, sources, editions, translations.  I hadn't really thought about it, but you could choose from 3 english translations (now 4 with Rick's): Brenton, NETS, and Orthodox Study Bible.  He views NETS as an NRSV take-off.

    And the LES2 works directly off of Swete.  Which in turn is a pick-and-choose of LXX sources, depending on the Bible book.

    So, in the way Rick presents it, it's a good addition. Certainly the Rahlf and Swete interlinears are great.  I will say, once you leave the basic OT, you pretty much have to pick and choose on the 'alternates', especially Enoch.

    Regarding the Orthodox Study Bible, apparently the closest Logos has, is the notes:

    The Orthodox Study Bible: Notes (not related to the LXX per se)

    Then there's the prepub ... a different translation, with various opinions:

    The Holy Orthodox Bible (9 vols.) 

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,313 ✭✭✭✭

    Thank you DMB. I do have Rick's LXX so I'll have to go read that introduction to gain some more insight.

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭

    Mattillo said:

    I do have Rick's LXX so I'll have to go read that introduction to gain some more insight.

    For anyone else, I hadn't really had it clear in my mind why the 2nd vs the 1st translation. From his intro:

    "The second edition of the les makes more of an effort than the first to focus on the text as received rather than as produced. Because this approach shifts the point of reference from a diverse group to a single implied reader, the new les exhibits more consistency than the (multieditor) first edition. Every effort was made to render the Greek in its own right, with no eye to the Hebrew at all. The les is an attempt to answer the question, “How would this text have been read—understood and experienced—by a fourth century, Greek-speaking gentile Christian?”