Lexham Press just released a brand new translation of the Greek version of the Old Testament — The Lexham English Septuagint! Here is my honest review.
This post may contain affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through our links. Thank you for supporting this ministry!
My book shelves consist of many Bibles, and some of those Bibles are different translations of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. I also have Greek and Hebrew Bibles. These are all incredibly helpful to me as I seek to better interpret, rightly understand, and properly apply God’s Word to my life.
One day it occurred to me that I do not own a physical copy of the Septuagint (LXX) in English. I decided to look up English translations of the LXX to see what was worth purchasing. That’s when I read that Lexham Press was just getting ready to release a brand new translation of the Greek version of the Old Testament! And I am now a grateful owner of this fresh translation.
The Lexham English Septuagint
The Lexham English Septuagint (LES) is a new translation of the LXX (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures).
Perhaps you’re wondering why somebody would want the LES if we already have the English translation of the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek. Here’s why:
The “Septuagint itself should be studied–and therefore translated–because of the important role it plays in biblical studies. More often than not, when the New Testament writers quote the Jewish Scriptures, they quote the Septuagint. Other early Christian literature does the same, including the apostolic fathers, post New-Testament extracanonical material, and later patristic writings. Not only is it likely that the Septuagint was the Bible of the apostle Paul, it was probably also the one consulted by Josephus, Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, and perhaps even John Chrysostom.”
The Lexham English Septuagint (Introduction)
That was taken from the Introduction of the LES, which is a wonderfully written intro to help the reader understand what the LES is, where it came from, and the importance of having it in English today.
Ryan Reeves helpfully summarizes for us why the LXX is so important: “The importance of the Septuagint cannot be emphasized enough. It sheds much-needed light on important words and theological concepts in both the Old and New Testaments. It helps us understand better the religious and political context in which Jesus and the New Testament authors lived; it has helped scholars determine which manuscripts are most reliable, which in turn leads to reliable translations of the Old Testament; and it gives us greater insight into the church fathers, who often quoted the Septuagint over the Hebrew Bible.”
This is not to place the LXX above our English translations of the original Hebrew and Greek, for it is true that there are errors in the LXX (such as issues within genealogies, a much shorter book of Jeremiah, an extra Psalm (Psalm 151) and additions to Daniel and Esther. Nevertheless, the LXX is very helpful in understanding how the early church (including the writers of the NT) interpreted and understood the Hebrew Scriptures.
Details of The Lexham English Septuagint
Lexham’s LES is absolutely stunning! The hardcover book has a beautiful design with gold lettering and decoration on the front, back, and spine of the book. The font is a great size, making the text very readable. The text is single column, which I love. There is also a lot of margin space for notetakers. The editors have done a great job of bringing the LXX into the English language that we speak today. I would say that the only thing I dislike about the LES is the lack of a ribbon marker.
Conclusion
I highly recommend Lexham’s LES! This resource will allow Christians to see the translation that many in the early church used. The LXX is the oldest translation that we have of the Hebrew Scriptures. When the New Testament authors quote the Old Testament, they are quoting from the LXX 75% of the time! That is very significant! Christians should be aware of the LXX, and I am grateful that Lexham Press has gifted the church with this excellent English translation of the LXX.
Disclaimer: My thanks to Lexham Press for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
[…] The Lexham English Septuagint […]