Can the Septuagint Be Relied Upon?
The Septuagint is the one translation from the Old Testament Hebrew to the Greek that is the most commonly known. It is used by Sivan 6 advocates for proof that Pentecost falls on Sivan 6. This is because it translates “Sabbath/s” as “week/s” in Leviticus 23:15-16. It is held by many that Christ and the apostles frequently quoted Old Testament passages from the Septuagint (LXX)-some say as much as ninety percent of the time. Other authorities disagree and say that two out of every three quotes do not agree verbally with the LXX. What must be realized about the LXX is that it cannot be used in a mechanical manner to revise or correct the Masoretic text (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Septuagint”). There are many variations in the translation so the quality of the LXX must be viewed with great caution. There is extreme literalism and freedom of interpretation in the same verse or in nearby verses. It frequently misses the sense of the original. It often fails in difficult passages d
