Changes

== Objections to the Septuagint ==

== Objections to the Septuagint ==

Any translation is automatically suspect, if only because of differences in grammar and idiom between the source and target languages. However, the Jews, especially after the failure of the [[Simon bar Hochva]] rebellion, determined never to accept anything that had a non-Jewish influence. Therefore, since midway through the second century AD, Jews have used the [[Masoretic Text]], which they insist is the original.

Any translation is automatically suspect, if only because of differences in grammar and idiom between the source and target languages. However, the later Jews, especially after the failure of the [[Simon bar Hochva]] rebellion, determined never to accept anything that had a non-Jewish influence. Therefore, since midway through the second century AD, Jews have used Hebrew texts. The [[Masoretic Text]], which was put together around 900 A.D., is based upon these earlier Hebrew translations and is the text that is used today both for those who read Hebrew, and for translating to other languages.

[[James Ussher]], who made himself an expert on [[Semitic]] languages, concluded that the Septuagint contained errors of translation, and even errors of fact, that he considered critical and fatal to his purpose of determining a unified chronology of the world. For that reason, he rejected the Septuagint in favor of the Masoretic Text.

[[James Ussher]], who made himself an expert on [[Semitic]] languages, concluded that the Septuagint contained errors of translation, and even errors of fact, that he considered critical and fatal to his purpose of determining a unified chronology of the world. For that reason, he rejected the Septuagint in favor of the Masoretic Text.

In 1947, certain copies of Hebrew texts in scroll form turned up at [[Qumran]]. These "[[Dead Sea Scrolls]]" tend to vindicate the Masoretic text. These scrolls date back at least two centuries BC and thus to shortly after the time in which the Septuagint came to be. Yet at the same time, Septuagint and Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts together vindicate the prophecies of [[Jesus Christ]], because they render any conspiracy to write "prophecies after the fact" temporally impossible.

In 1947, ancient copies of Hebrew texts in scroll form turned up at [[Qumran]]. These "[[Dead Sea Scrolls]]" were written over various times, but dated back to the time of Jesus and before.  This was a monumental find as it pushed back the time of the earliest known Hebrew text by almost 1000 years and was still a few hundred years earlier than the earliest surviving Greek text. The scrolls vindicate the accuracy of both the Septuagint and the Masoretic text which were surprisingly accurate for the large amount of time that had passed.  In those cases where there were differences, the Septuagint was more accurate overall. Septuagint and Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts together vindicate the prophecies of [[Jesus Christ]], because they render any conspiracy to write "prophecies after the fact" temporally impossible.

== References ==

== References ==