Jewish Identities in Egypt: A Preliminary Study on the LXX Greek and Jewish Documentary Sources

Recalcati, Camilla
(2024) European Association of Biblical Studies Annual (EABS) — Location: Sofia, Bulgaria (15.July.2024)

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  • Recalcati, Camillaorcid-logoUCLouvain
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Abstract
The research regarding the contextual influence of Egypt on the Septuagint has mainly been regarded from a lexical point of view (Aitken: 2014; Pfeiffer: 2016). However, these lexical analyses merely scratch the surface of the broader contextual influences that illuminate the milieu within which the Septuagint translators operated, shedding light on their cultural practices and knowledge. Considering the prominent Jewish presence in Egypt during the translation of the Pentateuch into Greek, it becomes imperative to acknowledge that beyond the Septuagint, additional documents originating from Jewish communities might also bear witness to contextual influences derived from the Egyptian environment (CPJ, P. Polit. Iud.; Synagogue inscriptions; Jewish funeral inscriptions, et alia). This paper seeks to present the starting point to conduct a preliminary investigation into the contextual influences from Egypt, serving as a key criterion for understanding the culture and education of both the Septuagint Pentateuch translator(s) and the Jewish communities in Egypt. By establishing a foundation, it aims to assess linguistic or semantic “Jewish markers”, essential identity factors for delving into the cultural, educational, and social backgrounds of the translator(s) within their Jewish communities. The exploration will present less-explored Jewish communities beyond Alexandria, with a focus on the Fayum, aligning with recent theories about the LXX-Pentateuch’s origin (Aitken: 2020– 2021). The study will demonstrate how comparing the LXX with other Jewish Hellenistic documents contributes to re-evaluating the concept of a “Jewish sociolect” promoting mutual understanding between these realms.
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Recalcati, C. (2024). Jewish Identities in Egypt: A Preliminary Study on the LXX Greek and Jewish Documentary Sources. European Association of Biblical Studies Annual (EABS), Sofia, Bulgaria. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/232480