the early numbers of the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1855, strongly recommendatory of the Complutensian Text, has induced me to notice its readings more largely than heretofore, without however departing from the Roman Edition as the basis of my translation. I have taken them as they exist in the Antwerp Polyglott of 1572.

On the importance generally of the study of this Version, I cannot do better than transcribe a passage which occurs in a posthumous work of the late lamented Professor Blunt, entitled "A History of the Christian Church during the first three Centuries," and is as follows:

"The Septuagint was, undoubtedly, the Bible with which the Jews were, in general, familiar. The foreign Jews studied the Scriptures in that Version, perhaps exclusively; and those of Judea with but few exceptions, for even there the Hebrew Bible was explained by Syriac Targums. When Jesus 'stood up for to read,' and the Book of the Prophet Isaiah was given him, it was the Septuagint Translation. In St Stephen's speech before the Jewish Council, there are not less than twenty-eight distinct quotations from that version. In the Epistle of St James to the twelve tribes

The

scattered abroad, there is not a single quotation which is not taken from the Septuagint. The Epistle to the Hebrews has been said, as far as language goes, to be a kind of Mosaic, composed of bits and fragments of the Septuagint. Fathers therefore, in using the Septuagint as the weapon of their warfare, used the same which the Apostles did, and one the legitimacy of which was acknowledged by the party they were contending against. Moreover as this translation was made some two hundred and fifty years before Christ was born, it was impossible to object that those texts which bore testimony to Jesus could have been unduly treated by the Christians, and a meaning assigned to them which they were never intended to bear. Indeed in this respect the translation, perhaps, had greater force even than the original; for it furnished an argument that the plain, unperverted sense of the Hebrew was what that Version represented it; and that though the Hebrew, when strained for a purpose, might be made to speak somewhat less favourably for the Christian, still this could not be done with impunity so long as the Septuagint remained to rebuke the novelties of later translations, and stood

as a monument of the sense assigned to Scripture by scholars necessarily impartial, and who lived when the original language was well understood.”

The Professor cites in his margin in support of some of his statements, Grinfield's Apology for the LXX, a work which I have not had an opportunity of seeing.

H. HOWARD.

LICHFIELD DEANERY,

November, 1856.

EXODUS.

FROM THE GREEK OF THE LXX.

CHAPTER I.

1. THESE (are) the names of the sons of Israel who entered into Egypt together with Jacob their father; each with their whole family they came in. 2. Ruben, Symeon, Levi, Judas. 3. Issachar, Zabulon, Benjamin. 4. Dan, and Nephthali, Gad, and Aser. 5. But Joseph was in Egypt. Moreover all the souls (springing) from Jacob were seventy and five. 6. Then Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. 7. But the sons of Israel were increased and multiplied, and became diffused, and grew strong exceedingly, exceedingly; for the land multiplied them. 8. Then arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. 9. He therefore said to his nation, Behold, the race of the sons of Israel (is) a great multitude, and is strong above us. 10. Come therefore, let us deal subtly with them, lest (the race) be multiplied, and when war shall chance to befall us, these men also should be added to the enemies, and, having overcome us in battle, should go forth out of the land. 11. And he set over them masters of the works, that they might afflict them in the works. And they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis. 12. But in proportion as they humbled them, so much the more numerous

EXOD.

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did they become, and grew strong exceedingly, exceedingly; and the Egyptians were disgusted by reason of the sons of Israel. 13. And the Egyptians oppressed the sons of Israel by force. 14. And they made their life grievous in the hard works, the clay, and the brick-making, and all the works which (were carried on) in the plains, according to all the works, whereby they forcibly brought them into bondage. 15. And the king of the Egyptians said to the midwives of the Hebrews-the name of the first of them (was) Sepphora, and the name of the second, Phua— 16. And he said, When ye deliver the Hebrew women, and they are at the point of bringing forth, if indeed it be a male, kill it, but if a female, preserve it. 17. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt had charged them, and saved the males alive. 18. Then the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, How (is it) that ye have done this thing, and saved the males alive? 19. So the midwives said to Pharao, Not as the women of Egypt (are) the Hebrew women; for they bring forth before the midwives come unto them: and they have brought forth. 20. Therefore God did well to the midwives; and the people multiplied, and became exceeding strong. 21. Forasmuch then as the midwives feared God, they made themselves houses. 22. Then Pharao charged all his people, saying, Every male which shall be born to the Hebrews, cast ye into the river, and every female, save ye it alive.