Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-323) and indexes.

Introduction: Why study the Septuagint? --
1. The history of the Septuagint :
The origin of the Septuagint and other Greek versions ; The transmission of the Septuagint ; The Septuagint in modern times ; The Septuagint as a translation --
2. The Septuagint in biblical studies.
The language of the Septuagint ; Establishing the text of the Septuagint ; Using the Septuagint for the textual criticism of the Hebrew bible ; The Judean Desert discoveries and Septuagint studies ; Septuagint and New Testament ; Interpreting the Septuagint --
3. The current state of Septuagint studies.
Our predecessors: Septuagint scholars of a previous generation ; Current studies in linguistic research ; Reconstructing the history of the text ; Theological development in the Hellenistic age.

As the Bible of Hellenistic Judaism and of the early church, the Septuagint has long been important to biblical scholarship as an aid for interpreting both the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament. This is the first user-friendly introduction to the Septuagint available. Writing for beginning students and seasoned scholars alike, the authors give the necessary background and provide a primer that is both accessible and comprehensive. As it moves from basic introductory matters to more advanced issues, this book: clarifies the Septuagint's importance for the field of biblical studies; reviews the history of early Greek versions of the Bible; introduces the current printed editions; provides explanatory notes on selected passages; and surveys the present state of Septuagint research.--From publisher description