The Septuagint (LXX) and the Masoretic Text (MT) are two of the most well-known textual traditions of the Old Testament. The LXX is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, while the MT is the authoritative Hebrew text preserved by Jewish scribes.
Many today claim that the LXX is superior to the MT, using it to justify altered biblical timelines, support apocryphal books, and even influence modern translations of the Bible. However, a close examination reveals that the LXX is an unreliable, inconsistent, and later-altered text, while the Masoretic Text has been faithfully preserved by God’s people.
What is the Septuagint (LXX)?
The Septuagint (LXX) is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that was completed in stages, supposedly beginning around the 3rd century BC. The translation was commissioned in Alexandria, Egypt, where Jewish scholars translated the Pentateuch (the first five books of Moses) into Greek. Over time, additional books were added, including the historical and prophetic writings.
However, the LXX is not a single unified text. It went through multiple revisions and does not always agree with the Hebrew Scriptures. By the time of Christ, there were multiple versions of the LXX circulating. Many of these versions contained significant differences in genealogies, prophecies, and even doctrine when compared to the Hebrew Bible.
What is the Masoretic Text (MT)?
The Masoretic Text (MT) is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Old Testament. It was meticulously preserved by the Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes between 500-1000 AD, though the text itself dates back much earlier. The Masoretes used a precise system of vowel markings and textual safeguards to ensure the faithful transmission of Scripture.
Unlike the LXX, which was translated and revised by multiple groups, the MT was carefully guarded. Jewish scribes followed strict copying methods, checking and rechecking every letter to prevent alterations.
The Dead Sea Scrolls (dated from 200 BC – 100 AD) confirm that the Masoretic Text is nearly identical to Hebrew manuscripts that existed in Jesus’ time, showing its reliability over time.
Which Bible Translations Use the LXX vs. the MT?
Many Bible translations today use different textual sources. Here is a general breakdown:
Translations Based on the Masoretic Text (MT):
✓ King James Version (KJV)
✓ New King James Version (NKJV)
✓ New American Standard Bible (NASB)
✓ English Standard Version (ESV) (primarily MT, but occasionally consults LXX)
✓ Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
These translations rely primarily on the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament, ensuring a faithful representation of the original Hebrew Scriptures.
Translations That Rely Heavily on the LXX:
✗ New International Version (NIV) (incorporates LXX readings in places)
✗ New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
✗ Catholic Bibles (e.g., Douay-Rheims, NAB, RSV-CE, etc.)
✗ Orthodox Study Bible (LXX is their preferred Old Testament text)
Many of these translations incorporate LXX readings, which lead to significant differences in doctrine, prophecy, and biblical chronology.
Major Problems with the Septuagint (LXX)
The LXX is often promoted as an early and accurate text, but a deeper examination reveals serious flaws that make it an unreliable source of biblical truth.
Inflated Genealogies That Corrupt Biblical Chronology
One of the biggest problems with the LXX is that it artificially adds hundreds of years to the genealogies in Genesis 5 and Genesis 11.
- The LXX adds over 600 years to the ages of the patriarchs before they had children.
- This pushes the date of the Flood back by more than 1,000 years, making it difficult to align biblical history with known events.
- It contradicts the Hebrew tradition and causes theological problems when trying to establish the biblical timeline.
The Masoretic Text, on the other hand, maintains a consistent and logical chronology, placing the Flood around 2304 BC, in line with historical and archaeological evidence.
Corruption of Prophecies About Christ
The LXX alters key Messianic prophecies, which can lead to confusion about Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture.
For example, in Isaiah 7:14, the Masoretic Text states:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (NKJV)
But the LXX changes “virgin” (Hebrew: almah) to “young woman”, weakening the prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ.
Jesus and the apostles quoted both Hebrew and Greek versions of Scripture, but they never endorsed the LXX as superior to the Hebrew text.
Inclusion of the Apocrypha
The LXX includes additional books known as the Apocrypha, which were never accepted as Scripture by the Jews. These include:
- Tobit
- Judith
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
- Baruch
- 1 & 2 Maccabees
These books contain historical errors, contradictions, and doctrinal issues. For example, 2 Maccabees 12:45 promotes prayers for the dead, which contradicts biblical teaching.
The Jews never accepted the Apocrypha as Scripture, and Jesus never quoted from it, proving that it is not divinely inspired.
Multiple and Contradictory Versions
There is not one single Septuagint text—there are multiple versions, including the:
- Alexandrian LXX
- Vaticanus LXX
- Sinaiticus LXX
These versions disagree with each other, and later church fathers like Origen (3rd century AD) had to create his own version, called the Hexapla, in an attempt to correct the inconsistencies.
The Masoretic Text, however, has been preserved with a single, consistent transmission over time.
Why We Should Trust the Masoretic Text Over the LXX
The Masoretic Text is the superior textual tradition for several reasons:
- It was carefully preserved by Jewish scribes, ensuring accuracy.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm its reliability, matching closely with Hebrew manuscripts dating back to the time of Christ.
- It maintains the correct genealogical timeline, avoiding the artificial inflation of patriarchal ages found in the LXX.
- It preserves Messianic prophecies accurately, unlike the LXX, which weakens key predictions about Jesus.
- It does not include the Apocrypha, ensuring that only divinely inspired Scripture is used.
By trusting the Masoretic Text, we ensure that we are reading the Old Testament as God originally intended it.
My Final Thoughts
The Septuagint is often promoted as a superior text, but a careful study exposes its serious flaws. It inflates biblical timelines, alters key prophecies, includes uninspired books, and exists in multiple contradictory versions. The Masoretic Text, on the other hand, is the faithful, divinely preserved text of the Old Testament. It is the foundation of the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and other trustworthy translations, and it aligns with the Hebrew Scriptures that Jesus Himself affirmed.
To remain faithful to biblical truth, we should reject the unreliable LXX and trust the Masoretic Text as the authoritative Word of God.
