Digital Dictionary of Rare Lexemes in Symmachus’ Psalter: Laying the Foundation for a Comprehensive Lexicon of Jewish Revisions of the Septuagint

• Applicant: Dr. Felix Albrecht
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 561215456

In the scholarly exploration of the translations of the Hebrew Bible, the Greek translation of the Septuagint holds immense significance not only for biblical studies but also for the broader fields of Greek and Hebrew studies. As a major work of cultural transfer, the Septuagint represents an intersection of languages, literary and religious traditions, and exegetical approaches, with far-reaching consequences that continue to influence contemporary understandings of biblical texts. The translation process itself is an exegetical endeavour that shaped the transmission and interpretation of sacred writings across various confessional and religious contexts. Within this vast framework, the vocabulary of the Septuagint serves as a crucial tool for understanding both the Greek language and its interaction with Hebrew. However, a significant gap remains in the lexicographical recording and analysis of the later Greek translations of the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament, the so-called Jewish revisions of the Septuagint, a lacuna still evident in modern lexica on the Septuagint. As a result, numerous Greek lexemes from the early Jewish reception history of the Septuagint have yet to be catalogued and analysed lexicographically. Particularly pressing is the study of the lexemes which are attested only once, the so-called hapax legomena of this corpus as well as of further rare lexemes. Unveiling their meaning necessitates extensive analysis, especially concerning both the contemporary Greek language and literature and the underlying Hebrew texts, as well as their interpretations within Late Antique Judaism. This pressing research gap will be addressed in the planned German-Israeli project through the creation of a Digital Dictionary of the rare words found in the Psalter version of Symmachus, a reviser of the Septuagint (c. 200 CE). A total of 215 lemmata have been selected for inclusion. For the first time, the project will comprehensively document these lexemes and provide detailed analyses from both Greek and Hebrew philological perspectives. It is important to consider the linguistic and exegetical horizons of the author of this Septuagint revision, as Symmachus is described by the Church Father Epiphanius as a native Samaritan who converted to Judaism. Both the German applicant and the Israeli cooperation partner are highly regarded in the relevant areas of expertise for this research project. Dr Felix Albrecht is a specialist in the manuscript transmission of the Septuagint and the Greek Psalter. He leads the research unit “Die Editio critica maior des griechischen Psalters” at the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony. Professor Dr Stefan Schorch (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) is a renowned expert in Late Antique Hebrew, including the Samaritan tradition, and has also published extensively in the field of Septuagint research.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Israel
• Partner Organisation: The Israel Science Foundation
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Stefan Schorch