It is generally accepted that the Greek translation of the Pentateuch was undertaken in Egypt, in the 3rd century BCE. Then, it is only logical that the translators and the translation itself were influenced by the environment the translation took place in, by its languages, its usages and beliefs. Nevertheless, previous scholarly endeavours only partially address the issue of these contextual influences on the Greek translation. Although some valid attemps to uncover echoes of the Egyptian environment in the Septuagint translation have been made in the past century, no systematic study had been produced. In the wake of a renewed interest for Egyptian features in the Septuagint translation, the present volume aims at offering the first systematic studies on Egyptian influences in the first three books of the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus. An accurate analysis of various translational choices reflected in lexical elements which have been influenced by the Egyptian milieu such as proper names, toponyms, geographical images, job titles, weights and measures, animal names, realia, and theological accents demonstrate to what extent the translators were acquainted with the environment they lived in. Examining this phenomenon, which might initially appear marginal, reveals itself to be a pressing issue in the emerging trends of Septuagint studies.
