The different names

from the Bible

The different names

As early as the first decades of the 2nd century B.C., various names were used to designate the first set of Holy Books. The first of these was the «Law» or «Books of the Law», or «Book of Moses». In Hebrew, we say ha-séfèr «The Book». After the Pentateuch was translated into Greek in Alexandria, the Law or nomos, then becomes hey biblos, the Book (Septuagint version).
The Greek translators of the ancient Hebrew scrolls used the expression ta biblia. In Greekhis expression is a masculine plural meaning «the Books». While many ancient Greek expressions include biblos or biblion («the books» or «sacred book», etc.), the New Testament authors rather speak of hai graphai, Scripture:

Jesus said to them: «Have you ever read in the Scriptures (hai graphai) The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?» Matthew 21:42. Segond 21 version.

Image opposite A reconstructed scene of a Massoret copying a page from a scroll of the Law. © « the revealed secrets of the Bible« . Arte TV.

But it was only in the 2nd century that the term biblia, the singular feminine term that gave rise to the French word bible, used by the Church Fathers (Clement of Alexandria, Origen, etc.) to designate all the writings of the Old and New Testaments.

In front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, an Orthodox Jew teaches his grandson «the chema», Listen to Israel ! the central prayer of morning and evening services in Judaism (Deuteronomy 6:4). Damon Lynch.

The composition of the Bible

The Bible comprises a collection of texts considered sacred by both Jews and Christians. Different religious groups may include different books in their canon and in different order.

See the table of Old Testament books →

Since the 8th century, the Hebrew version of the Bible has been spoken in Hebrew. TaNaKh, an acronym derived from the titles of its three constituent parts: the Torah (the Law), the Nevi'im (the Prophets) and the Ketuvim (other writings).
The Pentateuch (or collection of the first five books of the Torah) was translated into Greek in Alexandria around the 3rd century BC. According to a tradition (legend?) reported by Aristée's Letter and amplified since, the Greek translation of the Torah, known as the «Septuagint» or «Alexandrian», is said to be the work of seventy-two Jewish scholars, six from each tribe, who, at the request of the Greek authorities in Egypt (and isolated for seventy-two days, according to some versions), arrived at a common text. This version, known as the Septuagint, was later used by Jerome of Stridon (347-420, according to tradition) to complete his Latin translation of the Bible from Hebrew.

Image above Procession of several sifrei Torah during a Jewish festival. Felix Lipov 248715673.

The various Christian denominations refer to the Tanakh as the Old Testament (or First Covenant). Other ancient texts (Apocrypha) are added in Catholic versions. The Christian version of the Bible also contains the New Testament, a collection of writings about Jesus Christ and his disciples. These are the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of Paul, the Hebrews, James, Peter, John, Jude and Revelation.

See the table of New Testament books →

The Bible is thus a collection of highly varied writings (accounts of origins, legislative texts, historical accounts, sapiential, prophetic and poetic texts, hagiographies, epistles) written between the 8th century BC (according to some scientists, even earlier) and the 2nd century BC for the Old Testament, and the second half of the 1st century, or even the beginning of the 2nd century, for the New Testament.

Image opposite Discoveries in the Near East shed light on biblical history. Some tools for studying the Bible. © oneblink1.

Ptolemy and the Septuagint

According to Aristée's letter (2nd century B.C.), the Septuagint was the brainchild of the founder of the Library of Alexandria, Demetrios of Phaleros. Demetrios suggested to Ptolemy II (or to the Pharaoh, according to Aristaeus) that all Israelite books, sacred texts and secular narratives, be translated into Greek. Very soon after the foundation of Alexandria by Alexander the Great in 331, a Jewish population developed strongly, particularly around the Royal Palace; so much so that two of the five quarters were reserved for the «descendants of Abraham». Here, they continued to speak the Hebrew language and study Old Testament texts. Already interested in the fate of his Israelite subjects, the sovereign also appeared keen to learn the rules of the various peoples subject to him as part of the reorganization of his kingdom.

Image opposite: Ptolemy II, Cabinet des médailles, Bibliothèque nationale de France. Cameo representing Ptolemy II as Alexander the Great. Enameled gold mounting by Josias Belle, Paris, late 18th century.

The 72 Jewish scholars (six from each of the twelve tribes of Israel) were responsible for this translation, which, in their honor, is known as the Septuagint Version. Tradition has it that the high priest of Jerusalem, Eleazar, agreed to Ptolemy II's request on one condition: the liberation of the Jews of Judea, taken prisoner and enslaved in Egypt by the Pharaoh's father, Ptolemy I.

See the Hasmonean page →