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The Forgotten Books of Eden: The Letter of Aristeas: Chapter II

Biblical ApocryphaForgotten Books of EdenPseudepigrapha

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This is an excerpt from the Letter of Aristeas, an ancient pseudepigraphical text (here presented in Platt's 1926 collection of apocryphal writings) that purports to describe the origins of the Septuagint — the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. The narrative centers on a formal diplomatic exchange between the Egyptian king Ptolemy and the High Priest Eleazar in Jerusalem: Ptolemy's librarian Demetrius proposes acquiring and accurately translating the Jewish law for the royal library, arguing the existing copies are corrupt and unworthy of their divine origin. The king writes to Eleazar requesting seventy-two elders — six from each of the twelve tribes — skilled in Jewish law, and accompanies the request with lavish gifts of gold, silver, precious stones, and funds for temple sacrifices. Eleazar's reply is gracious and compliant; he confirms the selection of the elders, lists all seventy-two by name, and requests their safe return upon completion of the work. The text's distinctive character lies in its bureaucratic specificity — the meticulous recording of correspondence, gift inventories, and lists of names — which lends it an air of official historical record, though scholars regard it as a later Hellenistic Jewish composition designed to legitimize the Septuagint's authority and portray its translation as a project of royal patronage rather than necessity.

The Forgotten Books of Eden: The Letter of Aristeas: Chapter II

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