As the Bible of Hellenistic Judaism and of the early church, the Septuagint has long been important to biblical scholarship as an aid for interpreting both the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament. This is the first user-friendly introduction to the Septuagint available. Writing for beginning students and seasoned scholars alike, the authors give the necessary background and provide a primer that is both accessible and comprehensive. As it moves from basic introductory matters to more advanced issues, this book: clarifies the Septuagint's importance for the field of biblical studies; reviews the history of early Greek versions of the Bible; introduces the current printed editions; provides explanatory notes on selected passages; and surveys the present state of Septuagint research.--From publisher description.