sanctuary, but rather a common place of meeting for the Egyptian
Jews and of defence in case of attack. It never seriously rivalled the
Jerusalem sanctuary, although in later days it was viewed with jealousy
by the Jews of Palestine.

IV. Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Far more
significant than the building of the Leontopolis temple was the
translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. The tradition preserved
by Josephus that the translation was made in seventy-two days by
seventy-two scholars, sent from Jerusalem by Eleazar the high priest at
the request of Ptolemy, is clearly unhistorical. The impossibility of
completing so vast a task in this limited time is obvious. Moreover, the
character of the translation indicates that it was the work not of
Palestinian but of Alexandrian Jews familiar with the peculiar Greek of
Egypt and the lands of the dispersion. It was also the work not of one
but of many different groups of translators, as is shown by the variant
synonyms employed in different books to translate the same Hebrew words
and idioms. In the case of several books the work of two or more distinct
translators is readily recognized. The quality of the translation also
varies greatly in different books. It is probable that the one historical
fact underlying the tradition is that the work of translation was begun in
the days of Ptolemy Philadelphus, who may have encouraged his Jewish
subjects in their undertaking. From the character of the translations and
the nature of the situation it is probable that the first books to be
translated were certain historical writings, as Samuel-Kings and the books
of the Law. The remaining books were probably translated by the end of the
succeeding century (between 250 and 150 B.C.), for the grandson of Ben
Sira implies in his prologue that he was acquainted with the Law, the
Prophets, and the other writings in their Greek version.