Preserving Textual Plurality: The Ethics of the Septuagint Translators and Modern Bible Translation

Textual plurality, particularly in the Old Testament, is an important issue in Bible translation. While modern translators carefully weigh manuscript evidence and the work of textual critics, the ancient translators of the Septuagint (LXX) faced analogous challenges when working from Hebrew texts that differed from what later became the Masoretic Text (MT). Building on the author’s master’s thesis, this paper provides a case study of the Interludes (sometimes called Miscellanies) of 3 Kingdoms (LXX)/1 Kings 2:12-46l (MT)—a passage where the LXX preserves significant variant material vis-à-vis the MT. While some scholars argue that the differences are the result of midrashic expansion or theological reworking, the evidence points, in this case, towards the faithful translation of a distinct Hebrew Vorlage. Rather than harmonising with the proto-MT, the LXX translators retained textual plurality, raising an ethical question still relevant today: should translators favour a dominant textual tradition, or preserve multiple readings for future generations? Given that critical editions remain incomplete for many OT books, this historical case study offers a model for navigating textual plurality responsibly. By drawing parallels to the ethical decisions faced by modern translators, this paper argues that the LXX provides a precedent for balancing fidelity to the source with the responsibility of representing textual diversity.