Ethiopic Bible and Manuscript Traditions: Textual Transmission, Interpretation, and Reception

The Ethiopic/Gəʿəz Bible translation raises the question of whether it has a closer affinity with the Greek (LXX) or Hebrew (MT), while still revealing Ethiopian innovations and signs of dynamic interpretation. In fact, compared with the Hebrew (MT) or Greek (LXX) versions, the research will show that the Ethiopic Bible is by and large a faithful translation. The causes of textual variants are discussed from philological and literary perspectives. Examination of the Hebrew and Greek versions helps demonstrate how the Ethiopic translation shows careful attention to its readers and audience. This allows us to see how Ethiopian translators solved problems of understanding caused by sentences containing grammatical or semantic complications in the Hebrew or Greek versions. It may also be concluded that most Ethiopian manuscripts are close to the Greek or Septuagint version, while very few recent manuscripts show a particular affinity with the Hebrew version of the Old Testament.

Dr Tsehay Ademe Belay is affiliated with the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. His conference presentation will address Ethiopian biblical, Gəʿəz, and manuscript traditions, with particular attention to textual transmission, interpretation, and reception.