Naming the Gods of Others in the Septuagint: Lexical Analysis and Historical-Religious Implications

Abstract

This paper discusses the representation of foreign gods as demons found in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It investigates the category of δαιμόνιον in some Septuagint texts against the background of the Hellenistic literature, and the relationship between the notion of demon and that of idol. In doing this, it shows the relevance of the Septuagint for a better understanding of religious notions emerging during the Hellenistic period. Moreover, focusing on some uses of εἴδωλον in the Pentateuch, the paper proposes a new interpretation for the word in the Greek version of the decalogue, in light of papyrological evidence.