This article explores the use and development of Greek terms related to the concept of “life” – specifically ζωογονέω, ζωοποιέω, and ζωοποίησις – within the Septuagint (LXX) and other Greek versions of the Scriptures, notably the so-called “Jewish Minor Versions”. Building on the ongoing work of the Historical and Theological Lexicon of the Septuagint (HTLS) and extending the analysis by incorporating non-Septuagintal biblical attestations of these terms, this research examines whether the meanings of these terms in the LXX are aligned with those found in extra-biblical Greek literature, whether they reflect a precise rendering of the presumed Hebrew Vorlage, and whether they exhibit specific functions within the LXX. Furthermore, it investigates how these terms are employed in the Jewish Minor Versions, highlighting any points of convergence and divergence with the LXX. By comparing these versions, the study offers fresh exegetical insights and contributes to our understanding of certain characteristics of the Koine Greek in a scriptural context.
Beatrice Bonanno (Wed,) studied this question.