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Articles by William Ross
(Virtual) Oxford Septuagint Seminar, 17 June
Details for the next seminar, available virtually, are as follows: 17 June | 2:00 PM (BST) “Translating the Word of God: Synagogues and the Septuagint in the Late Second Temple Period” Prof. William Schniedewind is Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies & Northwest Semitic Languages and Sady and Ludwig Kahn Director of the Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies at UCLA. The Septuagint is usually understood as an Alexandrian translation created for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt.
(Virtual) Oxford Septuagint Seminar, 10 June
Details for the next seminar, available virtually, are as follows for tomorrow: 10 June | 2:00PM (BST) Dr Vladimir Olivero, “The Text of the Septuagint” This week Dr Vladimir Olivero will be giving an introduction to the text of the Septuagint: manuscripts, editions, textual families. The goal is to equip the audience with the basic tools to understand the textual history of the Septuagint and how to use the main reference works. Particular attention is devoted to the Pentateuch.
Book Announcement: Baylor Handbook on Greek Ruth
This morning I’m excited to announce a new book coming to press very soon: Ruth: A Handbook on the Greek Text. This new volume is part of the ongoing Baylor Handbook on the Septuagint series (BHLXX). I drew some attention to this series a while ago in an interview with Seth Ehorn, who is one of the two series editors (the other is Sean Adams) and a contributor to the series as well. There are now six volumes in the series.
New LXX Publications of Note
Over the last few months I’ve highlighted a number of my own publications, so I thought it would make sense to point out others’ work as well. I was glad to receive news from Anna Mambelli of her recent publication, Vedere Sogni. Here is an English translation of part of the volume description: For the first time, the Hellenistic context and meaning of the dream reports in Daniel 2 and 4, in its ancient Greek version known as the Old Greek, are examined in a detailed study.
Psychologie de la destruction
Œuvre centrale de la première génération de l’école de Francfort, La dialectique de la Raison entreprend une critique rationnelle de la rationalité elle-même. Rédigé au début des années 1940 dans le contexte de l’exil américain, le livre cherche à comprendre comment le processus historique de rationalisation porté par l’Aufklärung a pu aboutir à des formes d’organisation sociale profondément violentes et destructrices.
In Memoriam: Takamitsu Muraoka (1938-2026)
[Updated 5:30pm EST] I have just received news that Prof. Dr. Takamitsu Muraoka died yesterday, 10 February. He passed away peacefully in his sleep, just one day after his 88th birthday. According to a mutual colleague, Muraoka suffered a stroke on Christmas morning and never fully recovered. He passed away just a matter of weeks after his beloved wife Keiko in late November (or early December) after sixty years of marriage. Prof. Muraoka studied under Prof. M.
International Septuagint Day 2026: A New Septuagint Seminar
Well yet another International Septuagint Day has arrived (and gone) as of yesterday, 8 February. It being a Sunday, I figured I would draw attention to it this morning instead. And as usual, I have something to say about it. First, here’s a list of links to previous years’ celebrations here on the blog: ISD 2025 ISD 2024 ISD 2023 ISD 2022 ISD 2021 ISD 2020 ISD 2019 ISD 2017 ISD 2016 ISD 2015 ISD 2014 To celebrate this year, I want to draw attention to an exciting new venture at Oxford.
Book Announcement: Language and Identity in Hellenistic Judaism
It is with mixed emotions that I announce a new book that will be available this month with Bloomsbury T&T Clark publishers, Language and Identity in Hellenistic Judaism: Essays in Memory of James K. Aitken (here). It’s always a pleasure to see a project come to fruition, and it was a pleasure working alongside my friends and colleagues Marieke Dhont and Chris Fresch. But as you can see in the subtitle to this volume, it is offered as a collection of essays in memory of my Doktorvater James K.
New Publications: Part 5
Mostly as a way to take a break from grading, I’m taking some time today to write about the fifth of five essays that went to press in 2025. I posted about four others here, here, here, and here. This fifth essay is entitled “Reevaluating Parataxis in the Septuagint.” It appears in Subordination and Insubordination in Post-Classical Greek: From Syntax to Context, edited by Klaas Bentein, Eleonora Cattafi, and Ezra La Roi (De Gruyter Brill, 2025).
New Publications: Part 4
Today I want to highlight the fourth of five essays that have been published this year. (Three others already mentioned here, here, and here.) This particular publication is something a bit different from the others, all of which relate to the Septuagint in some way. This one is related to dictionaries, of all things. This volume is edited by Ilan Stavans, who is Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities and Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College.
New Publications: Part 3
This is the third post in a series of an eventual five that highlight a batch of publications from this year. You can read the first two here and here. This particular publication is an essay entitled “The Syntax of Year Expressions in Hellenistic Greek Papyri and Ancient Jewish Translation.” It is published in a very large collection that presents the proceedings of the thirtieth International Congress of Papyrology, which was held in Paris in 2022, where I initially presented my research.
New Publications: Part 1
Not long ago, I posted a book announcement for my coedited volume with Greg Lanier, The Authority of the Septuagint. You can read more about that there if you haven’t already. Today I want to begin highlighting several other publications of mine that have either appeared recently, or are will appear in the coming month or so. There are five of them, so I’ll discuss each one in a separate post in no particular order.
Book Announcement: The Authority of the Septuagint
I’m excited to announce a new book coming out this October with IVP Academic, entitled The Authority of the Septuagint: Biblical, Historical, and Theological Approaches. This is a project that I have been working on with my friend and colleague, Gregory R. Lanier, who is a professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Greg and I have worked on a number of projects together by now, all of them related to the Septuagint in some way or another.
El bosque mágico de Tuck - Película (2002)
Datos técnicos y reparto DATOS TÉCNICOS Título internacional: Tuck Everlasting El manantial de la eterna juventud Guion: Jeffrey Lieber, James V. Hart. Novela de Natalie Babbitt Fotografía: Estreno en España: REPARTO Alexis Bledel, Jonathan Jackson, Scott Bairstow… Vota esta película: Argumento: Año 1914, durante un caluroso verano. Winnie Foster es una chica de quince años proveniente de una familia de clase alta de una pequeña localidad llamada Treegap, en Estados Unidos.
Como os números imaginários impactam o mundo real por meio de análises complexas
Para um não matemático, o fato de a letra “i” representar um número que não existe e é “imaginário” pode ser difícil de entender. Entretanto, se você abrir sua mente para essa forma de pensar, um mundo totalmente novo se torna possível. Sou um matemático que estuda análise: uma área da matemática que lida com números complexos.
Book Announcement: An Abridged Septuagint Reader
Just a brief post this morning to draw attention to a new book: Septuaginta: An Abridged Reader’s Edition (Hendrickson 2025), which you can buy in the usual places (e.g., Amazon). The concept is simple. This volume is a selection of passages drawn from the (much!) larger reader’s edition of the entire Septuagint corpus, which was published back in 2018. You can read more about the “big boy” version here.
Letter: President Trump has no empathy for military veterans
In the summer of 1863, the first draft was initiated. For $300 or for a substitute, a man was excused. The fathers of future presidents Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt and future Presidents Grover Cleveland and Chester A. Arthur hired substitutes. That draft was met with protest from several groups, including those against the war and an anti-wealthy sentiment.
2024 Wevers Institute Septuagint Summer Course
I’m very glad to post information today about the upcoming Septuagint Summer School that will be held at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, not too far away from Vancouver.
Celebrating International Septuagint Day
How sad it is that so few people know about one of the most festive days in the solar calendar year! So I am always thrilled to draw more attention to this splendid occasion that could — and now that I think about it definitely should — replace Valentine’s Day.
Septuagint Colloquium at McGill University (Call for Papers)
I’m glad to draw some (rather belated) attention to an upcoming Septuagint colloquium entitled Interpreting the Septuagint in Its Greco-Roman Context, to be held in Montreal, Canada. Each year, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (CSBS) holds its Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Congress of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. For 2024, the Congress, which gathers up to 10,000 scholars and students, will meet at McGill University in Montreal.
My 2023 Reading List
A new year has arrived, so it’s time for me to post my reading list for the past twelve months. This is an annual tradition for me at this point. You can browse through my previous years’ lists here. This year I hit thirty-nine books, which is an all-time low for me, although only by one book compared to my 2019 total. I’m not sure why that is and frankly don’t think it matters all that much. But I still like stats. Some disclaimers are in order.
2023 SBL Reception in Memory of James K. Aitken
Right around this time of year, biblical scholars around the world start getting serious about their papers and activities for the annual Society of Biblical Literature conference held in November. I for one am certainly starting to plan things out in more detail, and (of course) getting my presentations on paper. I’ll be involved in a variety of activities in my various groups in linguistics, Septuagint, and lexicography.
Operator Theory by Example
You are here Home » MAA Publications » MAA Reviews » Operator Theory by Example Publisher: Series: Oxford Graduate Texts in Mathematics MAA Review Table of Contents [Reviewed by , on ] When it comes to teaching mathematics, it quickly becomes apparent that pedagogical and didactic interests are never perfectly aligned. The quality of a textbook therefore depends on how well the authors manage to reconcile these conflicting interests.
Book Announcement: Linguistic Theory and the Biblical Text (Open Access)
It is my pleasure to announce a new book that is available as of today: Linguistic Theory and the Biblical Text, which has been published in the Cambridge Semitic Language and Cultures series with OpenBook Publishers in collaboration with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge. It’s exciting to see this project come to fruition (more on that below), perhaps especially because we were able to arrange for open access to the volume.
The Septuagint within the History of Greek Conference (2023)
It’s been a quiet summer around here, as most summers are. Perhaps I will do a “What I’ve Been Up To” sort of post in the next few weeks; time will tell. (Hint: writing.) But as you might imagine, I have not been posting here much given the sad events in the Septuagint world this past spring. But the time has come for some good news.
In Memoriam: James K. Aitken (1968-2023)
The world of biblical studies and Septuagint scholarship suffered a tremendous loss this past Good Friday, as we learned of the sudden passing of Dr. James K. Aitken, or — as he insisted — just Jim to those who knew him. As others have reported, Jim passed away a few days after what was his second major heart attack. Since then, tributes have already begun to pour in, as expected. Here is mine. If you have been a reader for any length of time, you will know that Jim was my Doktorvater.
My (Very Late) 2022 Reading List
Yes, I know, it’s the first day of spring. Yes, I know the whole “2022 book list” thing expired about four months ago. But here I am anyway, posting my reading list from last year. It’s something I’ve made a habit of for several years now. (You can look at my last few years worth of joy-ride reading here.) I do this for two reasons. First, I know that I certainly like to snoop on other people’s reading lists. I’m always trolling for new ideas and I always find goodies from other people.
17th International Septuagint Day
It is yet again that magical time of years for lovers of the Septuagint: International Septuagint Day. In case you are unaware, this joyous occasion has been celebrated these seventeen years, ever since the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS) pronounced it a holiday in 2006. As you can see in the image to the right, however, this celebration goes back to antiquity. Even the sphynxes observed this important festival.
A Septuagintal Smattering
It’s that time of year when academics begin to emerge slowly from the malaise that sets in between SBL and New Year’s Day. I count myself among that number, as it seems like the last two weeks have suddenly burst into new activity, much of which is follow-up from the conferences in late November. So in that spirit, I thought I’d post a kind of round-up for all things Septuagint — at least those things that have come to my attention.
The Language of Colour in the Bible (A Short Review)
Today I want to draw attention to a fascinating new book dealing with linguistic theory and biblical lexicography, two areas of research that are near and dear to my heart. This volume, entitled The Language of Colour in the Bible: Embodied Colour Terms Related to Green, was edited by a team of scholars that includes my friend and colleague in philology, Anna Angelini, who was kind enough to send me a copy.
New Article Surveying Septuagint Research
Back in April, I posted something that I very modestly entitled An Absolutely Gigantic Septuagint Bibliography, because that’s what it is. I’ve had some good response to it over the last few months and, yes, I am keeping a list of additions, which stack up at an alarming rate. Anyhow, I mentioned in that post how the impetus for the bibliography was linked to my work on producing an updated survey of the last decade of Septuagint scholarship for Currents in Biblical Research.
Fast Synaptically Activated Calcium and Sodium Kinetics in Hippocampal Pyramidal Neuron Dendritic Spines
Research ArticleResearch Article: New Research, Neuronal Excitability eNeuro 9 (6) ENEURO.0396-22.2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0396-22.2022 Abstract An accurate assessment of the time course, components, and magnitude of postsynaptic currents is important for a quantitative understanding of synaptic integration and signaling in dendritic spines.
The XVII Congress Volume of the IOSCS Published
Every three years the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT) holds a congress somewhere around the world. And during that congress, a number of other, smaller societies hold their own little get-togethers as a kind of mini-congress. One of the societies that does so is the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS).
Two Recent Publications
It’s the beginning of the academic year, so there’s plenty of buzz and activity getting started this week. But before the frenzy gets too intense, I thought I’d take a few minutes to write up a short post about two recent publications of mine. I debated whether or not to put “publications” in scare-quotes, since these two items are either not new or not “published,” at least not in the usual sense. Still, I’m happy to see them both out in the world.
D’île en île, la Davie nous mène en bateau
La Presse nous apprenait le 15 août dernier1 que les propriétaires du chantier naval Davie à Lévis ont changé leur structure corporative en créant une nouvelle entreprise dans l’île de Guernesey, petit paradis fiscal sous contrôle britannique. Cette entreprise, Global Marine Industries Limited, venait remplacer ZM Offshore Management, elle aussi située dans un paradis fiscal : les îles Vierges britanniques.
Summer ’22 Update
Well it is officially the dog days of summer. It is sunny, sticky, and thunderstorm-y here in North Carolina. Things move a little slower over the summer in the academic world, which is nice. But — aside from teaching an intensive — I am still working on a number of projects.
Book Announcement: Postclassical Greek and Septuagint Lexicography
Just a short but exciting bit of news to share today. I’m very pleased to report that my new book Postclassical Greek and Septuagint Lexicography has now been published with SBL Press in the Septuagint and Cognate Studies series. This book is the “official” — and only lightly revised — version of my doctoral thesis, which I completed in 2018 at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of James (Jim) K. Aitken (see below).
Recovering an Erased Gospel
Two hundred years ago, a nobleman on the Greek island of Zakynthos presented a visiting British soldier with a handwritten copy of the readings from the Greek gospels used in church services. On his return to London, General Colin Macaulay gave this manuscript, Codex Zacynthius, to the British and Foreign Bible Society.
An Absolutely Gigantic Septuagint Bibliography
No I don’t think you really understand. This bibliography is massive. It’s titanic. It’s stupendous. In fact, it’s currently at over seven hundred and fifty items… and it’s all for you. But let me back up a little. I am not the first person to attempt to compile a bibliography for the discipline. That is actually an old tradition that I discuss in the preface to the bibliography itself.
Part 2: Does Isaiah’s Servant Really Die for the People?
Isaiah’s fourth servant song is by far the most famous, not least because Christians have long read it as one of the greatest Old Testament prophecies about the heart of the Christian faith, the death of Jesus. In this Easter series, we are focusing on major textual problems in Isaiah 53 as a necessary step in identifying the suffering servant. In our Easter series on major problems in the text of Isaiah 53, we now come to the end of Isaiah 53:8.
A New Series on Isaiah’s Suffering Servant
As Easter approaches, many Christians will be remembering the gospel of Christ, that he died for our sins, was buried, and was raised “according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). No doubt, one scripture that many will read during holy week will be Isaiah 52:13–53:12, also known as the fourth servant song. This passage is a crucial text for understanding the events that took place in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago.
Book Announcement: Postclassical Greek Prepositions and Conceptual Metaphor
I’m very pleased to make a formal announcement today of a new book that I have co-edited with Steve Runge. This volume is to be published with De Gruyter in their FoSub series and is currently scheduled for release in November. Some of my regular readers may recognize the fact that this book is the long-awaited results of the Tyndale House Workshop in Greek Prepositions. Steve and I organized and hosted that event in Cambridge back in 2017 and had both a great turnout and excellent discussion.
Don't wake the neighbors during a robbery; legalize silencers
I would like to praise state Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, for introducing House Bill 2982 legalizing gun silencers. After passing this bill, when criminals break into your house and kill you and your family, the silencers will prevent the noise from waking up the neighbors. I'm sure he is just trying to be considerate. Now if he would just hurry up and legalize the use of unlicensed bazookas I will be even happier. That AR-15 just isn't doing the trick getting rid of my lawn gophers.
International Septuagint Day 2022: A Roundup
Hear ye! Hear ye! This very morn hath broken the sixteenth occasion of that bléssed day, declared in the ancient times of 2006 by the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS). Rejoice! Each year for quite a while I have posted something (that I think is) interesting on this most special of occasions. Usually it is an interview of some kind.
Review: A New Hebrew Reader for the Psalms
It’s been a while since I did a book review, but I want to make sure to highlight a great new resource that is likely to interest my readers. Hendrickson Publishers has just produced A Hebrew Reader for the Psalms: 40 Beloved Texts, compiled and edited by Pete Myers and Jonathan G. Kline. As of right now, Amazon still is not carrying the book, but you can get it on ChristianBook.com at a discount for about $26, which is a great price point.
Le Canada n’est pas qu’une victime des paradis fiscaux
LETTRE OUVERTE – Dans son rapport l’État de la justice fiscale 2021 publié le 16 novembre dernier, l’organisme Tax Justice Network (TJN) révélait que le total des impôts perdus mondialement chaque année, à cause des paradis fiscaux, est de 485,3 milliards USD. Au Canada, le même organisme estimait ce montant perdu à 5,3 milliards USD, une somme similaire à celle de 2020.
Le Canada n’est pas qu’une victime des paradis fiscaux
Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau et la ministre des Finances Chrystia Freeland «ont devant eux une occasion en or pour montrer qu’ils prennent au sérieux la justice fiscale», affirme l’auteur de cette lettre.
Le Canada n’est pas qu’une victime des paradis fiscaux
Dans son rapport État de la justice fiscale 2021 publié le 16 novembre dernier, l’organisme Tax Justice Network (TJN) révélait que le total des impôts perdus mondialement chaque année, à cause des paradis fiscaux, était de 485,3 milliards de dollars américains. Au Canada, le même organisme estimait ce montant perdu à 5,3 milliards, une somme similaire à celle de 2020.
My 2021 Conference Activity
A while ago I posted about the various groups I’m involved with at the annual biblical studies conferences. That was just before the blur of activity in the springtime meeting (virtually) with steering committees and co-chairs to try to organize our sessions for this year. Now, I am not necessarily looking for praise.
7 Questions about the Septuagint
This article is part of the Questions and Answers series. Q: What is the “Septuagint”? A: The “Septuagint” (often abbreviated LXX) is a catchall term that usually refers to the corpus of ancient Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible.
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