It is generally thought that the Pentateuch was translated first, perhaps followed by the Psalms, Historical Books, and Major Prophets, with certain of the Wisdom Books translated last. Although this conjectured timeline is far from certain, what is clear is that the entire project took over four centuries to produce (early or mid-third-century BCE through first or second century CE).

Hence, in some respects it is potentially misleading to refer to “the Septuagint.” Accordingly, when we say “Septuagint” we must remain alert to the fact that we are studying a collection of books, or even a library of sorts, one that was produced by many anonymous Jewish translators, in various places, in unknown circumstances and over several centuries (Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross, eds., Septuaginta: A Reader’s Edition, xviii).