Alfred Rahlfs
Encyclopedia
Alfred Rahlfs was born in Linden, Hannover, Germany
. He studied Protestant Theology
, Philosophy, and Oriental Languages in Halle and Göttingen
, from where he received a Dr. Phil. in 1881. His professional career developed in Göttingen
, where he was Stiftsinspektor (from 1888), Privatdozent
(from 1891), Extraordinarius (from 1914), and Professor for Old Testament
(from 1919). He retired in 1933 and died in Göttingen.
Influenced by his teacher Paul de Lagarde
, Rahlfs's academic interest focused on the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible
. Together with Rudolf Smend
and others, Rahlfs was responsible for the creation of the Septuaginta-Unternehmen of the Göttinger und Berliner Akademien der Wissenschaften in 1907, which he directed from 1908 until 1933. It was Rahlfs's personal goal, as well as that of the Unternehmen, to reconstruct the original wording of the Septuagint. The difficult economic situation during the years of high inflation in Germany were no doubt partially responsible that Rahlfs only edited - apart from his preliminary manual edition of the Septuagint, which appeared in the year he died - one critical volume (Psalmi cum Odis) and two slim volumes on the Book of Ruth
and Genesis.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He studied Protestant Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, Philosophy, and Oriental Languages in Halle and Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, from where he received a Dr. Phil. in 1881. His professional career developed in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, where he was Stiftsinspektor (from 1888), Privatdozent
Privatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
(from 1891), Extraordinarius (from 1914), and Professor for Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
(from 1919). He retired in 1933 and died in Göttingen.
Influenced by his teacher Paul de Lagarde
Paul de Lagarde
Paul Anton de Lagarde was a polymath German biblical scholar and orientalist. He also took some part in politics. He belonged to the Prussian Conservative party, and was a violent antisemite. The bitterness which he felt appeared in his writings...
, Rahlfs's academic interest focused on the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. Together with Rudolf Smend
Rudolf Smend
Rudolf Smend was a German theologian who was born in Lengerich, Westphalia. He was an older brother to theologian Julius Smend , and the father of Carl Friedrich Rudolf Smend , an authority on constitutional and ecclesiastical law.He studied theology at the Universities of Göttingen, Berlin and...
and others, Rahlfs was responsible for the creation of the Septuaginta-Unternehmen of the Göttinger und Berliner Akademien der Wissenschaften in 1907, which he directed from 1908 until 1933. It was Rahlfs's personal goal, as well as that of the Unternehmen, to reconstruct the original wording of the Septuagint. The difficult economic situation during the years of high inflation in Germany were no doubt partially responsible that Rahlfs only edited - apart from his preliminary manual edition of the Septuagint, which appeared in the year he died - one critical volume (Psalmi cum Odis) and two slim volumes on the Book of Ruth
Book of Ruth
The Book of Ruth is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, or Old Testament. In the Jewish canon the Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings . In the Christian canon the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and 1 Samuel...
and Genesis.
Select bibliography
- Alfred Rahlfs, Septuaginta-Studien, 3 vols., Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1904-11.
- Alfred Rahlfs, Verzeichniz der griechischen Handschriften des Alten Testaments, für das Septuaginta-Unternehmen, Göttingen 1914.
- Alfred Rahlfs (ed.), Das Buch Rut griechisch als Probe einer kritischen Handausgabe der LXX, Stuttgart: Privileg. Württ. Bibelanstalt, 1922.
- Alfred Rahlfs (ed.), Genesis, Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum graecum I, Stuttgart: Privilegierte Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1926.
- Alfred Rahlfs (ed.), Psalmi cum Odis, Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum graecum X.1, Göttingen : Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1931.
- Alfred Rahlfs (ed.), Septuaginta: id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interpretes, 2 vols., Stuttgart: Privileg. Württenbergische Bibelanstalt, 1935.