Hurtado argues that kyrios was an oral substitute for the divine name. I have never disputed that, and acting as though I did is a red herring. Whether Hurtado is correct on that, or to what extent Yaho was also used, especially where Yaho was written, is another issue.
Hurtado also argues that kyrios was introduced into the LXX text in the second century CE. This is what you have been disputing all along. In a way, Hurtado’s claim is an even stronger claim than Skehan, Tov, and Ulrich who argued that Yaho was original because, as far as I know, they didn’t rule out kyrios as a rendering in the LXX before the second century CE. It’s also stronger than Shaw, Meyer and others who argue for diversity of renderings, including kyrios, from early in the LXX’s transmission. Nevertheless, it’s what Hurtado wrote. It aligns somewhat with Paul Kahle’s early view that the LXX, so far as it was written by Jews and for Jews, used the divine name in the form of the Tetragrammaton, and that kyrios was introduced to the LXX by Christians.
Out of interest I asked ChatGPT what was the original rendering of the divine name in the LXX and this was the answer.
What was the original rendering of the divine name in the Septuagint or Old Greek version of the Jewish scriptures?
The rendering of the divine name (YHWH) in the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, has been a subject of significant scholarly interest. Here’s an overview:
Original Rendering in the Septuagint
- Tetragrammaton in Hebrew Characters:
The earliest manuscripts of the Septuagint likely retained the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) in paleo-Hebrew or square Hebrew script within the Greek text. For example, some fragments like Papyrus Fouad 266 use Hebrew characters for the divine name, instead of translating it into Greek.
- Kyrios (Κύριος):
Over time, the divine name was often replaced with the Greek word Κύριος (Kyrios), meaning "Lord." This reflects the Jewish tradition of substituting the divine name with Adonai ("Lord") during reading to avoid pronouncing it.
- Other Substitutions:
In some cases, the name may have been rendered as Theos (Θεός), meaning "God," or another reverential term, but Kyrios became the dominant rendering.
Historical Evolution
- Early Manuscripts: The use of the Tetragrammaton indicates that early Jewish translators likely sought to preserve the sacredness of the divine name even within a Greek-speaking context.
- Later Developments: As the LXX became widely used by Christians, who interpreted Kyrios as referring to Jesus in many contexts, the divine name was increasingly replaced with Kyrios in both Jewish and Christian copies.
Evidence from Manuscripts
- Papyrus Fouad 266 (2nd century BCE): This manuscript includes the Greek text of Deuteronomy with the Tetragrammaton written in Hebrew characters.
- 4Q120 (1st century BCE): A fragment of Leviticus written in Greek contains the divine name as IAO (likely a transliteration of YHWH).
- Christian Codices: By the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, major Christian manuscripts like the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus consistently use Kyrios.
Conclusion
The original rendering of the divine name in the Septuagint was likely the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew characters or possibly IAO in some cases. Over time, this was replaced with Kyrios in line with Jewish liturgical practices and later Christian theological interpretations.
That conclusion seems like a fair summary of current scholarly views, a few outliers such as Rösel and aqwsed who downplay the use of the divine name in the early OG/LXX text notwithstanding.
