Li Siqi, The Textual History of the Hebrew Bible in Light of the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint

　　The Hebrew Bible not only serves as a foundational document of Christianity and Judaism, but also forms part of the historical sources that shed light on the ancient Israelite society and the politics, economics, cultures and traditions of the ancient Near East. Due to various historical-political and religious influences, the textual study of the Hebrew Bible has long been limited to the Hebrew Masoretic Text preserved by the medieval Jewish scribes. Without denying the historical value of the Masoretic Text, this paper stresses the significance of the Septuagint in understanding the textual history of the Hebrew Bible. At the same time, this paper utilises the Dead Sea Scrolls and advanced literary theories to explain the variants between the Masoretic and the Septuagint, and thus illustrates the dynamics and fluidity in the early formation of the biblical texts. The study on the Masoretic Text and Septuagint will not only deepen the knowledge on the sources available for the reconstruction of the textual history of the Hebrew Bible, but also enhance the understanding of the historical development of the ancient Jewish civilisation.