22. But under Ptolemy II., Philadelphus, B. C. 283, the Museum became most prosperous,and among its members were numbered grammarians, natural philosophers, astronomers, physicians, poets, and Greek philosophers of the schools.[140] It was under this state of things that the translation above referred to was asked by the king and was undertaken, according to tradition, by seventy of the most learned Jews of that date, and hence called “The translation of the seventy,” or the Septuagint.
23. Although at first only the Pentateuch was translated, the other books were, in after years, gradually added to this translation. The Septuagint was used among the Jews not only of Alexandria, but of Palestine also,and during the times of our Saviour and the apostles was more frequently quoted than was the original Hebrew.[141]
CHAPTER VI.
THE ORIGIN OF THE TALMUD.
1. It will be remembered that although under Cyrus the Jews were permitted full liberty to return to Palestine, not all the Jewish nation accepted the privilege. A very large number of the wealthiest, and indeed of the most learned classes, remained behind. They did much for the support of the Temple and for other objects among those who had returned to Palestine, but they themselves continued the synagogue service in Babylonia and in Persia, as appears from various statements and allusions, not only in Jewish writings, but also in other history.
2. Among those Jews, however, who had returned to Palestine there arose very early a class of devout and earnest students of the Law and of the other books of Scripture. There began also a most diligent collection of the traditions of the Jewish race and the opinions of the learned. Meanwhile a very constant correspondence was cherished between the colonists abroad and those in the Holy Land, and both at home and abroad there were those who were learned in the Law and in the other books.
The whole object of study and correspondence among the learned was to explain and illustrate thesacred literature in all its branches. The information thus gained laid the foundation of that which was soon to be called the Talmud, a name literally meaning Doctrine or Instruction.
3. But before we treat further on this remarkable work it is well to consider certain conditions which added much to the formation of the Talmud.
Although the Jews reformed forever from all tendency to idolatry, they nevertheless differed among themselves on many details of both faith and practice, and hence there grew up an exceedingly critical study of the literature and teachings of the book.