The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The New Testament was written mostly in Greek, and some Aramaic.
Now, About That Place . . .
What About Today's Septuagint?
All In All . . .
The Septuagint
Have you heard of the Septuagint? You might not have, but you most likely have been exposed to it in some way through Bible Reading. It is also known as the LXX, and is found mentioned in most New Bible Version footnotes. Now, concerning the Septuagint, the information regarding it is quite interesting and shocking to say the least. I have found one article about it in particular, which is an excerpt from a book by David Daniels. He says the basics pretty well, and quickly to the point. Therefore, I would suggest reading that first before reading the information I provide here.
Rather than putting the excerpt on this website, I will instead link to it. I don't normally do this, I normally prefer to use my own words and information through research. But David Daniels says it well, and this way I do not infringe on any Copyright! I insist that you read the article, and then do come back to read the rest of the information on this page. Here it is:
What is the "Septuagint"?
Now that you have read that article, let me further try to help explain it. What could have possibly caused this lie to even be thought up? What could have provoked the idea that the Old Testament was sent to Alexandria, and copied into the Greek language, and then being more precise than the Actual Preserved Hebrew Text of the Old Testament? There is absolutely no proof of such a text existing before the time of Christ. The only thing, is a little piece of manuscript in the Greek tongue that is dated at about 150 BC. Want to know how little? Deuteronomy 23-28. Five Chapters long. It is called p458 ("Ryland's Papyrus #458").
Now, About That Story . . .
If you read the above article "What is the 'Septuagint'?" Then you recall the Letter of Aristeas which says what supposedly occurred. I have something to point out also about the Jews supposedly chosen to translate it.
Can you today point out a person from the Tribe of Benjamin? Hardly. Could you do so back in 250 BC when the work was supposedly done? Hardly. The Jews at that time were so scattered, that who could have found the members of all Twelve (12) Tribes. Then, if somehow it were done indeed, would the Tribes then do something so terrifying as to go against something God had set as a major rule? That rule is that the only tribe that would be allowed to scribe the Words of God, the Law and the Prophets, is the Tribe of Levi. No other Tribe was allowed to do so!
Is it also believable that the Jews would so willingly go through the trouble of doing such a feat, under the leadership of one who was not even a Jew but a Gentile whom they considered "dogs" even? Would they also agree to translate their Holy Scriptures out from the Holy Tongue of Hebrew, into the tongue that was thought as belonging to the Gentiles (Greek) and separate from their Jewish Culture? I assure you the answer is No, they would not!
The Jews believed the Scriptures were the very Words of God (And rightly so)! They took great care in making copies as the old manuscripts would age, and they made sure such care was taken so that there were no mistakes in the transition. They would not at the beckoning of someone from Alexandria, EGYPT (!) throw all that to the wind and forsake it, treating it all just as a normal book that had no Special Importance! They would not!
Now, About That Place . . .
This all supposedly took place in Alexandria, Egypt, right? If we knew what God thought of the place, we could answer the question if God would trust His Words in the hands of the people there, right? We can tell such by the mentioning of a particular place in the Word of God itself, normally the first mentioning . . .
First off, to keep it short, Alexandria is a place in Egypt. Egypt has never been viewed nicely in the Word of God! His People were held captive there. It was a place full of false gods. A place considered "worldly" both back then and even to this day! God even warns His People not to return to Egypt for Horses much less, to make a Greek copy of the Holy and Preserved Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 17:16)!
Now, about Alexandria, what is mentioned in the Word of God? In Acts 6:9 it shows that some from Alexandria were right there sharing in responsibility in going against Stephen, later stoned by them!
Then, in Acts 18:24 we see that Apollos was from Alexandria, and came from Alexandria teaching the baptism of John the Baptist. He knew the scriptures, but was still an unbeliever, and through ignorance preached not Christ but rather preached the Baptism of John. Coming from Alexandria he knew not Christ. He of course was later instructed in Salvation and brought to Christ (Praise God for that!).
Then, perhaps the most notable, is the fact that Two ships, FROM ALEXANDRIA, are the ones that carried Paul in chains along with the other prisoners (Acts 27:6 and Acts 28:11)!
When it comes to what the Word of God says, I don't believe anything is "coincidence" or for nothing. Everything said, proves something and shows a truth. Even the very way the words are written, hold meaning. This is evident as you read and study the Word of God. This is no different with the place of Alexandria mentioned. In all the places, it is mentioned along with a negative thing (with the exception of perhaps the second one, Acts 18:24. Yet even there, Apollos came from Alexandria, ignorant of the Truth of Salvation and then had to be shown the Gospel of Christ Jesus. But to the adamant objector, This one might be seen as weak. But the other Three (3) mentions in the Word of God, hold firm).
What About Today's Septuagint?
So, if the "Septuagint" wasn't written as it is proclaimed to have been written, how can we have it today? Yes, it's true, the Septuagint indeed was written! And today we can even get a copy of it. It is actually used in Most Modern Versions of the Bible!
But the "Septuagint" was not written by 72 Jews, nor in 250 BC as the legend says. Instead, most likely it was written by a Philosopher named Origen. Origen was paganistic in his views, especially his views upon the Bible. He followed the beliefs of Philo, who saw everything in the Bible as Figurative, and Allegorical instead of having Truth in Historical facts. People such as David, Moses, Noah and even Adam, all were figures of speech to him. He did not believe in the Truth of Scripture. Likewise, he taught such, and it was very evident in his writings.
Origen is actually the one who gave us the Septuagint. He gave it to us in about the year AD 200. AFTER Christ and the Apostles! This alone proves that our Saviour and the Apostles did not use the Septuagint. And it also explains how it seems they used the Septuagint to quote certain passages. It was made to appear they had quoted it, because Origen quoted them in the Septuagint. In other words, the Septuagint quoted Jesus and the Apostles, not the other way around. Note also that because the New Testament was mostly written in Greek, the Origen-manufactured "Septuagint" which was also Greek, could more closely quote Jesus and the Apostles. This is all deceptive work though in order to make it seem that the Hebrew Scriptures are inadequate to the Greek Septuagint and less unreliable.
Origen made a work, called the Hexapla. It consisted of Six Columns (hence, the name "Hexapla") with different translations of the Scriptures. In the second column it is said that Origen copied the Greek Septuagint. More rightly he did not, but rather it was his own Greek Translation. Otherwise the "72 Jews who "made" the Septuagint" supposedly in 250 BC, included apocryphal books in it, before the books were even written!
So we see that the supposed "Septuagint" that we have today, along with the outright lie that it was made in 250 BC, is mostly based in part of the work of Origen's Hexapla. Did Origen start the matter? Not sure, but I tell you this, He did influence, agree, and promote the Septuagint to say the least. And that in itself, sheds some wonder as to the Septuagint's validity (Because of whom Origen was, and what he believed and taught; He was truly simply put a Heretick and false teacher).
All In All . . .
Simply knowing how the letter of Aristeas, and such contained within, is proven to be shady and false, is enough to bring to light the falsity of the Septuagint.