would have learnt Greek as the lingua franca and not have been as at home in Hebrew. The importance of Greek as a status symbol and means of social advancement in Egypt should not be underestimated either. The translators themselves had familiarity with the traditional interpretation of the Hebrew Bible (Van der Kooij, Oracle, pp. 112–23) but also seem to have been at home in the language of administration round about them. They use technical financial and legal terms, have familiarity with military