Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/512

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TARGUM


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TARGUM


faithful reproduction possible. In doing this the Aramaic language is treated similarly to the Greek in the translation of Aquila, consequently the many Hebraic idioms. There is no positive proof (Dai- man, "Gramm", 13) of a corrupting influence of the Babylonian dialect as Noldeke held ["Semit. Spra- chen" (1887), 32; (2nd ed., 1899), 38].

As regards the character of the translation it is, taken altogether, fairly literal. Anthropomorphic and anthropopathic expressions are avoided by roundabout expressions or in other ways; obscure Hebrew words are often taken without change into the text; proper names are frequently interpreted, as Shinar-Babylon, Ishmaelites-Arabs; for figurative ex- pressions are substituted the corresponding Uteral ones. Haggadic interpretation is only used at times, for instance in prophetic passages, as Gen., xlix; Num., xxiv; Deut., xxxiii. This Targum was first printed at Bologna (1482) together with the Hebrew text of the Bible and the commentary of Rashi; later, in the Rabbinical Bibles of Bomberg and Buxtorf , and with a Latin translation in the Complutensian Polyglot (1517), and the Polyglots of Antwerp (1569), Paris (1645), and London (1657). Among separate edi- tions of the Targum special mention should be made of that printed in 1557 at Sabbioneta. More modern editions are: Berliner, "Targum Onkelos" (2 vols., Berlin, 1884), in which vol. I contains the text ac- cording to the Sabbioneta edition, and vol. II, eluci- dations; the Yemanites at Jerusalem have printed with an edition of the Pentateuch {sefer Keter tora) from MSS. the Arabic translation by Saadya (Jeru- salem, 1894—1901), in which publication the vowel pointing above the line has been changed to subhnear pointing; Barnheim, "The Targum of Onkelos to Genesis" (London, 1896), on the text of the Yemen manuscripts. In addition to the Latin translations in the Polyglot Bibles there is one by Fagius (Stras- burg, 1546); there is also an English translation by Etheridgp, "The Targum of Onkelos and Jonathan ben Uzziel on the Pent., with the Fragments of the Jerusalem Targum", from the Chaldee (2 vols., Lon- don, 1862-65).

Kautzsch, Mitteihtng iiber tine alte Handschr. des Targ. Onk. in Cod. Socini, No. 84 (Halle. 1893); Berliner, Die Massorah zum Targ. 0. (Leipzig, 1877); Lanbauer, Die MAsdrih zum 0. (Amsterdam, 1896) ; Brederek, Concordanz zum T. O. (Gieasen. 1906); Idem, Uber die Art der Ubersetzung im T. Onk. in Theol. Studien u. Kritiken (Gotha, 1901). 351-77.

The Targum of Jonathan (Yonathan). — The Targum to the Prophets (priores, historical books; po.tleriores, the actual Prophets) now in existence is ascribed to Jonathan ben Uzziel, who is said on the authority of the Babylonian "Megillah", 3a, to have formulated it orally (T""X), in accordance with the instructions {'Z"^) of Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi. This assertion probably means that in his exposition he gives the traditional interpretation that had been handed down from one generation to another since early times. According to the Babylonian "Sukkah" (28a=baba bathra 134a), he was the most noted pupil of the elder Hillel, and is therefore assigned to the first Christian century. The Babylonian Talmud in quoting passages from this Targum ascribes them to Rab Joseph bar Hiya (d. 333), the head of the school at Pumbaditha. Rab Joseph wius regarded :is a great authority on the tra- dition of the Targum and his judgment on the trans- lation of individual passages was eagerly listened to; he may perhaps be considered as the editor of this Targum. For Jonathan as for Onkelos the final set- tlement of the written form did not occur until the fifth Christian century. Cornill claims to show ("Einleitung", 2nd ed.", 1893, p. 308) that the Tar- gum on the Prophets is older than the Torah-Targum, but the reasons produced are not convincing (ef . Dal- man, 15, passim). Linguistically, this Targum ap- proaches most closely that of Onkelos; in grammatical


construction the two are alike but the words used differ, and this Targum is more paraphrastic. In the historical books Jonathan himself is often the ex- pounder, but in the actual prophetic books the ex-po- sition is in reahty Haggadic. The religious opinions and theological conceptions of the era that are inter- woven are very instructive. The text, further, is not free from later additions; from this cause arise the double translations of which the Targum contains several. The "Prophets; priores" was first printed with the Hebrew text and the commentaries of Gimhi and Levi at Leiria, Portugal, in 1494. At a later date the whole Targum was printed in the Rabbinical Bibles of Bomberg and Buxtorf and in the Polyglot Bibles of Antwerp, Paris, and London. The last edi- tion is that of de Lagarde, "Propheta- chaldaice e fide codicis ReuchUniani" (Leipzig, 1872). There are supplementary additions to this from an Erfurt MS. in "Symmicta", I, 139. The Targum to the Haph- tarah is to be found in what is called the Pentateuch edition of the Yemanites at Jerusalem. English translations are: Pauli, "The Chaldee Paraphrase on the Prophet Isaiah Translated" (London, 1871); Levy, "Targum on Isaiah," I (London, 1889).

Practorius, Das Targum zu Josua iiach Yemenischer Uber' lieferung (Berlin, 1899); Idem, Das Targum zum Buck der Richter nach yemen. Uberlieferung (Berlin. 1900) ; Wolfsohn, Das Targum zum Propheten Jeremias in yemen. Ubert. (Halle. 1902). ch. i-xii: Silbermann. Das Targum zu Ezechiel nach einer sudarabischen Handschrift (Strasburg. 1902). ch. i-x; Wright, Targum zu Jonat (London. 1857); Adler. Targum to Nahum in Jew. Quart. Rev.. VII (1895). 630 sqq.; Bacher, Kritische Untersuckungen zum Prophetenlargum in ZDMG, XXVIII (1874), 1 sqq.; Klein in ioc. cit., XXIX (1875), 157 sqq.; Frankel. Zu dem Targum der Propheten (Breslau, 1872).

II. The Jerusalem Targums. — This designation is not correct; the older and more correct name. ^N'";"" I'lX Sli"."!, i. e. Palestinian Targum, is found for instance in the writings of Gaon Hai (d. 1038). At a later date this designation was displaced by the term •^JiwT^, just as before this the Palestinian Talmud (VX"!!" Y"1X "ITlbn) is called in the writings of Gaon Sar Shalon •fsVil?!"! -n. Fundamentally the language of these Targums is Palestinian Aramaic but of a very mixed type. Neither of them is homogeneous grammatically and lexically. Besides expressions that recall the GaUlean dialect of the Palestinian Talmud a preference is shown for imitation of the language of the Targum of Onkelos, while there are also various terms belonging to the language of the Babylonian Talmud.

A. Targum Yerushalmi I on the Pentateuch. — This is generally called the Targum of Jonathan or of Pseudo-Jonathan, because it is cited in the first printed edition (Venice, 1591) under the name of Jonathan ben Uzziel. This designation, however, rests on a mistaken solution of the abbreviation • ri, that is, "'5):mn. The Targum could not have appeared in its present form before the second half of the seventh century. For example (Gen., xxi, 21), a wife and daughter of Mohammed are men- tioned. Compare also (Gen., xlix, 26) the position of Esau and Ishmael as represent at i\-es of the Christian and the Mohammedan world. The Targum covers the entire Pentateuch. The only passages that are lacking are: Gen., vi, 15; x, 23; x-viii, 4; xx, 15; xxiv, 28; xli, 49; xhv, 30-31; Exod., iv, 8; Lev., xxiv, 4; Num., xxii, 18; xxx, 20b, 21"; xxxn-i, 8-9. As to its form it is a free Haggadic treatment of the text, that is, an exposition rather than a translation. A large part of it is made up of legendary narratives; there are also dialogues, rhetorical and poetical digressions. The paraphrase also discusses religious and meta- physical conceptions, as was the custom of the Jewish mystics of the seventh centurj'. This Targum was first printed: as " NTi' p ^.1 :r "i" "rn C"m ", at Venice in 1591. It is also to be found in volume IV of the London Polyglot. A separate edition of this Tar-