Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jack Kilmon <jkilmon AT historian.net>]

Wrench wrote:
> 
> I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I was wondering if
> what is called the 'targums' are generally trustworthy?
> 
> What I mean is, I have read where they are Aramaic paraphrases for the
> Hebrew scriptures. Are they 'too' parapharsical to get a sense of Jewish
> thought at the time or do they generally present an accurate rendition of
> the Hebrew thought, just perhaps stated differently?

Targums are very Jewish, Dan.  They can be a paraphrase or a direct
translation
of a Hebrew text in the common language...Aramaic.  Targums such as
Onkelos were
used in the synagogues to translate Torah readings for Jews who spoke
primarily
Aramaic.  Later Targums such as the Palestinian Targum and
Pseudo-Jonathan
were more midrashic in form.  The Leviticus Targum from the Dead Sea
Scrolls
was a literal translation in Aramaic from the 2nd century BCE.  The
Targum
of Job, also from the DSS and dated to the early 1st century is also
primarily
a literal translation very close to the MT.

Jack
-- 
______________________________________________

taybutheh d'maran yeshua masheecha am kulkon

Jack Kilmon
jkilmon AT historian.net

http://www.historian.net