Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - RE: [b-hebrew] When did Hebrew cease to be a commonly spoken language?

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Trevor Peterson <06PETERSON AT cua.edu>
  • To: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [b-hebrew] When did Hebrew cease to be a commonly spoken language?
  • Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 11:39:27 -0400

>===== Original Message From Schmuel <schmuel AT escape.com> =====
>I am a little surprised here about the reference to Targum Jonathan,
>although not at all to Onqelos.
>
>Since Targum Jonathan to the Prophets (not Pseudo-Jonathan which
>is later and Pentateuch) is well-known for the Messianic exegesis,
>per the Samson Levey book, and the rather commentary-ish nature
>of its Isaiah 53 translation, I am puzzled by your statement here :-)
>
>Any assistance on how one looks at such a passage as the TJ
>Isaiah 53 as "very direct translation, with very little exegesis"
>would be much appreciated.

Well, this was precisely my point. On the whole, the two Targums tend to
follow the Hebrew text rather closely. But there are places where they can
get
quite expansive with their interpretations. I wouldn't look at these places
as
aberrations in an otherwise straightforward translation. Whatever the intent
was in the production of the Targums, it seems to have made just as much
sense
to provide detailed interpretation of poetic passages as to be rather
word-for-word in much of the prose material. (And as I said before, it seems
from what I've read like the principle was really more one of representing
each word in the Hebrew text somehow, even if that meant a lengthy
explanation
based on one word.) I haven't read Isa 53 in Jonathan myself, but Hannah's
song in 1 Sam 2 is pretty interpretive.

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page