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  • From: James Read <J.Read-2 AT sms.ed.ac.uk>
  • To: dwashbur AT nyx.net
  • Cc: Biblical Hebrew list <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Is Hebrew a Dead Language?
  • Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:09:21 +0100

Ok. So let's suppose that the caves were no longer in use for a century or so before the destruction of Jerusalem. And so let's suppose that on this basis we can accurately date these targumim. Doesn't that then call into question that the LXX was the first translation of the Tanakh?

James Christian


Quoting dwashbur AT nyx.net:

Three Targumim were found at Qumran, so at least somebody was using them for a century
or more before the destruction of Jerusalem. There were several other items in Aramaic
found in the caves, as well.

On 30 Aug 2009 at 9:03, James Read wrote:

Thanks for that. I've had a look round and all the Targum MSS I can
find seem to have been found outside of Isreal. A lot of them in
Iraq.
This would seem to suggest that the Aramaic translations were used
by
and large by Jewish communities outside of Isreal. Aramaic, being a
lingua franca of the time, would seem to be the obvious choice of
language to translate the Hebrew Tanakh into for these
communities.

As regards dates, I haven't been able to find any particularly old
MSS
of Targumim. They all seem to be pretty late. It would seem that you
are suggesting that the Aramaic translations predated the Greek LXX.
This would indeed be something interesting to investigate.

If there is something you know that I'm missing here please help me
out. I would be interested in finding:

a) the oldest Targum MSS

b) any ancient references to their usage

in order to get an approximate date and period of usage for these
translations.

James Christian

Quoting "Joel C. Salomon" <joelcsalomon AT gmail.com>:

> James Read wrote:
>> I'm following what you are saying here Randall with one
exception. You
>> have assumed that the Hebrews spoke and used Greek and Aramaic
during
>> the second temple period up until the revolt of Bar Kochba.
> <snip>
>> So, just what are you basing this assumption on? (I am
genuinely
>> interested as I have heard this stated many times but have yet to
see
>> any form of evidence)
>
> How early is the use of a Targum recorded? OnkelusĀ“s seems to
date to
> soon after the temple era; is that helpful?
>
> -Joel Salomon
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> b-hebrew mailing list
> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
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>



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Dave Washburn

http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
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The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.






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