The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

102 The Aramaic Bible: Tar gums in their Historical Context
decided—wisely, in my judgment—to base their work on Sperber's
volumes dealing with the Targum of the Prophets. All major variants
noted by Sperber will be included, as will important consonantal variants
from other sources known to the team. Where variants are concerned,
some discrimination will therefore be required in the use of
the concordance. Since the Kampen team are understandably restricting
their citations to 'major variants', they might profitably ponder
the feasibility of independent checking of the readings selected against
the limited number of manuscripts and printed editions collated by
Sperber.
This, in fact, brings us to the nub of the issue: does Sperber's work
on Targum Onqelos and Targum Jonathan (to the Prophets) need to be
done again? If scientific accuracy is desirable, then there is certainly
need of revision. Accurate reproductions of basic texts are worth
having, whether they are truly Babylonian or not, for a text is a text.
And Sperber's basic texts are reproduced consonantally with reasonable
accuracy, as most will agree. Within the limits set by Sperber it is
probably the apparatuses that most require attention. The new reprint
of Sperber's editions will not last forever, and in the meantime a team
effort which aimed to rectify, if not actually replace, Sperber could
very usefully get under way.
seminar on targumic studies, Judah Palache Institute, Amsterdam, 18 March, 1991).
I am grateful to Professor de Moor for supplying me with a copy of his paper,
pending publication of the seminar proceedings.