The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
MAKER Targum Pseudo-Jonathan of Deuteronomy 1.1-8 269 The verb knp, which we translate as 'gathered closely', (the verb is a denominative from knp, 'wing') occurs only here in Pseudo- Jonathan although the nominal form (kynwpy') is found in a targumic addition to Num. 33.25 that is found only in Pseudo-Jonathan. In that verse the words 'tr kynwpy', 'the place of assembly', are added as an interpretative gloss to the place-name Makheloth. The Targum linked the biblical place-name with the Hebrew verb qhl, 'assemble' (Niph.), 'summon' (Hif.). I know of no source for this addition in Pseudo- Jonathan. What is of interest to us in any case is that Pseudo-Jonathan uses the root knp in those two additions in Deut. 1.1 and Num. 33.25 that are special to this Targum. This is another small indication of the consistency that one finds in the language of Pseudo-Jonathan in general. 12 We may note in passing that in Num. 33.25 Pseudo-Jonathan has a double rendering of the Hebrew place-name, first the direct Aramaic rendering of the Hebrew (as in Onqelos and Neofiti), and then the midrashic interpretation. It is well known that such conflate renderings are frequent in Pseudo-Jonathan. The Address All the Palestinian Targums introduce Moses' speech with the words: 'Moses began by saying to them', literally, 'Moses answered and said to them'. In Pseudo-Jonathan, as in all the Palestinian Targums, Moses' address begins by recalling positive experiences which the Israelites had enjoyed. Taking the words 'in the wilderness' of HT to refer to the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai, and taking 'in the Arabah' to refer to the explanation of the Torah in the plains of Moab (cf. Deut. 1.5), the targumists remind their audiences of the great gift of the Torah which the people of Israel had received. Strictly speaking the Arabah cannot be identified with the plains of Moab, since technically the Arabah consists of the Jordan valley and its continuation southwards towards the Gulf of Aqabah. But we find this identification not only in the Palestinian Targums but also in Sifre 1 which states that from the words 'In the Arabah' 'we learn that Moses rebuked them for what they had done in the plains of Moab'. Num. 36.13, that is to say, the last verse of the book of Numbers and the verse immediately preceding Deut. 1.1, tells us that the commandments and 12. See above, n. 10.
270 The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context ordinances of the Lord were given through Moses in the plains of Moab, and Deut. 1.5 informs us that Moses expounded the law in the land of Moab. Thus the targumic tradition in Deut. 1.1 that refers to the explanation of the law in the plains of Moab is in line with these biblical statements. See the discussion in b. Hag. 6a-b. Onqelos interprets HT 'in the wilderness' and 'in the Arabah' to refer to some unnamed misdemeanors of the Israelites. This is similar to a statement in Sifre 1 which says that we learn from the words 'in the wilderness' that Moses 'rebuked them for what they had done in the wilderness', and that the words 'in the Arabah' teach us that he 'rebuked them for what they had done in the plains of Moab'. Onqelos however links 'in the Arabah' with the following words 'opposite Suph', so that it reads lhe rebuked them for having sinned in the wilderness and for having provoked anger in the plain opposite the Sea of Reeds'. In interpreting the words 'opposite Suph' the Palestinian Targums and Pseudo-Jonathan continue their positive understanding of the biblical text. The Fragmentary Targums attribute miracles and mighty deeds to 'the Memra of the Lord', while Neofiti attributes them to 'the Lord'. Ctg Br uses a passive form of the verb and reads: '(How) many miracles and mighty deeds were performed for (you)...!'. Pseudo- Jonathan is alone in attributing the miracles to 'the Holy One, blessed be He'. This particular divine title which occurs frequently in rabbinic literature 13 is not very common in the pentateuchal Targums. Besides our present text see, for example, Gen. 22.1 (Pseudo-Jonathan); 25.21 (Pseudo-Jonathan; here the title is written in abbreviated form, qbh, in both Land. 14 and editio princeps); 38.25 (P, Pseudo-Jonathan ['blessed be He' is omitted in Lond.f); Exod. 15.18 (V), 20.2 (P, Machzor Vitry; compare Neofiti, Pseudo-Jonathan, Ctg F 15 ); Num. 21.34 (Pseudo-Jonathan, P; compare V); Deut. 3.2 (V). Pseudo-Jonathan's reference to miracles and wonders which the Lord performed for Israel 'since they crossed the shore of the Sea of Reeds' might lead us to expect that Targum to mention a number of 13. Cf. e.g., A. Marmorstein, The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, I (London: Oxford University Press, 1927), pp. 97-99. 14. Lond = British Library MS 27031 of Pseudo-Jonathan. 15. Ctg (A, B, C, etc.) = Cairo Genizah Palestinian Targum Fragments published by M.L. Klein, Genizah Manuscripts of Palestinian Targum of the Pentateuch (2 vols.; Cincinnatti: Hebrew Union College Press, 1986)
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MAKER Targum Pseudo-Jonathan of Deuteronomy 1.1-8 269<br />
<strong>The</strong> verb knp, which we translate as 'gathered closely', (the verb is<br />
a denom<strong>in</strong>ative from knp, 'w<strong>in</strong>g') occurs only here <strong>in</strong> Pseudo-<br />
Jonathan although the nom<strong>in</strong>al form (kynwpy') is found <strong>in</strong> a targumic<br />
addition to Num. 33.25 that is found only <strong>in</strong> Pseudo-Jonathan. In that<br />
verse the words 'tr kynwpy', 'the place of assembly', are added as an<br />
<strong>in</strong>terpretative gloss to the place-name Makheloth. <strong>The</strong> Targum l<strong>in</strong>ked<br />
the biblical place-name with the Hebrew verb qhl, 'assemble' (Niph.),<br />
'summon' (Hif.). I know of no source for this addition <strong>in</strong> Pseudo-<br />
Jonathan. What is of <strong>in</strong>terest to us <strong>in</strong> any case is that Pseudo-Jonathan<br />
uses the root knp <strong>in</strong> those two additions <strong>in</strong> Deut. 1.1 and Num. 33.25<br />
that are special to this Targum. This is another small <strong>in</strong>dication of the<br />
consistency that one f<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>in</strong> the language of Pseudo-Jonathan <strong>in</strong> general.<br />
12 We may note <strong>in</strong> pass<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>in</strong> Num. 33.25 Pseudo-Jonathan<br />
has a double render<strong>in</strong>g of the Hebrew place-name, first the direct<br />
<strong>Aramaic</strong> render<strong>in</strong>g of the Hebrew (as <strong>in</strong> Onqelos and Neofiti), and<br />
then the midrashic <strong>in</strong>terpretation. It is well known that such conflate<br />
render<strong>in</strong>gs are frequent <strong>in</strong> Pseudo-Jonathan.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Address<br />
All the Palest<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>Targums</strong> <strong>in</strong>troduce Moses' speech with the words:<br />
'Moses began by say<strong>in</strong>g to them', literally, 'Moses answered and said<br />
to them'. In Pseudo-Jonathan, as <strong>in</strong> all the Palest<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>Targums</strong>,<br />
Moses' address beg<strong>in</strong>s by recall<strong>in</strong>g positive experiences which the<br />
Israelites had enjoyed. Tak<strong>in</strong>g the words '<strong>in</strong> the wilderness' of HT to<br />
refer to the giv<strong>in</strong>g of the Torah on Mt S<strong>in</strong>ai, and tak<strong>in</strong>g '<strong>in</strong> the<br />
Arabah' to refer to the explanation of the Torah <strong>in</strong> the pla<strong>in</strong>s of Moab<br />
(cf. Deut. 1.5), the targumists rem<strong>in</strong>d <strong>their</strong> audiences of the great gift<br />
of the Torah which the people of Israel had received. Strictly speak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the Arabah cannot be identified with the pla<strong>in</strong>s of Moab, s<strong>in</strong>ce technically<br />
the Arabah consists of the Jordan valley and its cont<strong>in</strong>uation<br />
southwards towards the Gulf of Aqabah. But we f<strong>in</strong>d this identification<br />
not only <strong>in</strong> the Palest<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>Targums</strong> but also <strong>in</strong> Sifre 1 which states<br />
that from the words 'In the Arabah' 'we learn that Moses rebuked<br />
them for what they had done <strong>in</strong> the pla<strong>in</strong>s of Moab'. Num. 36.13, that<br />
is to say, the last verse of the book of Numbers and the verse<br />
immediately preced<strong>in</strong>g Deut. 1.1, tells us that the commandments and<br />
12. See above, n. 10.
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