The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

MAKER Targum Pseudo-Jonathan of Deuteronomy 1.1-8 287
Sifre takes 'the seacoast' to refer to 'Gaza, Ashkelon, and Caesarea',a
Pseudo-Jonathan mentions only two of these names, Ashkelon and
Caesarea.
Sifre describes 'the land of the Canaanites' in terms of Gen. 10.19
which states that it extends from 'Sidon, in the direction of Gerar...as
far as Lasha'. Pseudo-Jonathan follows the same line of interpretation,
but simply says that the land of the Canaanites extended 'as far as
Callirrhoe', Callirrhoe being Pseudo-Jonathan's (and Neofiti's),
rendering of Lasha in Gen. 10.19. 47
Having translated 'Lebanon' literally Pseudo-Jonathan goes on to
explain that it refers to 'the place of the mountains of the Temple'.
Neofiti does not translate 'Lebanon' literally, but simply interprets it
as 'the mountain of the Temple'. Onqelos translates 'Lebanon' literally.
Thus Pseudo-Jonathan combines Onqelos' literal translation of
the place name with Neofiti's interpretative rendering, so that we have
here an example of Pseudo-Jonathan's well-known tendency to give
conflate renderings of Hebrew words.48 Sifre gives two interpretations
of 'Lebanon'. The first interpretation states that that word can refer to
the king or to the Temple. The second interpretation refers Lebanon
only to the Temple, and this is the view that is taken up by Pseudo-
Jonathan. This particular symbolic interpretation is very common in
the Targums and in the Palestinian traditions which are reflected in
the Targums. 49
Sifre gives popular explanations of the terms 'the great river' and
the 'the river Euphrates'. Pseudo-Jonathan, like the other Targums,
ignores these explanations.
Take Possession
See that I have placed the inhabitants of the land before you, and you will
have no need to take up arms. Go in and take possession of the land, fix
landmarks in it, and divide it, as the Lord swore to your fathers, to
Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them and to their children after
them (Pseudo-Jonathan Deut. 1.8).
47. Note however that in Gen. 10.19 both Land, and editio princeps read qldhy.
48. Cf. e.g., D.M. Splansky, 'Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: Its Relationship to
Other Targumim, Use of Midrashim and Date' (PhD dissertation, Hebrew Union
College, Cincinnati, 1981), pp. 23-40.
49. Cf. e.g., G. Vermes, Scripture and Tradition in Judaism (Leiden: Brill, 2nd
rev. edn, 1973), pp. 26-39.