The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

EGO Targumization as Theologization 357
As with Israel's victory, so, too, is Hainan's punishment finally
brought about by God. The news of Raman's hanging in the biblical
text of Esth. 7.10—'So they hung him on the gallows which he had
prepared for Mordecai'—is followed by the terse summarization:
'whereupon the anger of the king abated'. Once again a brief insertion
in the text suffices for the Meturgeman to illuminate the theological
dimension of the event: 'So they hung him on the gallows which he
prepared for Mordecai, whereupon the anger of the King of Kings
abated'.
The motif of divine kingship which forms the basis of these interpretations
is also set programmatically at the beginning of Targum
Sheni. In the 'Midrash of the Ten Kings' in Targum Sheni Esth. 1.1
the reign of God stands at the very beginning of time and at the end of
history, while the unredeemed world of the present time is characterized
by the reign of powers hostile to Israel.
'Now it came to pass in the days of Xerxes' (Esth. 1.1)—one of ten kings
who ruled and were destined [to rule]. Now these are the the ten kings.
The first kingdom that ruled is that of the Lord of Hosts—may it be
speedily revealed to us. The second kingdom is that of Nimrod, the third
is that of Pharao, the fourth kingdom is that of Israel, the fifth that of
Nebukadnezar, king of Babylonia, the sixth that of Xerxes, the seventh
that of Greece, the eight that of Rome, the ninth that of the son of David,
the Messiah, the tenth that of the Lord of Hosts again, may it be speedily
revealed to all the inhabitants of the earth.
This short section, which illustrates the close interplay of theology
and history, confirms what we know from numerous other examples
in rabbinic literature: the victory over Israel's enemies signifies the
onset of the reign of God. 9 An important role within the context of
the book of Esther is given to the last member of the list of earthly
kingdoms, 'Rome'. In the genealogical statements 'TO' CTK •OTIQ—
Mordecai, a Benjaminite' (Esth. 2.5) and '^3«n «mon-p pn—Haman,
son of Hammedatha, the Agagite' (Esth. 3.1) the biblical text already
explains the historical co-ordinates within which the conflict between
Mordecai and Haman is to be understood. The nomen gentilicium
9. Cf. my article 'Gottes Weltherrschaft und die Einzigkeit seines Namens.
Studien zur Rezeption der Konigsmetapher in der Mekhilta de R.Yishma'el', in
M. Hengel and A.M. Schwemer (eds.), Konigsherrschaft Gottes und himmlischer
Kult im Judentum, Urchristentum und in der hellenistischen Umwelt (Tiibingen,
1991), pp. 257-82.