The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

428 The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
Jewish adviser must have told him that in this verse the Hebrew word
hoi corresponded to the Greek phoinix; unfortunately this Greek word
has two meanings, 'bird' and 'palm tree'. Thus Jerome, perhaps also
somewhat influenced by the Greek version he knew, misunderstood
the information. Supporting evidence as to the fact that Jerome's
Jewish consultants were in the habit of defining Hebrew vocables in
Greek can be found in his comments on rare words such as nop, atramentarium
(Ezek. 9.2), 36 o'SD (lignum) quod inter iuncturas aedificiorum
est (Hab. 2.11) 37 and the like. 38 The word zfttf (Isa. 40.12) is
generally understood, and translated, as the name of a measure; it
seems to parallel the words o^a, 'scales' and D^amo, 'balance'. Jerome,
however, links our word with rnr, 'the span of the hand', and writes
tribus digitis, 'with three fingers'. A similar explanation is offered by
Rashi: iai noK iu "man, 'From the thumb to the middle finger'. 39
Many a periphrastic rendition seems to point to the instructor who
helped Jerome in defining a difficult term: ena, congeries mortuorum
('a pile of the dead'; Job. 21.32); the same word occurs in the phrase
translated acervus frugum ('a heap of grain'; Exod. 22.5); ma, lapis
quadrus, 'a square building-stone' (Amos 5.11); par, infans ab ubere
(Isa. 11.8) and many more like them. In the latter instance again
etymology comes into play and, indeed, such pervasive inclination
towards linguistic play is the concomitant of Jewish exegesis. Jerome
repeats many a playful explanation of proper names: the name of the
Philistines denotes 'those who come to fall because of the cup'
(cadentes poculo), as derived from (n)pl, 'to fall down', and st(y), 'to
drink'; the Cherethites are interfectores, their name being derived
from krt, 'to cut off, kill'. 40
36. Commentariorum in Ezechielem, on Ezek. 9.2; V, p. 94.
37. Commentariorum inAbacuc, on Hab. 2.11; VI, p. 617.
38. On qaesaet he remarks: graeco sermone appellari kalmarion
(Commentariorum in Ezechielem, on Ezek. 9.3; and on kapts: vulgo apud Graecos
appellaturhimantosis (Commentariorum inAbacuc, on Hab. 2.11; VI, p. 617)
39. Frequently Jerome and his Vulgate translation agree with one of the Targums
(e.g. Nah. 3.5 D'^TO, 'skirts': Vpudenda, T bht', 'naked parts', and the like).
40. Commentariorum in Ezechielem, on Ezek. 26.15-17; V, p. 293. Jerome is
critical of the transliteration THEL ABIB (Ezek. 3.15) offered by Aquila,
Symmachus and Theodotion; one should not pose problems to the readers (melius
esse credentes aliquid dicere, quam imponere quod lectori faceret quaestionem;
Commentariorum in Ezechielem, on Ezek. 3.15; V, p. 32). He had learned from the
Jews Thelabib significare, quando nova frumenta, vel hordea congregantur, and,