Targum Literature

Targum literature refers to a collection of Aramaic translations and interpretations of Hebrew biblical texts that emerged during the Second Temple period and continued to develop through the early centuries of the Common Era. The word "targum" comes from the Aramaic verb meaning "to translate" or "to interpret," and these works served as both linguistic bridges and interpretive guides for Jewish communities whose primary spoken language had shifted from Hebrew to Aramaic.

Targums were far more than literal translations. They functioned as dynamic interpretations that expanded, clarified, and contextualized biblical narratives for contemporary audiences. When Hebrew became less familiar to ordinary Jews following the Babylonian exile (586 BCE), Aramaic emerged as the lingua franca of the ancient Near East, creating a pressing need for accessible versions of sacred texts.

Historical Development

The practice of oral Aramaic translation likely began during the Second Temple period (516 BCE - 70 CE), when scribes and teachers would provide simultaneous interpretation during synagogue readings. The book of Nehemiah describes Ezra and the Levites reading from the Torah "clearly" and "giving the sense" to help the people understand, which many scholars interpret as early evidence of targum practice.

Written targums developed gradually from these oral traditions. The earliest fragments date to the second century BCE, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. However, most surviving targums were compiled and standardized much later, between the third and eighth centuries CE, as rabbinic authorities sought to preserve and regulate these interpretive traditions.

The geographical distribution of targum development reflects the diaspora experience. Targum Onkelos on the Torah and Targum Jonathan on the Prophets emerged from Babylonian Jewish communities, while the Palestinian Targums developed in the land of Israel. Each tradition reflected local interpretive customs and theological emphases.

Major Targum Traditions

Targum Onkelos

Targum Onkelos represents the most literal and restrained approach to biblical translation. Attributed to a first-century convert named Onkelos (possibly a corruption of Aquila), this targum on the Torah became the standard Aramaic version in Babylonian academies. It generally avoids anthropomorphic descriptions of God and maintains close fidelity to the Hebrew text while making minimal interpretive additions.

Targum Jonathan

Targum Jonathan covers the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets. More expansive than Onkelos, it incorporates significant interpretive material, including explanations of difficult passages, historical context, and messianic interpretations. The targum often identifies unnamed biblical figures and provides background information not found in the Hebrew text.

Palestinian Targums

The Palestinian Targum tradition includes several related works: Targum Neofiti, the Fragment Targums, and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. These targums are characterized by extensive paraphrasing, elaborate narrative expansions, and rich interpretive traditions. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, despite its name suggesting connection to Targum Jonathan, actually represents this Palestinian tradition and contains some of the most creative biblical interpretation in targum literature.

Targums to the Writings

Several targums exist for books in the Ketuvim (Writings), including Job, Psalms, Proverbs, the Five Scrolls (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther), Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah. These tend to be more interpretive and were generally composed later than the targums to Torah and Prophets.

Interpretive Methods and Characteristics

Targum literature employs sophisticated hermeneutical techniques that reveal ancient Jewish interpretive traditions. Midrashic expansion transforms brief biblical narratives into detailed stories, filling gaps in the text with traditional material. For example, the simple statement that Abraham was thrown into a furnace by Nimrod becomes an elaborate narrative in several targums.

Theological interpretation addresses potential difficulties in the biblical text. Anthropomorphic descriptions of God are consistently modified or explained, reflecting developing Jewish theology about divine transcendence. References to God's "hand" or "face" are typically rendered as God's "power" or "presence."

Contemporary application updates biblical references to reflect later historical realities. Ancient peoples and places are often identified with contemporary nations, making the text more relevant to later audiences. The targums frequently identify biblical Kittim with Romans, for instance.

Legal clarification explains or expands upon biblical laws, often incorporating later rabbinic interpretations. This is particularly evident in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, which includes detailed explanations of ritual requirements and legal procedures.

Significance and Influence

Targum literature provides invaluable insight into ancient Jewish biblical interpretation and theology. These texts preserve interpretive traditions that predate the compilation of classical midrashic literature and offer windows into how different Jewish communities understood their sacred texts.

For biblical scholarship, targums serve as important witnesses to ancient textual traditions. They sometimes preserve readings that differ from the standard Masoretic Hebrew text, providing evidence for textual variants and alternative traditions. The targums also illuminate the development of Jewish theology, particularly concepts related to divine transcendence, angelology, and eschatology.

The influence of targum literature extended beyond Jewish communities. Early Christian interpreters were familiar with targum traditions, and some New Testament passages appear to reflect targum interpretations of Hebrew biblical texts. Medieval Jewish commentators like Rashi frequently cited targum interpretations, ensuring their continued influence on Jewish biblical exegesis.

Modern Study and Preservation

Contemporary scholarship has renewed interest in targum literature as a source for understanding ancient Judaism and early biblical interpretation. Critical editions of major targums have been produced, and scholars increasingly recognize their value for reconstructing the intellectual and religious world of ancient Jewish communities.

The targums also provide important linguistic evidence for the development of Aramaic dialects and the transition from Hebrew to Aramaic in Jewish communities. They preserve vocabulary, grammatical forms, and idiomatic expressions that illuminate the spoken Aramaic of different periods and regions.

Related Topics

• Septuagint
• Midrash literature
• Second Temple Judaism
• Aramaic language
• Biblical translation
• Jewish biblical interpretation
• Dead Sea Scrolls
• Rabbinic literature

Summary

Targum literature comprises Aramaic translations and interpretations of Hebrew biblical texts that served as both linguistic bridges and interpretive guides for ancient Jewish communities, preserving rich traditions of biblical exegesis and theological development.