Parable of the vineyard in the Targum Jonathan for the Prophets (intermediate level)

by koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungbook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

2 January 2010

1.1 The word Targum means in general translation or interpretation but it is also used to refer to the Aramaic versions of the Hebrew Bible.

1.2 The need for such versions arose early. Aramaic served as an international language in diplomatic circles for several centuries prior to the Babylonian exile (cf. 2 Kings 18:26 et seqq.).

It was the artificial language of the Persian empire and it soon became a "common language" in the Near East. It was not an entirely uniform language, since different areas and ages developed their own dialects.(1)

The Jews accepted Aramaic without much difficulty, partly for practical reasons, but also because Aramaic and Hebrew are closely related to each other.

Despite this, the Jews recognized the importance of keeping tot the Hebrew language of revelation.(2) In the book of Nehemiah there is a lament that Hebrew is inadequately known:

Nehemiah 12:23-24

In those days also I saw the Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon and of Moab; and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews language . . .

The Hebrew knowledge was undermined by the spread of Aramaic but also by the fact that the Jews in the Dispersion knew Greek in the Hellenistic times.

1.3 In the course of time, there arose a need to translate the Hebrew text for the congregation during liturgical recital. These simultaneous translations were often accompanied by commentary and even took the form of some paraphrase.(3)

1.4 While the Targum Onkelos relates to the Pentateuch, Targum Jonathan relates to the Prophets. These two Targumim were the official texts for use during liturgical recital.

1.5 As to the origin of these two Targumim the learned world are divided.(4)

Paul Kahle held the view that Onkelos is of Babylonian origin but other like Kutzscher, McNamara, Kurper feel that both are of Palestinian origin.

The final redaction of the translations can be dated with reasonable certainty at the 5th to the 6th centuries CE.

Despite the fact that Targum Jonathan to the prophets contains a larger proportion of old materials than does the Targum Onkelos, it is a problem to determine which materials are really old and which are of a later origin.

1.6 There is a difference between the Talmud Yerushalmi (Palestinian Talmud) and the Babylonian Talmud.

1.6.1 The language and style differs. The Palestinian Talmud is written in West-Aramaic dialect although some parts are in Hebrew. The style is conduced. About one seventh of its material consists of haggadic (non-legal) material. The greater part consists of halakah or laws.

1.6.2 As to the extend it is comparable to about one third of the Babylonian Talmud.

1.6.3 As to its quality it is not as extensive and deep as the Babylonian Talmud.

1.6.4 As to its time of completion the Babylonian Talmud took 60 years whereas the Palestinian Talmud was composed in a short period under pressure during the Christian persecution.

Targum Jonathan to the Prophets of the Parable of the Vineyard and translation

An analysis of the Targum reveals the following:

1. That the singer is interpreted as a prophet 'mr nbyy'. "The prophet said" (v. 1).

2. The song is sung to Abraham, the singers' friend (v. 1). The prophet is the vehicle of God so that God is singing through the prophet to Abraham.

3. Only the introductory remark: "The prophet said" is in the third person singular narrative. The rest of the poem is the first person narrative, except for the interpretive note in appositional place in (v. 7a):

"For the people of the Lord of hosts in the house of Israel"

'ry `myh dyhwh sb'wt byt ysr'l

4. The interpretation and explanation of the typology of Israel to a vineyard is followed through from the beginning "which is likened to a vineyard"

dmtyl bkkrm' (v. 1b).

5. The religious relationship between God and Israel is followed through the poem, the setting is cultic.

5.1 "I gave them an inheritance in a lofty mountain" (v. 1)

   yhbyt lhwn 'hsn' btwr rm

5.2 "and I sanctified them" wqdystnwn (v. 2)

5.3 They were "like a chosen vine" kmysb gpn (v. 2)

5.4 "I built my sanctuary among them"

   bhyr' wbbyt mqdsy bynyhwn (v. 2)

5.5 "Yea, I gave them my altar to make atonement for their sins"

  w'p mdbhy yhbyt lkpr' `l htyhwm (v. 2)

5.6. "they did evil deeds"

    w'ynwn 'b'ysw `wbdyhwn (v. 2)

5.7 "I will take away my Shekinah from them" (v. 5)

    'slyq skynty mnhwn (v. 5)

5.8 "I will break down their sanctuaries" (v. 5)

      'ytr` byt mqdsyhwn

5.9 The sanctuaries "will be for a trampling" (v. 5)

      wyhwn ldys

5.10 "I will drive them out" (Exile motif?) (v. 6)

      w'swynwn rtysyn

5.11 "my prophets will I command not to utter" (v. 6)

      nbyy' 'pqyd dl' ytnbwn

6. Tendency to remove anthropomorphisms

Many scholars have pointed out (5) that the Targumim aim at the elimination of all phrases which are reminiscient of anthropomorphisms, and substitute them for other expressions which are better suited for the more refined ideas concerning God of later generations. The Targum avoids using Biblical expressions which speak of God as having a body just like a human being, with hands and eyes.

In v. 3g we have such an example. This becomes clear when we look at the seemingly anthropomorphistic way in which a judgement must be given "between" byny wbyn in the Hebrew biblical text and the Targumim rendering of "before me" in qdmy.

Because some Palestinian Targumim kept many anthropomorphic phrases, it must be assumed that these anti-anthropomorphistic tendencies were only in existence in a certain school or schools or that pious copyists removed the anthropomorphism from what was a literal translation.

Some of the anti-anthropomorphisms in MS Neofiti I are of secondary origin and do not belong to the original strand of that text.

Endnotes

1. For a brief summary of some of the main dialects as known at present, see J. A. Fitzmyer, The Genesis Apocryphon of Qumran Cave I, page 20.

2. This can be seen where the Letter of Aristeas tends to stabilize a translation of the Old Testament into Greek. However, this description of Aristeas is also late.

3. According to the Palestinian Talmud the official interpreter was known as meturgeman and the paraphrase given by him was known as targum. In the synagogal tradition the recital of the Meturgeman was called midrash.

4. See F. E. Deist, Towards the Text of the Old Testament (Translated by W. K. Winckler [Pretoria: D. R. Church Booksellers, 1978], 128).

5. A. Sperber, The Bible in Aramaic vol. IV-B. The Targum and the Hebrew Bible (Leiden: Brill, 1973), 37.