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In the present study we will direct our attention to the particular instances in which God appears as the subject of the verb נחם in the Pentateuch, where the context describes the reaction of ‘regretting’ or ‘repenting’ over a previous decision. In addition, in order to find out whether the Aramaic translators were consistent when trying to avoid anthropomorphisms, we will look at several of the occurrences of the verb in situations where it appears with a human, not a divine subject. This comparative approach will allow us to locate the different dimensions of the semantic field in which a given verb functions. Hopefully the wider the picture of this field, the better the chances are that we will understand the motivations and beliefs that informed the particular choices the translators made.

There are similarities between the way Targum Jonathan explains the Hebrew texts and the way the New Testament authors use the same texts. However, it is hard to identify the exact relationship between Targum Jonathan and the New Testament. Two examples of “Targumic” translations in the New Testament are explored in this article: Acts 13:21–22 and James 5:7–8. All in all, we can say that (1) it is hard to find identical forms of exegesis, although there are several similar cases and parallels; (2) we must do our best to describe similar cases as precise as possible, because there are both similarities and contradictions in all these cases; (3) there is no direct relationship between Targum Jonathan and the New Testament; but (4) they can be used cautiously as a means to better understand each other and (5) to better understand how Jewish authors – I include the New Testament Jewish followers of Jesus here – read and understood their Scriptures.

Copyright of Collectanea Theologica is the property of Uniwersytet Kardynala Stefana Wyszynskiego w Warszawie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Le thème des démons relie trois passages difficiles du livre de Job: la malédiction de Job du jour de sa naissance en 3,3–10, la critique moqueuse d'Eliphaz à l'égard de Job pour cette malédiction en 5,6–7 et 38,12–21, le défi de Dieu à Job pour son appel aux démons. Un éclaircissement décisif est fourni par une discussion talmudique sur les démons et la souffrance humaine reliant Job 5,6–7 au Psaume 91,5–8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author presents and critically assesses scholarly theories tackling the issue of the Septuagint's origin. The most prominent theories shape the course of research into the Septuagint's origin. The basic questions which these theories aspire to answer are: the wayof emergence of the translation, the reason for, and the origin of the translation, and the place of its origin. There are two basic theories dealing with the way of emergence of the translation: these are the Urtext theory and the Targum theory. The first one still represents the basis of textual criticism methodology. Other theories predominantly tackle the question of what led to the translation in the first place. Two most dominant theories in this respect are the theory of liturgical use and the theory of codification. The former is more widely spread and has its different variations. The third question focuses on the location of the translation. Historical sources and the majority of scholars claim that the translation originated in Alexandria. One of the opposing theories claims the Judaean origin of the Septuagint. There is a significant number of opinions which fit somewhere in between the two. At the very end of the paper two research principles (criteria) have been more thoroughly investigated and presented. The first - internal criticism is based on the analysis of the translation itself, while the second deals with the research of external sources which can shed additional light on the topic.

Genesis 49 shows the scene that takes place at the deathbed of the patriarch Jacob. In the face of his upcoming death, Jacob calls on all of his sons that they may listen to and accept his words of valediction. The patriarch addresses each of them individually. This piece of text serves an example of the biblical poetry in which metaphors play an important role. In the Hebrew text there are words and phrases that raise many doubts and questions. Not only contemporary translators and biblical scholars contend with these difficulties, but ancient and medieval commentators did as well. The Aramaic Targums testify to the early Jewish exegesis and interpretation of Gen 49. This article presents the paraphrase and discusses a few selected verses of the Aramaic version of Torah (Tg. Onq., Tg. Neof., Frg. Tg(s)., Tg. Ps.-J.). Based on the above examples, the development of principal Jewish views on eschatology (49:1-2) and of Messianic expectations in context of Jacob’s blessing of the tribe of Judah (49:8-12) is portrayed. The last part of this article comprises the rendering and the meaning of the Targumic animal metaphors based on the examples of Issachar (49:14-15) and of Benjamin (49:27) that significantly differ from the Hebrew text.

Copyright of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology is the property of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Genesis 49 shows the scene that takes place at the deathbed of the patriarch Jacob. In the face of his upcoming death, Jacob calls on all of his sons that they may listen to and accept his words of valediction. The patriarch addresses each of them individually. This piece of text serves an example of the biblical poetry in which metaphors play an important role. In the Hebrew text there are words and phrases that raise many doubts and questions. Not only contemporary translators and biblical scholars contend with these difficulties, but ancient and medieval commentators did as well. The Aramaic Targums testify to the early Jewish exegesis and interpretation of Gen 49. This article presents the paraphrase and discusses a few selected verses of the Aramaic version of Torah (Tg. Onq., Tg. Neof., Frg. Tg(s)., Tg. Ps.-J.). Based on the above examples, the development of principal Jewish views on eschatology (49:1-2) and of Messianic expectations in context of Jacob's blessing of the tribe of Judah (49:8-12) is portrayed. The last part of this article comprises the rendering and the meaning of the Targumic animal metaphors based on the examples of Issachar (49:14-15) and of Benjamin (49:27) that significantly differ from the Hebrew text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genesis 49 shows the scene that takes place at the deathbed of the patriarch Jacob. In the face of his upcoming death, Jacob calls all of his sons that they may listen to and accept his words of valediction. The patriarch addresses each of them individually. This piece of text serves an example of the Biblical poetry in which metaphors play an important role. In the Hebrew text there are words and phrases that raise many doubts and questions. Not only contemporary translators and biblical scholars contend with these difficulties, but ancient and medieval commentators did as well. The Aramaic Targums testify to the early Jewish exegesis and interpretation of Gen 49. This article presents the paraphrase and discusses a few selected verses of the Aramaic version of Torah (Tg. Onq., Tg. Neof., Frgm. Tg., Tg. Ps.-J.). Based on the above examples, the development of principal Jewish views on eschatology (49:1-2) and of Messianic expectations in context of Jacob's blessing of the tribe of Judah (49:8-12) is portrayed. The last part of this article comprises the rendering and the meaning of the Targumic animal metaphors based on the examples of Issachar (49:14-15) and of Benjamin (49:27) that significantly differ from the Hebrew text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most English versions list Cainan as son of Arphaxad and father of Shelah at Luke 3:36, although this person is not mentioned in the genealogies in Genesis 10, Genesis 11, or 1 Chronicles 1. This study examines the evidence for Cainan as a member of these genealogies in ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek sources from the second century BC through the fifth century AD. After demonstrating that there is no evidence for Cainan in these genealogies before the late fourth century AD, the study concludes that Cainan was an accidental scribal displacement of the name from Luke 3:37 into the text of Luke 3:36. Subsequently, under the influence of this later text of Luke, Christian scribes added the name to other texts, including Genesis 10 LXX, Genesis 11 LXX, some manuscripts of 1 Chronicles 1 LXX, and the book of Jubilees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leviticus scholars debate the reasons for the differences between the Old Greek (OG) and Hebrew witnesses. Leviticus 16:1 offers an intriguing example that raises the literary question, Did Nadab and Abihu draw near before Yhwh (MT, SP) or only offer strange fire before Yhwh (OG, Tgs., Syr., Vg. and possibly 11Q1)? In this article, I explore the internal evidence of the OG, assess the targums, and give particular attention to reevaluating the fragmentary evidence from Qumran. My conclusions illuminate another dimension of the mystery of the biblical traditions of Aaron's oldest sons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay provides a survey of research for one distinctive feature of the Fourth Gospel, namely, the striking emphasis on ‘name’ (onoma) language used with reference to the Father. The small existing body of research on John’s divine name concept may be situated in the context of a resurgent interest in the question of ‘God’ in the Fourth Gospel, and alongside broader New Testament research focused on the application of ‘kyrios’ to Jesus or on the divine functions attributed to Jesus’ own name. The research that has focused on John’s use of the divine name may be divided into two groups: there are attempts to identify the background to John’s name concept, including proposals for a Jewish hypostatic name concept, targumic tradition or the text of Isaiah; and studies which analyse John’s name language have sought to locate its meaning within the context of the Gospel itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Torah and the Qur'an share many common narrations. The Noah Flood appears as one of these stories. However, it is obvious that the story differs in some details. The most remarkable difference between the narrations is about the place on which the Ark came to rest. While the Qur'an calls the place as al-Judi, the Torah mentions of the Mountains of Ararat. A ll right, what areas are considered to be the Mountains of Ararat and al-Judi? Which places are mentioned in the Jewish sources as the Mountains of Ararat? In this article, the answers of these questions will be sought through first hand sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targum Onqelos adopts a sequential approach to rendering of biblical poetry: even the passages that have been completely paraphrased imitate the parallelism membrorum structure, and supplementary words and clauses are well-fitted into the parallel verse scheme. Only a small number of passages may be defined as quasi-poetical forms which combine poetry with prosaic elements. On the other hand, the targumic parallel verse structure differs from its biblical counterpart in some syntactic details. This type of modified verse structure is inherent in the targums only, and may be considered as a specific kind of poetry in Aramaic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous studies of the Targums, scholars focused on problems of a textual, linguistic, and historical-critical nature, whereas their literary forms, with some exceptions, remained largely uninvestigated. Alongside literary modifications of the biblical text, the Aramaic translations reflect a special tradition of synagogical rhetoric. This article explores one of the most expressive elements of a sermon which comments on a biblical text-the appeals to the audience. Were these appeals interpolated spontaneously by the meturgemanim, or were they used systematically in translating and expositing certain passages? What do such insertions tell us about the text and the art of the meturgemanim? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes that targum studies is in the midst of a significant transition away from the traditional philological disciplines and toward methodologies more informed by contemporary literary and linguistic theory. This article traces the broad contours of this transition, surveying philological scholarship on the targums and outlining some of the ongoing issues with this scholarship. The article then moves to examine some of the emerging modes of study, ending with a brief discussion of some of the finished projects in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines the references to Messiah bar Ephraim in the Targums, and concludes that the Targumic Tosefta to Zech. 12.10, where Messiah bar Ephraim is vanquished, and Targum Pseudo Jonathan to Exod. 40.9-11, where he is the vanquisher, both predate the Christian period. The apparent conflict between his suffering and conquering roles may indicate a belief that bar Ephraim's death effects the final redemption. References in the Targum to the Song of Songs are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]