Details of the Targumim

[Ewan MacLeod]

Can someone give me some more details of the Targumim in BibleWorks (TAR database)? As I understand it, Targum Onkelos is the translation of the Torah, and Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel is the translation of the Nevi'im. Does that mean that when I use the TAR module and look at Gen, Exo, Lev, Num, Deu, I am looking at Targum Onkelos? And that Nevi'im includes the Former + Latter Prophets, so that when I look at Joshua, 1/2Sa, 1/2Ki, Isa, Jer, Eze, + treasar, I am looking at Targum Jonathan? As the Talmud states that there was no "official" targum to the Writings, what is the source of the other (Biblical) books in the TAR module, such as Psa, Job, Song, Ruth, Qoh, Lam, Est, 1/2Chr, Prov? And what are the books Esr, Ess, Lay and Law?

Are Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Targum Neofiti both different targums on the Torah? How literal (word-for-word) a translation are all these targums? Which are literal and which are more "free" translations?

Can anyone recommend some links with more detail about the background and history of the targumim (more detail than Wikipedia!)?

Any clarification would be welcome!

Thanks,

Ewan

[jdarlack]

Hi Ewan,

I am an novice at this. In fact, I have yet to take Aramaic (hopefully next Spring).

Here are a few helpful sites:

Here is where BibleWorks obtained the texts: Hebrew Union College's Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon:

http://cal1.cn.huc.edu/index.html

and another, link to the International Organization for Targumic Studies:

http://www.tulane.edu/%7Entcs/IOTS/index.html

Here's an article that looked helpful on the Targumim:

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/vi...id=67&letter=T

Neofiti and Pseudo-Jonathan are available from my website (also from CAL), but not morphologically tagged.

~Jim

[MGVH]

This posting prompted me to post a brief introduction to the targums / targumim I once composed. If others are able to correct/update it, I would be grateful, but I think it is fairly accurate. It is viewable at:
http://www.gettysburgsem.org/mhoffma...TargumInfo.pdf

One might also check the decent Wikipedia article at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targum

Mark

[RJames]

Is anyone else having problems with Targum Neofiti? I get a weird mix of letters when it's running. Perhaps I installed it incorrectly, but I don't think so since Targum Pseudo-Jonathan works fine.

[RJames]

Ahh, nevermind, CAL did it on purpose

[jdarlack]

I have recently been informed that the variants in the Targum files have already been highlighted in a preset coloring file. See the following post for instructions on turning this coloring file on:

http://www.bibleworks.com/forums/sho...66&postcount=3