Alternative Targum Traditions Studies in the Aramaic Interpretation of Scripture Managing Editor Paul V.M. Flesher University of Wyoming Editorial Board Bruce Chilton Bard College Willem Smelik University College, London Moshe Bernstein Yeshiva University Edward M. Cook Catholic University of America Luis Díez Merino University of Barcelona VOLUME 9 Alternative Targum Traditions The Use of Variant Readings for the Study in Origin and History of Targum Jonathan By Alberdina Houtman Harry Sysling LEIDEN • BOSTON 2009 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Houtman, Alberdina. Alternative targum traditions : the use of variant readings for the study in origin and history of targum Jonathan / by Alberdina Houtman and Harry Sysling. p. cm. — (Studies in the Aramaic interpretation of scripture ; v. 9) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-17842-7 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T. Prophets (Nevi’im). Aramaic—Versions—Targum Jonathan—History. 2. Bible. O.T. Prophets (Nevi’im—Quotations in rabbinical literature. I. Sysling, Harry. II. Title. III. Series. BS1286.A4A734 2009 224.04’2—dc22 2009022045 ISSN 1570-1336 ISBN 978 90 04 17842 7 Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Brill has made all reasonable efforts to trace all right holders to any copyrighted material used in this work. In cases where these efforts have not been successful the publisher welcomes com- munications from copyright holders, so that the appropriate acknowledgements can be made in future editions, and to settle other permission matters. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................. ix Abbreviations and Signs .......................................................................... xi 1. Bible and Targum ............................................................................ xi 2. Rabbinic Literature .......................................................................... xi 3. Journals, Books & Series ............................................................... xii 4. Signs Used in the Reproduction of the Texts .............................. xiii Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 Why this book? ........................................................................................ 1 What to expect? ....................................................................................... 2 Chapter One – Preliminary Issues .......................................................... 7 A. Definition: What is a Targum? ......................................................... 7 1. The semantic field of ‘targum’ in rabbinic literature ..................... 7 2. The character of Targum as a Bible translation according to rabbinic literature ......................................................................... 14 3. Characteristics of Jewish Bible translations according to early Christian sources ........................................................................... 15 4. Modern definitions ......................................................................... 16 5. Different targum types ................................................................... 21 6. Targum characteristics ................................................................... 25 7. Qumran Aramaic versions ............................................................. 27 B. Background to the Targums ............................................................ 32 1. The raison d’être .............................................................................. 32 2. Sitz im Leben .................................................................................... 35 C. Survey and Conclusions .................................................................. 39 vi contents Chapter Two – Tosefta Targums and Other Targumic Traditions to the Books of Samuel ......................................................................... 41 A. Survey of Previous Research on the Tosefta Targums ................ 42 1. Excursus: the case of the Pentateuch ............................................. 46 B. Piyyut .................................................................................................. 48 1. Aramaic poetry ................................................................................ 50 C. Description of the Corpus ............................................................... 54 1. The main sources ............................................................................. 56 2. Distribution among the sources ................................................... 60 D. Characterisation of the Toseftan Material According to their Designations .......................................................................................... 61 1. Sefer aer .......................................................................................... 61 2. Lishna Aerina ............................................................................... 78 3. Jerushalmi ........................................................................................ 82 4. Tosefta .............................................................................................. 97 5. No special designation .................................................................. 108 6. Special cases ................................................................................... 113 E. Survey and Conclusions .................................................................. 131 1. Do all the Tosefta Targums treated here deserve their name? ... 131 2. Are there linguistic tendencies to be noted in the toseftan material? ....................................................................................... 134 3. Are there other common tendencies to be discovered in the toseftan material? ........................................................................ 134 Chapter Three – Quotations of Targumic Passages from the Prophets in Rabbinic and Medieval Sources ................................... 137 A. Survey of Previous Research on Targumic Quotations ............. 137 B. How to Define a Quotation ............................................................ 142 1. Explicit quotations ........................................................................ 144 2. Implicit quotations ....................................................................... 147 3. Philological interpretation of biblical words ............................... 152 contents vii C. Exchangeability of Aramaic and Hebrew Quotations ................ 153 D. Sources: Characterisation of the Material in the Different Sources ................................................................................................... 155 1. Quotations from the Prophets in the Palestinian Targums to the Pentateuch .............................................................................. 155 2. Quotations from the Prophets in Targum Esther Sheni and Targum Canticles ......................................................................... 172 3. Quotations from the Prophets in the Tosefta Targums .............. 181 4. Quotations from the Prophets in magical texts ......................... 192 5. Quotations from the Prophets in the Babylonian Talmud ....... 194 6. Quotations from the Prophets in the Palestinian Talmud ....... 208 7. Quotations in the Midrashim ...................................................... 214 E. Survey and Conclusions .................................................................. 231 Chapter Four – Summary and Conclusions ....................................... 235 A. Evaluation of the Terminology ...................................................... 235 B. Assessment of the Variants ............................................................ 237 C. The Origin and Early Development of the Targum of the Prophets ............................................................................................... 238 1. The common opinion .................................................................... 239 2. Evaluation of the evidence .......................................................... 240 3. Sitz im Leben ................................................................................. 247 4. Epilogue ......................................................................................... 249 Appendix One – Targumic Quotations from the Prophets in the Order of the Works in which they Appear ....................................... 251 A. Targum, Magical Texts and Rabbinic Literature ........................ 251 1. Targum ........................................................................................... 251 2. Magical texts .................................................................................