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n submitting this thenis to the Univarsity of St. Andrews 1 vmý? Etand that 1 am giving permission for it to be ma?o mailable for use in ascordance with the regulations of thc University Library for the time being in force, subject be er, 7 copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title md Astract will be publisheQ wd that a coW of the work may be made and st to kna fids libr=y or research wowheT. Abstract of Thesis Chapters 4ý51 of the 3ook of Jeweliah contain a series of prophecies against foreign nations, and these 'foreign nation oracles! form the focus of this thesis. The op3ning chapteo contains a discassion of several outstanding problems connected vAth these oTacles, the chief of these being the problem of authenticity. ,ýfter examination of the major argaments, the conclusion is reacheE that the contents of chapters 4W1 are not to be attributed to jeremiah, bat to one or more imitators Wo employed lioremimic' ianguaEe. Also discc-ss: j(ý are the problems of the differing position and order in which the oracles occur in the SeDtuagint. The major part A the thesis contains a study of the Septuagint and Targum versions of ens. 4ý51, and a consideration of the mediaeval JewisK commentators aashi, KiEchi and Abravanel. The anoient versions are consulted not as aids to the recovery of a better Eebrew text than the Lassoretic text, bat raVer to gain a:-l insight the techniques by the translators, to into employed and pic., ý- oat and account for those elemenns of interpretation which each vacsion contains. The contribution of Rashi and Kinchi to the interpretatfon of the Hebrew text is Aso considered, =6 a separate chapter is devoted to the commentary of Isaac Abravanel. Eis interest in eschatological speculation significantly affects his intarzratation. of certain foreign nation oracles. The thesis is primarily coacerned with the variety of answers to the problens cf exegesis which are orovided by the various versions and comentators, and through such answers seeks to Understand their presuppositions and interpretative approach. A Ih 46 t0 Wit; ý5P SýCI ESIZ E' ): e ý- -3,,", C ýý Lý, 71 . and -sw Sý, - by - Gscýýuna Ný?Ison "' to the Fsctýlty il Diu-nitty ,11-A ýzlasl Sýnm- -- of -L fuIf '- ''r,,, -, vers-, -Y oF 5-t. ýndýanws i4 r- 11,7em 3 rEaýýi: 7smervt for -i-the deg--sq of Doctor of Phdlosop. ýIy S-F. AND;?E- 5, S CCTL. A ND P84. ¶ in submitting this thesis to the University of St, Andrews I understand that I an, givivnfy Permission for it to be made available for use in accordance i-rith the reguIations of Who University Library for the time being in force, subject 'Uo.,q copyright vested ir. the work not being -' f ected thereby., 0 -t' C" also understand that the title and abstract will be -ý,ublished2ý and that a copy of the work r..-,Ay be nade and suppi"Led Uo any bona fide library or research worker. Abstract of Thesis Chapters 46-51 of the Book of Jeremiah contain a series of prophecies form against foreign nations, and tnese Iforeign nation oracles' the focus of this thesis. The opening chapter contains a discussion these the of several outstanding problems connected with oracles, After chief of these being the problem of authenticity. examination that the of the major arguments) the conclusion is reached contents but of chapters 46-51 are not to be attributed to jereminah, to one imitators who emp loyed 'Jeremianic' language. Also discussý., d or more C3 --Z' are the problems of the differing position and order in which the oracles occur in the Septuagint. The the thesis the Septuagint major part of contains a study of 0 and Targum versions of chs. 46-51,, and a consideration of the mediaeval Jewish commentators Rashi, Kimchi and Abravanel. The ancient versions are consulted not as aids to the recovery of a better Hebreir text than the Massoretic text) but rather to -ain an insight into the techniques employed by the translators, and to pick out and account for those elements of interpretation which each version contains. The contribution of Rashi and Ki..mchi to the interpretation of the Hebrew text is also considered, and a separate chapter is devoted to the commentary of Isaac Abravanel. His interest in his interpretation eschatologicalC, speculation significantly affects of certain foreign nation oracles. The thesis is primarily concerned with the variety of answers to the by the problems of exegesisCý i-faich are provided va-rious versions and commentators, and through such answers seeks to understand their presuppositions and interpretative approach. JEREMIAH 46 - 51, with special reference to the Septuagint, the Targum and 3ewish Nediaeval Exegesis ý-- Georgina Nelson A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Divinity of the University of St. Andrews in fulfilnient. of the requirement for the d2grea of Doctor of Philosophy ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND 1,984. I 5 TA TEMEN T Ordinance " SO was adimitted as a research student under . (General No. 12) on lst October 1979, and as a candidalle for the degree of Ph. D. under Resolution of. the University Court, 19679 No. 1 (as amended).. On Ist October 1979 1 commenced research an 'Jeremiah 46-51, with special reference to the Septuagint, the Targum and Jewish Plediaeval Exegesis', which is now being submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The thesis is based an the results of research carried out by myself, is my own composition, and has not previously been presented for a higher degree. The research was carried out in the University of St. Andrews under the supervision of Professor William McKane and Dr. R. S. Salters. ýdohlaohdý - 0 »a"o 0 PWPWlwqpp,« 00«0.4 0 II CERTIFICATE We certify that Georgina Nelson has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution of the University Court, 1967, No. I (as amended), 'and is qualified to submit this thesis in application for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. lows -W 0.0a Supervisors. III ACKNOWILEDGENENTS I am deeply indebted to all my teachers, most especially to Prolessor William McKane, whose classes kindled my interest in Jeremiah, and to Dr. R. B. Salters, who for my first research year was both supervisor and friend. Ply thanks are due to Owain, my fellow student for six years, and to Jim, who spurred me into finishing this thesis. I am grateful also to Miss Mary Taylorp whose speed and accuracy as a typist left me open-mouthed with admiration! Finally I would like to say a special word of thanks to Dr. Andrew Doig FRCP, without wharn this thesis would surely neýier have been written. I CONTENTS Title Page Statement Certificate III Acknowledgements IV Abbreviations VT introductory 1 Chapter One The Problem of the Oracles (i) Authenticity 6 (ii) Position of the Oracles 38 (iii) Ordering of the Oracles 57 Chapter Two The Septuagint of Chs. 46-51 6-4 Chapter Three : The Targum of Chs. 46-51 98 Chapter Four : Jewish Exegesis of Selected Passages 136 Chapter Five : The Commentary of isaac Abravanel on Chs. 46-51 164 Hebrew Text of Abravanel 243 Footnotes 250 Bibliography 267 'I A 89 REVIA TI ENS AV Authorised Version. AJSL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures. BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. BOB Brown, F. Driver, S. R. Briggs, CA. Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. BHK Biblia Hebraica (3rd edition) ed. Kittel, R. Stuttgart,, 1937. BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, eds. Elliger, K. and Rudolph, W. Stuttgart, 1970 (Libor Jeremiae). Bibl. Biblica. CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly, FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments. HTR Harvard Theological Review. HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual. IEJ Israel Exploration Journal. JBL Journal of Biblical Literature and Exegesis. JQR Jewish Quarterly Review. JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. is's Journal of Semitic Studies. JTS Journal of Theological Studies. LXX The Septuagint. MT The Massoretic Text. NEB New English Bible. OTS Oudtestamentische Studien. PEQ Palestine Exploration Quarterly. RSV. Revised Standard Version. RV Revised Version. vi SBT Studies in Biblical Theology. SVT Supplement to Vetus Testamentum. VT Vetus Testamentum. WMANT Wissenschaftliche Manographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament. ZAW Zeitschrift fÜr die ýlttestamentliche Wissenschaft, vil INTRODUCTORY In Chapters 46-51 of the book of Jeremiah we encounter a the d ttle fate series of oracles in which poet escribes which is these Iforeign awaits several of Israel's neighbours, and it nation oracles' which form the focus of this thesis. This section of the prophetic. book was deemed an appropriate area for the research, since the foreign nation oracle genre is inherently interesting as one of the earliest, if not the earliest form of Hebrew prophecy, and also since the section is recognizably a coherent whole, distinct from the surrounding material. This distinctness is emphasized by the circumstance that in the Septuagint Versiong the foreign nation oracles are located in a different part of the book of Jeremiah, and it is this peculiarity., and the problems contingent upon it, which have figured very largely in scholarly work on chapters 46-51.