Inhalt: | Preliminary Material -- I. Shem, Melchizedek, And Concern With Christianity In The Pentateuchal Targumim -- II. Abraham As Proselytizer At Beer-Sheba In The Targums Of The Pentateuch -- III. Balaam’s Prophecies As Interpreted By Philo And The Aramaic Targums Of The Pentateuch -- IV. The Figure Of Adam In Pseudo-Philo’s Biblical Antiquities -- V. The Sacrifice Of Isaac And Jewish Polemic Against Christianity -- VI. A Portrait Of The Wicked Esau In The Targum Of Codex Neofiti 1 -- VII. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And Anti-Islamic Polemic -- VIII. The Date Of Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: Some Comments -- IX. Jacob’s Second Visit To Bethel In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan -- X. Pirqe De Rabbi Eliezer And Targum Pseudo-Jonathan -- XI. Inconsistencies And Contradictions In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: The Case Of Eliezer And Nimrod -- XII. Red Heifer And Golden Calf: Dating Targum Pseudo-Jonathan -- XIII. The Priestly Blessing In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan -- XIV. Jewish Traditions In Jerome’s Commentary On Jeremiah And The Targum Of Jeremiah -- XV. Saint Jerome And The Aramaic Targumim -- XVI. Some Observations On St. Jerome’s Hebrew Questions On Genesis And The Rabbinic Tradition -- XVII. Sirach And Wisdom’s Dwelling Place -- XVIII. Food, The Animals, And Human Dignity. Jewish Perceptions In A Targumic Context -- XIX. Melchizedek As Priest Of The Jerusalem Temple In Talmud, Midrash, And Targum -- Index Of Modern Authors -- Index Of Scriptural, Rabbinic, And Patristic References. This collection of seventeen previously published essays and two hitherto unpublished articles examines strategies adopted by ancient Aramaic translators of the Hebrew Bible in their attempts to transmit the meaning of Scripture to their own generations. The intricate interpretations of Targum Pseudo-Jonathan feature prominently: analysis of them suggests a date for the substance of this Targum rather earlier than is commonly assumed. The biblical exegesis of Jerome (ca. 342-420 CE) often reflects Targumic interpretation of Scripture: as well as helping to date items of Jewish interpretation, Jerome’s writings also witness to continuing close contacts between Christians and Jews at a crucial stage in the history of both communities. The essays also demonstrate the relationship of the Targums both to other Rabbinic texts and to early translations of the Bible like Septuagint; the versions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion; and the Peshitta |
