Targum Neofiti 1 and Pseudo-Jonathan: Numbers
By Martin McNamara and Ernest G. Clarke
Translated, with Apparatus and Notes
Michael Glazier, 1995, 334 pages
ISBN 0-8146-5483-5
The current practice of reading messages into the biblical texts that the authors never intended and to imagine events occurring that are not even hinted in the Bible stories began in ancient times. In fact some of the later volumes of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are elaborations on what is stated in the earlier books.
My reviews of the two volumes Targum Neofiti 1: Genesis and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: Genesis offers details about this 19 volume series presenting an English translation of the Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible. This is the fourth volume, which addresses two different translations in a single book.
As seen in the previous reviews, the translators used their translations to offer their readers ideas that a plain reading of the Bible does not disclose. The following are some examples.
Moses is said to have been presented with four legal cases that he did not know how to decide and had to turn to God for a decision. Since all of these cases had capital punishments, the translator adds that this teaches all judges to be especially careful in deciding capital cases (Numbers 9:8).
Numbers 11:26 states that two people prophesied, but the Bible does not give a hint of the contents of the prophecy. The translator writes that they foretold the coming of the messiah.
The "Cushite woman" in 12:1 that Moses is said to have married is not identified by the Bible. The plain reading of Scripture seems to indicate that she was someone other than Moses' first wife Zipporah. However, the translator says that she was Zipporah who was unique in all ways just as a Cushite is unique.
King Balak hired the non-Israelite soothsayer Balaam to curse the Israelites. During his journey to see the Israelites, Balaam's donkey speaks to him. What did it say? The translator invents a speech, including the donkey's assurance that the soothsayer will "not enter the world to come."
Dr. Israel Drazin is the author of seventeen books, including a series of five volumes on the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible, which he co-authors with Dr. Stanley M. Wagner, and a series of four books on the twelfth century philosopher Moses Maimonides. The Orthodox Union (OU) and Yeshiva University publish weekly chapters of Drazin and Wagner's book Let's Study Onkelos on www.ou.org/torah and on www.yutorah@yutorah.org. His website is http://booksnthoughts.com.
The views expressed in this review/article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Eye.
Related Reviews:
The Targum of Canticles, by Philip S. Alexander.
Aramaic Bible - Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes.
