The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan Ben Uzziel on the Pentateuch with the Fragments of the Jerusalem Targum [Tr. ] from the Chaldee by J. W. Etheridge

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 edition. Excerpt: ... bins make not infrequent reference;8 and which, as would appear by various citations9 scattered up and down in their writings, extended to others of the books of Holy Scripture as well as to the Pentateuch. In style and manner, as well as dialect, the Palestinian Targum differs greatly from that of Onkelos. Of the four kinds of biblical interpretation adopted by the Rabbins, --Peshat, or the simple rendering of words; Remez, intimation, suggestion of meaning; Berush, illustration, traditio-historical, anecdotal, or allegorical; and Sod, the unfoldment of mystical or esoteric significance, veiled in the types, incidents, or enigmatic oracles of the sacred writings: the third, or Berush, so largely developed in the Midrashim, --a branch of Jewish literature which comprises an immense number of works,1 ethical, metaphysical, and historic, illuminated, so to speak, with the rich colours of the Oriental imagination, --becomes prominent on every page. Some of these peculiar illustrations will meet the reader's eye in perusing the Palestinian Targum. These forms of Berush take the general name of Hagada, as distinguished from Halaka. The latter is the common name for whatever is prescriptive of the peculiarities of Jewish life, --a rule of conduct, from halak, "to walk." Hagada, on the other hand, (from hagah, " to imagine, invent, describe, or declare,") is a saying, recital, or legend, fabulous or historical, employed in the way of illustration. Both these elements pervade the Targums. They are employed, not to add to the word of God, but to explain it. Once for all, we must distinguish between the Targum and the Text. A Jew would sooner die than alter a word of the text of Holy Scripture; but he thinks himself at liberty to illustrate what he...