Targumist Interprets the Torah: Contradictions and Coherence in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan

Iosif J. Zhakevich, Ph. D. (2016), Harvard University, is Associate Professor of Old Testament at The Master’s Seminary. He was on the translation committee for the Legacy Standard Bible and has published numerous articles, including “Genesis 3:15 in the New Testament and in the Pentateuchal Targums: Enmity as a Spiritual Conflict” (forthcoming, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology).

• AcknowledgmentsList of Figures and TablesAbbreviationsIntroduction1 Overview2 Methodology3 A Brief History of Research4 Primary and Secondary SourcesPart 1 Vertical Dimension—Contradictions between the Torah and the Targum1 Contradictions in Converse Translation I1 Introduction2 Creation of the Rhetorical Question: Genesis 4:143 Addition of the Negative Particle I: Genesis 4:23–244 Addition of the Negative Particle II: Genesis 37:335 Replacement of the Verb: Exodus 33:3–56 Conclusion2 Contradictions in Converse Translation II1 Introduction2 Elimination of the (Implied) Negative Particle at TgPsJ Genesis 19:333 Three Questions Regarding the Converse Translation at TgPsJ Genesis 19:334 Modern Scholarship on the Converse Translation at TgPsJ Genesis 19:335 A Deliberate Converse Translation at TgPsJ Genesis 19:336 The Mechanism of Derivation of the Converse Translation at TgPsJ Genesis 19:337 The Discrepancy between the Manuscript and the Printed Editions at TgPsJ Genesis 19:338 ConclusionPart 2 Horizontal Dimension—Contradictions between Passages within the Targum3 Contradictions in the Targum I—Concerning Numerals1 Introduction2 Part I: Contradictions with Explicit Reference to Numerals3 Part II: Contradictions with Implicit Reference to Numerals4 Conclusion4 Contradictions in the Targum II—Concerning Actions1 Introduction2 The Culprit for the Curse: Genesis 3:17 vs. 5:293 The Presentation of the Bloodied Tunic of Joseph: Genesis 37:32 vs. 38:254 Moses’ Trip to Egypt: Exodus 4:20–26 vs. 18:1–45 The Function of the Pillar of Cloud: Exodus 13:21–22 vs. 14:19–206 Dathan and Abiram in Egypt and in the Wilderness: Exodus 14:3 vs. Numbers 26:4–97 Conclusion5 Contradictions in the Targum III—Concerning Characters1 Introduction2 The Character of Hagar—Slave or Free? Genesis 16:3 vs. 21:143 The Character of Nimrod—Righteous or Wicked? Genesis 10:8–124 The Character of Esau—Righteous or Wicked? Genesis 32:125 The Character of Ishmael—Righteous or Wicked? Genesis 25:7–176 ConclusionConclusionsBibliographyIndex