Onkelos

ONKELOS, the famous Author of the Chaldee Paraphrase upon the Pentateuque. The Jews pretend that Onkelos was a Gentile by Birth and Religion, and that he was converted to Judaism while Hillel was alive, who lived some Time before our Saviour. His Paraphrase is without Dispute the best, the most sensible, and the most literal, of any that we have from the Jews; and it were to be wished that he had explained all the Hebrew Books of the Old Testament, as he has done the Pentateuque. Father Morin shews, that this Paraphrase is much more modern than the Jews gave out. He thinks it to be before the Talmud of Babylon, and after the Talmud of Jerusalem. St. Jerome knew nothing of it, and ‘tis very likely it was composed since the Time of this Father.

Some Jews have pretended, that Onkelos was Son to the Emperor Titus; others that he was this Emperor’s Nephew, and the Son of his Sister. Others think that the Author of the Paraphrase that bears Onkelos’s Name, was more antient than he whom they would have to have been Titus’s Nephew. This, they say, was a great Necromancer, who being desirous to become a Proselyte, raised the Ghosts of Titus, of Balaam, and of Jesus Christ, to propose Questions to ‘em, and to obtain Answers from them concerning several Things. Lastly, other Rabbins have maintained, that Onkelos the Paraphrast was the same as Aquila, the famous Greek Interpreter of Scripture. But F. Morin, who acquaints us with all these Particulars, has very well confuted them in his Exercitations upon the Bible, l. ii. Exercit. 8. c. 6.

These are the Reasons that have induced them to believe, that Onkelos was the same as Aquila of Pontus. First the Similitude of Names; for Onkelos and Aquila, or Akilas, are the same Name. Secondly, Aquila as well as Onkelos, was a Proselyte. Thirdly, each of ‘em lived at the same Time; that is, about one Hundred and fifty Years after Christ. But to these three Reasons it may be answered; first, that the Difference of the Names of Onkelos and Aquila is sufficient to make them two distinct Persons. Secondly, that the Character of a Proselyte given to Onkelos is not well grounded. Thirdly, that the Time in which Onkelos lived is very different from that of Aquila. For this last lived in the second Century of the Christian Church, whereas Onkelos lived in the Time of Hillel, which was some Time before Jesus Christ. ‘Tis true, it is said he lived till after the Death of Gamaliel the Grandson of Hillel, who died eighteen Years before the Destruction of Jerusalem; but however this is far enough from the Time of Aquila. It is true that the Author of Bereshith Rabba wrote a Rabbinical Commentary upon Genesis, and some Rabbins after him talk of the Targum of Aquila; but this Targum is nothing else but the Greek Version of Aquila. Targum in general may be taken either for a Version, or a Paraphrase.

The Targum of Onkelos has always been in great Esteem amongst the Jews. Elias Levita says, that the Jews think themselves obliged to read a Section of the Law every Week in their Synagogues, which is the Lesson of the Week. They read this Section twice, the first Time in the Hebrew Original, and the second Time in the Targum, that is, in Chaldee; and for this they make Use of the Targum of Onkelos. Thus it was read in his Time, that is, in the Beginning of the sixth Century. Hence it was, according to the Observation of the same Author, that this Targum was so well known among them, while the others were very scarce; insomuch that it was not easy to find a Copy of the other Targums in a whole Province, whereas those of Onkelos were very common.

As to what Father Morinus says, that the Targum of Onkelos was not composed till after the Talmud of Jerusalem; the Reasons he assigns only prove, that some Additions had been made to Onkelos’s Text, and that some Words had been inserted. But as to the Body of the Work, it cannot be doubted, but that it was wrote about the Time of Jesus Christ. St. Jerome’s Silence about this Matter is but a negative Argument, which is of no great Validity. He might not have known it, tho’ it were then in being; and he might have known it, and yet neither quote it, nor make any Mention of it.

In many Copies of the Bible, the Jews inserted the Text of the Targum of Onkelos after that of the Bible; and put the same Musical Notes to it, which are in the Hebrew Original; so that it may be read with a kind of Chanting in their Synagogues, at the same Time as the Original, and to the same Tune.

Tho’ Onkelos generally follows his Original Word for Word, very closely and in a just Manner; yet however he explains some Passages of the Original which he thought required it. For Example, in most of the Passages of Scripture, wherein the Name Jehovah is found¹, he puts the Word Memra, Verbum Jehovah, the Word of Jehovah; and he distinguishes Memra from Pitgama, which signifies Discourse, ascribing to it even all the Actions of the supreme Deity. ‘Tis to this Memra that they ascribe the Creation of the World; ‘twas he that appeared to Moses upon Mount Sinai, and gave him the Law. ‘Twas to him that Jacob made his Vow, saying: If the Word shall conduct me, and bring me back to the House of my Father, then he shall be my God. ‘Twas the same Word that appeared to Abraham in the Plain of Mamre. ‘Twas he whom Jacob appealed to as a Witness, between himself and Laban, &c. See the Article MEMRA before.

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