תרגוםThargum, from the Chaldee תרגםexposuit, interpretatus est.TARGUM; in the Plural, Targumim; that is, Expositions or Explications. This name is given to the Chaldee Paraphrases of the Books of the Old Testament. They are called Paraphrases or Expositions, because they are rather Comments and Explications Ezra viii. 8, 9. מפרש ושום שכלthan literal Translations of the Text. They are written in the Chaldee Tongue, which became familiar to the Jews after the time of the Captivity of Babylon, and was more known to them than the Hebrew itself. So that when the Hebrew Text was read in the Synagogue, or in the Temple, they generally added to it an Explication in the Chaldee Tongue, for the service of the People, who had but a very imperfect Knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue. It is probable, that even from the time of Esdras, or Ezra, this Custom began, since this learned Scribe reading the Law to the People in the Temple, explained it, with the other Priests that were with him, to make it understood by the People: Whether they explained it in the Hebrew Language, or, which to us appears most probable, in the Chaldee or Syriack; for these two Languages had then a very great Conformity to each other, a and were almost entirely the same, and even at this Day they have a very near Agreement; whether, I say, they explained in Syriack or or Chaldee what they read in Hebrew.
But tho’ the Custom of making these sorts of Expositions in the Chaldee Language be very ancient among the Hebrews, yet have they no written Paraphrases or Targumims but since Onkelos and Jonathan, who lived about the time of our Saviour. Jonathan is placed about thirty Years before Christ, under the Reign of Herod the Great: Onkelos is something more modern. The Targum of Onkelos is the most of all esteem’d, and Copies are to be found in which it is inserted Verse for Verse with the Hebrew. It is so short, and so simple, that it cannot be suspected of being corrupted. See the Article of Onkelos before. This Paraphrast wrote only upon the Books of Moses, and his Style approaches nearly to the Purity of the Chaldee, as it is found in Daniel and Ezra. This Targum is quoted in the Mishna, but was not known either to Eusebius, St. Jerom, or Origen.
The Targum of Jonathan Son of Uziel, is upon the Greater and Lesser Prophets. He is much more diffuse than Onkelos, and especially upon the Lesser Prophets, where he takes great Liberties, and runs on in Allegories. His Style is pure enough, and approaches pretty near to the Chaldee of Onkolos. ‘Tis thought that the Jewish Doctors who lived above seven hundred Years after him, made some Additions to him. See the Article Jonathan Ben-Uziel, before. They ascribe to him a Paraphrase upon the Pentateuch also; but this is none of his.
The Targum of Joseph the Blind, is upon the Hagiographa. This Author is much more modern, and less esteemed than those we have now mention’d. He has wrote upon the Psalms, Job, the Proverbs, the Canticles, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, and Esther. His Style is a very corrupt Chaldee, with a great Mixture of Words from foreign Languages. See the Article Joseph the Blind.
The Targum of Jerusalem is only upon the Pentateuch; nor is that entire or perfect. There are whole Verses wanting, others transposed, others mutilated; which has made many of opinion that this is only a Fragment of some ancient Paraphrase that is now lost.
Upon this Subject the Reader may consult the Prolegomena of Walton, Proleg. 12. Father Morinus in his Exercitationes Biblicæ, and Father Le Long in his Bibliotheca Sacra, c. 2. sect. 2. p. 132, &c. There is no Targum upon Daniel, or upon the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. They have lately published that which is upon the Chronicles. The Editions of the Chaldee Paraphrases that are in the Polyglots of Complutum, Antwerp, and Paris, and even in the Rabbinnical Bibles printed at Venice, are imperfect: Those of Basil, and those of the English Polyglot, are more entire.