Studies in Targum Jonathan to the Prophets (The Library of Biblical Studies)

This volume contains two books on the Aramaic translation from the Hebrew of the biblical prophets. According to tradition, some of the biblical books of the prophets were composed by a second century rabbi, Jonathan ben Uzziel, a contention that is rejected by some modern scholars. The translation was composed because most of the common people of the early part of the first millenium did not speak or read Hebrew, so the Bible was translated into their language, Aramaic.However, the translators did not render the text literally. They made changes for many reasons. The three scholars address these changes in the two books. They analyze what they see as allusions to halakhah, Jewish law, historical and geographical changes, theological insertions designed to teach lessons, and other exegesis. The books also contain extensive discussions on the historical background of the translation.Anyone interested in the meaning of the Bible as it was understood in ancient times will want to read this very important scholarly study.