i. For the Pent., three Targums : (1) the Targ. of Onlieloa, also called the Bab. Targ. on the Pentateuch ; (2) a Tarj;. ot certain parts of the Pent., called the Jems. Tarp. II. or the Fra^Tuentary Targum : (3) a complete Targ. on the Pent, akin to No. C^), called the Targ. of Jonathan [pseudo-Jonathan], or Jerus. Targ. I,
ii. On the Prophets, Earlier and Later ; the Targ. of Jonathan bar Uzziel, also called the Bab. Targ. on the Prophets.
iii. On the Hat^iographa we have Targums for (1) Psalms, Proverbs, Job ; (li) the Megilloth (Cant., KuLh, Lam., Ec-cles., Eat.) ; (3) Chronicles.
No Targums have been found for Ezra, Nebemiah, Daniel.
In harmony with their character as popular translations of religious books, intended in part to meet tlie wants of the religious community, tlie Targums are not always or jjrimarily literal trans- lations. The translations are often mixed up with uuriuus paraphrases and stories such as we meet Willi in the other Jewish exegetical or homiletic works (midrdshim). They contain, besides, expan- sions or alterations adapted to secure that the sense of Scripture current among the authorities should lind access in an intelliijible form to the niinils of the people. The theology of the early books of IsraePs history and religion took no pains to obviate the appearance of a very distinct an- thropomorphic character, but the time came when the main feature of Jewish criticism and exegesis was the anxiety to remove or soften down all references to God that could thus give rise to mis- understanding in the popular mind. The history of the lleb. text itself bears witness to this scru- pulous feeling for the Divine majesty : cf. the tikkuni' S(>phirim; the use of Ti3 = jxj or '?Sp when Used directly before the name of God ; punctuation like niKiV Is 1", etc. ; and the LXX has sometimes been intluenced by the same solicitude (cf. Ex 24'"). Hut the clearest expression of this hernicneutic principle is to be found in the Targums, and every wage of them illustrates the practice. In fact the oasis for antliropoinorphic views of God is taken away by the Jewish notion that man was created, not m the image of God but iu the image of tlie angels (cf. Gn 1* Jerus. Targ.). It will be sulh- cient here to enumerate the more usual ways by which everything wjus avoided that could lead to erroneous or undi^-nilied conceptions of God in His own nature or in llis manner of revealing Himself.
When Qod is spoken of ofl coming into relation with man, walking, speaking, swearing, repenting, etc., some periphrasis
• Mt 27«, cf. Ps 22a; Eph 4", cf. P» «»». t Bab. Shab. 116. 1.
for the Divine name is used, by which literar)' device it was felt that God was somewhat removed or raised above the plane of human alfairs, and that His action, therefore, was less direct and more fittingly mediated. There is some evidence that Nim m.Ti, 'word of Jahweh,' found only in the so-called Jerus. Targg. (cf. Lv 11), was poetically and fantastically personified, and so treated as a mediating factor between tiod and the world.* In much the same way the "T KTO'O, as God's messenger in nature and in history, unfailingly operative wherever He sends it, is the most usual expres-sion for bridging over the chasm between God and man. But it is so identified with Jehovah Himself as creator, judge, helper, deliverer of His jjeuple, that, from the mediating use of it, it has become but another name for Him {e.p. Gn 181 36», Ex 312 68 j-jw. Am gs. Is 42', Ps 2-' '2, Job 121). How completely trO'O has lost all reference to ita own meaning \i seen esp. from such a phrase as ni.Ti KiD'D TD, Jos 2231. t
God has His dwelling-place in the central division of the highest heavens, and the throne of His glory is there. This glory, resting upon the throne, is conceived of .as ligiit, and manifestations of God become manifestations of His glory, veiled doubtless in a cloud so as not to cause blindness (cf. Gn 271 Targ. Jerus.). This ' glory ot God ' ("T Kip-) and ' the presence of the glory of God' ("n nip- ny2-j) are further expressions which may be used for God Himself active in the world : Gn 2»13, Ex »I 2020 344 (pseudo-Jon.), 1 K 221'J, Is Gl^, Ps 912 17" ; similarly -;sx VI Ps 132, cf. Ex 33" (pseudo-Jon.) ; "n Km'2a VI Ps 423. This instance is indicative of the tendency in later times to use a doul>le expression for the earlier simple one, e.g. "1 N-lO'D Dlty Gn Iflia 21J3 (Krag.), "1 xnr^t? ip- Gn 221-' 4927 (Frag.), Job 14l8.t
As God is and remains infinitely exalted above and distant from men. His actions and theirs become, equally, events that happen in His presence as a spectator. Hence the preposition DTp is in almost exclusive use before the Divine name through- out the Targums. As a variant for it we sometimes find NCcS esp. in the Jerus. Targums (cf. Ex 22i», Lv 2312) ; or such words as NanSiD, Nntrn are used before the Divine name (Nu 14^*^, Dt 4'i). Of course, unUke KTD'D, Kip", NJ'JC, these cannot be subjects of verbs.
Another way of removing the Divine name from too imme- diate a relation to man was found in putting a verb to which the name was subject in the passive voice : Gn 4416, Ex I'Jiy, Nu 9**. In this way yT, .TNT become Dip '>J ; l'DB'=Dip VCl? ; IT, Nn, T3y = 'Sjni<.