STUDIUM BIBLICUM FRANCISCANUM

JERUSALEM

JEWISH HERMENEUTICS
PROFESSOR: F. MANNS

Essay presented by

Fr. Jos Coln Izquierdo ocd.

February 2008

INTRODUCTION

During the course of Jewish hermeneutics we have studied the different ways how Judaism has interpreted the Tanakh (Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim). We moved from the Midrashim to the Targumim within the Sacred Scriptures and along the Jewish Literature. Every Midrash (interpretation explanation) represented an actualization of Gods Word for the people who primary received it. The Midrashim now a days offer a deepening for those who continue searching sense and existential meaning in the Bible. Almost in the same way, every Targum (translation), which was made to facilitate the study of Tanakh and make its public reading understood, reflects rabbinic interpretation. The fact that there are Targumim and Midrashim (inside and outside the Bible) speaks of the necessity to translate and to explain the word of God. The Holy Scriptures were born within a specific people with a particular culture. For this reason it is important to know how Gods People have received, understood and hand on Gods message of salvation. The goal of this essay is to expose how 1 Kings 18:20-29 has been translated and interpreted within the Jewish tradition. Obviously this is the just the beginning of a major work that I would like to undertake for the final work of the License.

THE TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION OF 1 KINGS 18:20-29 WITHIN THE JEWISH TRADITION

The present text 1 Kgs 18:20-29 is part of a larger account of the so called The Contest with the Baal Prophets that begins in 18:20 and ends in 18:40. The fact that we just present the first nine verses of this story is mere conventional. The methodology used to highlight the process of interpretation of our text is the following: a) First of all we present the Masoretic text1 (MT) and give a literal translation. b) In a second moment we have placed the Greek Version of the Old Testament Septuagint2 (LXX) mentioning the differences3 that exist with the MT. c) We present as well the Targumic Version of the Bible 4 (Tg) with the translation prepared by D. J. Harrington and the notes he has made. d) Finally we have quoted the Jewish commentaries prepared by A. J. Rosenberg5.

Verse 18:20 Masoretic Text

`lm,(r>K;h; rh;-la, ~yaiybiN>h;-ta, #Boq.YIw: lae_r"f.yI ynEB.-lk'B. ba'x.a; xl;v.YIw:

20

Ahab sent (a message) among all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets on mount Carmel

The text was taken from: ELLIGER, K. RUDOLPH, P., Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, Stuttgart 19975. The text was taken from: RAHLFS A., HANHART R., Septuaginta, Stuttgart 2006. 3 We are aware that the comparison between MT and LXX is of limited value since the Greek translation was actually made from a different Hebrew text. In order to see the correspondences and differences between MT and LXX we have used Tov, E.; Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Studies: The Parallel Aligned Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Texts of Jewish Scripture. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2003.
2 4

The text was taken from: SPERBER A. (ED.), The Bible in Aramaic, Vol. II: The Former Prophets according to Targum Jonathan, Brill: Leiden, 1959. For the vocalization of the text we have use Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon, Copyright Hebrew Union College.
5

ROSENBERG A. J. (ED.), Mikraoth Gedoloth: The Book of Kings, A new English Translation of the Text, Rashi and Commentary Digest, New York, 1991.

Septuagint
20

kai. avpe,steilen Acaab eivj pa,nta Israhl kai. evpisunh,gagen pa,ntaj tou.j profh,taj eivj o;roj to. Karmh,lion

Targum

rwjul. ar"qvi yyEbin> ty" vn:kW laer"vyI ynEb. lk'b. ba'xa; xl;vW `al'm.rk;

20

And Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel, and he gathered the false6 prophets to Mount Carmel. Jewish Commentators and he gathered the prophets the people responded enthusiastically without coercion, since they were eager to see the outcome of the contest. The prophets, however, who knew their god was false, responded only through Ahabs coercion. As stated above, Ahab was unable to coerce the prophets of the Asherah, who ate at Jezabels table ( Redak, Mezudath David). Alternatively, the worship of Baal was much more ignoble than the worship of the Asherah. Whereas the Baal worship included sacrificing children through the fires, the Asherah worship was a type of beautification of the temple, sometimes used to beautify the high places where sacrifices were made to the Almighty. Therefore, Elijah debated with the prophets of the Baal while ignoring the prophets of the Asherah ( Malbim)

MT: lacks the word.

Verse 18:21 Masoretic Text

hw"hy>-~ai ~yPi[iS.h; yTev.-l[; ~yxis.Po ~T,a; yt;m'-d[; rm,aYOw: ~['h'-lK'-la, WhY"liae vG:YIw: `rb'(D" Atao ~['h' Wn['-al{)w> wyr"+x]a; Wkl. l[;B;h;-~aiw> wyr"x]a; Wkl. ~yhil{a/h'

21

And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go limping between two crutches? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. Septuagint
21

kai. prosh,gagen Hliou pro.j pa,ntaj kai. ei=pen auvtoi/j Hliou e[wj po,te u`mei/j cwlanei/te evpV avmfote,raij tai/j ivgnu,aij eiv e;stin ku,rioj o` qeo,j poreu,esqe ovpi,sw auvtou/ eiv de. o` Baal auvto,j poreu,esqe ovpi,sw auvtou/ kai. ouvk avpekri,qh o` lao.j lo,gon
Targum

!ygIylip. !wtua; ytim;ai d[; rm;a]w: am'[; lk' tw"l. hy"liae byrEqW ~yhil{a] awhu ywy al'h] !w"g"lp; !ytert;l. tyled> al'[b; rt;b' ![;j' !wtua; am'lW yhiAdAxlbi yhiAmd"q\ wxul;p. `~g"tpi hytey" am'[; wbuytia] al'w> $Arc. hybe

21

And Elijah drew near unto all the people and said: How long are you to be divided into two divisions? Is not the Lord God? Serve before him alone. And why are you going astray after Baal in whom there is no profit?7 And the people did not answer him a word. Jewish Commentators Until when are you hopping between two ideas As one who is lame in both legs, hops sometimes on one leg and sometimes on the other, so are you vacilating between the belief in G-d and the belief in the Baal (Redak, Mezudath David). two ideas two thoughts, for you do not know to decide who is G-d (Rashi). as G-d i.e. is the supreme power and the guide of the world ( Muzudath David). and if the Baal is G-d, go after him (Rashi).
7

MT: are you to be dancing about on two boughs? If the Lord is God, go after him. And if Baal is, go after him. Tg eliminates the choice offered in the MT and the implied existence granted to Baal.

 And the people did not answer him a word because they did not know to distinguish (Rashi). They could not answer because they were undecided. When they heard Elijahs plan, however, they consented to make this the criterion of belief ( Radak). Redak questions whether Elijah undertook this test on his own iniciative without a divine command because he was confident that the Almighty would respond to his prayers and would not turn him back empty-handed, but enable him to sanctify His Name, or whether G-d has commanded him to conduct this test, even though the command is not mentioned in the Scriptures. Even if he was commanded by G-d to conduct this test, he, nevertheless, required prayer, so that the people should know that the fire was sent by G-d and was not the result of a coincidence or of sorcery.

Verse 18:22 Masoretic Text

tAame-[B;r>a; l[;B;h; yaeybin>W yDI+b;l. hwhyl; aybin yTir>t:An ynIa] ~[h-la, WhYliae rm,aYOw: `vyai( ~yVimix]w:

22

Then Elijah said to the people, I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Septuagint
22

kai. ei=pen Hliou pro.j to.n lao,n evgw. u`pole,leimmai profh,thj tou/ kuri,ou monw,tatoj kai. oi` profh/tai tou/ Baal tetrako,sioi kai. penth,konta a;ndrej kai. oi` profh/tai tou/ a;lsouj tetrako,sioi

Targum

ywy ~dq\ ayybin> tyrIa;t.vai ana] am[;l. hyliae rm;a]w: `arbgU !yvimx;w> ham. [b;ra; al[b; yyEbinW yd:Axlbi

22

And Elijah said to the people: I am left alone as the prophet before8 the Lord, and the prophets of Baal are 450 men. Jewish Commentators I have remained a prophet to the Lord by myself The hundred prophets whom Obadiah had hidden, were unknown to the king (Mezzudath David). The Rabbis point out that the generation of Ahab were all idolators, yet they possessed the admirable trait that they did not inform the king about the hidden prophets. For this reason, they were successful in war. On the other hand, Davids generation, who were outstanding Torah scholars, were, nevertheless, faulty in this trait when they informed on him before Saul. Therefore, the would go to war and experience defeat ( Yalkud Shimoni from Tanhuma Hukath 7). and the prophets of the Baal In the view of the fact that I am but one and they are 450, let us see whether their prayers have more efficacy than mine ( Mezudath David, Malbim).

MT: to.

Verse 18:23 Masoretic Text

vaew> ~yci[eh'-l[; Wmyfiy"w> WhxuT.n:ywI) dx'a,h' rP'h; ~h,l' Wrx]b.yIw> ~yrIP' ~yIn:v. Wnl'-WnT.yIw> `~yfi(a' al{ vaew> ~yci[eh'-l[; yTit;n")w> dx'a,h' rP'h;-ta, hf,[/a, ynIa]w: Wmyfi_y" al{

23

Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut (it) in pieces and lay (it) on the wood, but put no fire (to it). And I will prepare one bull and lay (it) on the wood and put no fire (to it). Septuagint

do,twsan h`mi/n du,o bo,aj kai. evklexa,sqwsan e`autoi/j to.n e[na kai. melisa,twsan kai. evpiqe,twsan evpi. tw/n xu,lwn kai. pu/r mh. evpiqe,twsan kai. evgw. poih,sw to.n bou/n to.n a;llon kai. pu/r ouv mh. evpiqw/
23

Targum

ay"[;a' l[; !Awv;ywI hynEwmud>h;ywI dx; ar"At !Ahl. ! wrUx]byIw> !yrIAt !yrEt. an"l; !wbuhy:tyIw> at'v'yaiw> ay"[;a' l[; !ytea;w> dx; ar"At ty" dybe[]a; an"a]w: !Awv;y> al' at'v'aiw> `ywEv;a] al'
Let there be given to us two oxen, and let them choose for themselves one ox, and let them cut it up and set it upon the wood, and let them not set a fire. And I will prepare one ox and place it upon the wood, and I will not set a fire.

23

Jewish Commentators And let them give us two bulls two identical twin bulls ( Yalkut Shimoni from unknown Midrash). and let them choose by lots (Yalkut). and cut it up i.e. let them cut it up according to the limbs, just as the burnt-offerings were cut up when sacrificed on the altar of the Temple. (Lev. 1:12) ( Mezudath Zion). The thing is good. The people were eager to witness the test, to have proven to them the identity of the true G-d, and to end the drought. The prophets of Baal, however, were not so eager, knowing full well the futility of their idols. They were, however, forced to go through with the experiment (Abarbel). Elijah knew that it was not unusual for G-d to send fire down from Heaven to consume

sacrifices on the altar. According to tradition, this occurred when Abel made his sacrifice, as the Torah states: (Gen. 4:4) And the Lord turned to Abel and to his offering. This occurred also to Noah when he emerged from the ark and brought sacrifices, to Abraham, to Moses on the eighth day of the inauguration of the priesthood (Lev. 9:24), to David on the threshing floor of Aravnah the Jebusite (I Chron. 21:26), to Solomon on the day of the dedication of the altar (II Chron. 6:1). This was an indication that G-d had accepted the sacrifice. This would be a sign that G-d guides and supervises the world. The prophets of the Baal, on the other hand, thought that the Baal, who according to Ralbag, was Mars, the red planet, related to the element of fire, would send down fire to consume their sacrifices on the altar.*

Verse 18:24 Masoretic Text

vaeb' hn<[]y:-rv,a] ~yhil{a/h' hy"h'w> hw"hy>~veb. ar"q.a, ynIa]w: ~k,yhel{)a/ ~veB. ~t,ar"q.W `rb'(D"h; bAj Wrm.aYOw: ~['h'-lK' ![;Y:w: ~yhi_l{a/h' aWh

24

And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and it will be God, he who answers with fire, he is God. And all the people answered, and said: it is good. Septuagint

kai. boa/te evn ovno,mati qew/n u`mw/n kai. evgw. evpikale,somai evn ovno,mati kuri,ou tou/ qeou/ mou kai. e;stai o` qeo,j o]j eva.n evpakou,sh| evn puri, ou-toj qeo,j kai. avpekri,qhsan pa/j o` lao.j kai. ei=pon kalo.n to. r`h/ma o] evla,lhsaj
24

Targum

!Ahb. tyled> ~d"q\ !mi !An[]tti al'w> !Akt.w[uj' ~Avb. ! Arqtiw> awhu ywy yrEa] at'v'yai tyxey:w> hyrEm.yme xl;vyIw> ywyd: am'vbi ylec;a] an"a] ~r:b. $Arc. `am'g"tpi !yqet' wrUm;a]w: am'[; lk' bytea]w: ~yhil{a]
And you will call in the name of your idols and you will not be answered because there is no profit in them. But I will pray in the name of the Lord, and he will send his Memra, and the fire will descend, for the Lord is God.9 And all the people answered and said: The word is good. Verse 18:25 Masoretic Text

24

~T,a; yKi hn"voarI Wf[]w: dx'a,h'( rP'h; ~k,l' Wrx]B; l[;B;h; yaeybin>li WhY"liae rm,aYow: `Wmyfi(t' al{ vaew> ~k,yhel{a/ ~veB. War>qiw>
9

25

MT: gods, and I will call in the name of the Lord, and the God who will answer in the fire he will be God.

~yBi_r:h'
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire (to it). Septuagint

kai. ei=pen Hliou toi/j profh,taij th/j aivscu,nhj evkle,xasqe e`autoi/j to.n mo,scon to.n e[na kai. poih,sate prw/toi o[ti polloi. u`mei/j kai. evpikale,sasqe evn ovno,mati qeou/ u`mw/n kai. pu/r mh. evpiqh/te
25

Targum

wdUybi[]w: dx; ar"At !Akl. wrUx;b. al'[b; yyEbinli hy"liae rm;a]w: !Akt.w[uj' ~Avb. !Arqtiw> !yaiygIs; !wtua; yrEa] at'wmudq; `!Awv;t. al' at'v'yaiw>
And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first, for you are many; and you will call in the name of your idols10, and you will not set fire. Verse 18:26 Masoretic Text

25

~yIr:h\C'h;-d[;w> rq,Boh;me l[;B;h;-~veb. War>q.YIw: Wf[]Y:w:) ~h,l' !t;n"-rv,a] rP'h;-ta, Wxq.YIw: `hf'([' rv,a] x;Bez>Mih;-l[; WxS.p;y>w:) hn<+[o ! yaew> lAq !yaew> WnnE[] l[;B;h; rmoale

26

Septuagint

kai. e;labon to.n mo,scon kai. evpoi,hsan kai. evpekalou/nto evn ovno,mati tou/ Baal evk prwi,qen e[wj meshmbri,aj kai. ei=pon evpa,kouson h`mw/n o` Baal evpa,kouson h`mw/n kai. ouvk h=n fwnh. kai. ouvk h=n avkro,asij kai. die,trecon evpi. tou/ qusiasthri,ou ouevpoi,hsan
26

10

MT: gods.

Targum

d[;w> ar"pc;mi al'[b; ~wvub. ArqW wdUb;[]w: !Ahl. bh;ydI ar"At ty" wbuysinW !j;t;vmiW ynE['d> tylew> lq' tylew> an"ynE[] al'[b; rm;ymel. ar"h]yje !d"[i `db;[]d: ar"Agae l[;
1

26

And they took the ox that he gave to them, and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from the morning and unto the time of midday,11 saying: Baal, answer us. And there was not a sound, and there was no one who was answering. And they were dancing about the pagan altar that he made. Jewish Commentators That he gave them for he slipped away from them lest he be offered to the idol. He escaped under the skirt of Elijahs cloak. He said to him. Go! Through both of you the Omnipresent will be sanctified. (Rashi). It appears from Rashi that Elijah convinced the bull to submit to the sacrifice. By doing this, he, in effect, gave him over to the prophets of Baal. In all prevalent versions of Numbers Rabbah (23:9), Tan. Masei 8, Buber 83), the reading is as follows: At that time, 250 prophets of the Baal and 200 prophets of the Asherah gathered, and they could not budge its foot form the ground...What did Elijah do? He said to them, Choose two twin bulls... They chose two twin bulls from the same mother, who fed from the same crib, and they cast lots on them, one for the Lord and one for the Baal. Elijahs bull followed him immediately, whereas the bull who had fallen into the lot of the Baal, all the prophets of the Baal and the prophets of the Asherah gathered to move its foot from the ground, yet they were unable, until Elijah commenced to speak and said to him, Go with them. The bull replied and said to Elijah before all the people, My colleague and I emerged from one womb, were raised in one pasture, fed from one crib. Yet he fell to the lot of the Lord, Whose name will be sanctified through him, and I fell to the lot of the Baal, to anger my Maker. Elijah replied, Go with them. Let them not find an excuse. Just as the Name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, will be sanctified through the bull that is with me, so will it be sanctified through you. The bull answered Is this the advice you give me? I swear that I will not budge from here until you deliver me into their hands, as it is said: And they took the bull that he gave them. Who gave them? Elijah. Thus it appears that the bull did not go until Elijah delivered him bodily to the prophets of the Baal. See Redak, Yalkut. and they hopped on the altar that they had made Jonathan renders: And they raved. They were dancing according to their custom, on their altars (Rashi). and they hopped Heb WxS.p;y>w: like W[S.p;y>w:, and they stepped. (Rashi). I.e. the heth and the ayin, both being guttural letters, are sometimes interchangeable.
11

MT: midday.

 Probably the prophets of the Baal danced until they brought themselves into a frenzy. Hence Jonathans translation.* that they had made lit. that he had made. They were treated as one collective body (Readk). According to the Midrash, Hiel the Bethelite constructed a hollow altar and crept inside with materials to ignite a fire, and a signal was arranged when he should do so. G-d, however, had arranged a snake which crept in and bit him fatally ( Yalkut Shimoni). Verse 18:27 Masoretic Text

yKi aWh ~yhil{a/-yKi( lAdG"-lAqb. War>qi rm,aYOw: WhY"liae ~h,B' lTeh;y>w: ~yIr:h\C'b;( yhiy>w: `#q")yIw> aWh !vey" yl;Wa Al+ %r<d<-yki(w> Al gyfi-yki(w> x:yfi

27

Septuagint

kai. evge,neto meshmbri,a| kai. evmukth,risen auvtou.j Hliou o` Qesbi,thj kai. ei=pen evpikalei/sqe evn fwnh/| mega,lh| o[ti qeo,j evstin o[ti avdolesci,a auvtw/| evstin kai. a[ma mh,pote crhmati,zei auvto,j h' mh,pote kaqeu,dei auvto,j kai. evxanasth,setai
27

Targum

!wtua; yrEa] br: lq'b. Arq. rm;a]w: hy"liae !Ahb. $yyEx'w> ar"h]yje !d"[ib. hw"h]w: tw"h. xr:Aa Aa @ydEt.vai ap'd"t.vai Aa hyle y[iAv am'ldI awhu al'xd: !yrIm.a' `r[;t.yIw> awhu $wmud> am'ldI Aa hyle
And at the time of midday,12 Elijah was laughing at them, and he said: Call in a loud voice, for you say he is a deity.13 Perhaps he is having a conversation, or he is indeed relieving himself,14 or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is asleep and will be awakened. Jewish Commentators
12 13

27

MT: midday. MT: he is god. Tg eliminates a possibility of misunderstanding the MT. 14 MT: he has gone aside.

 And it was at noon at the suns highest point. If the sun-god could send fire, this was the time he could do it. Therefore, at noon, Elijah scoffed at them ( Abarbanel). for he is a god Jonathan paraphrases: for you say he is one to be feared (Rashi). Others explain that he spoke to them sarcastically, saying, Cry louder, he will surely hear you for he is a god. At the present, however, he is occupied with other activities, as the verse continues to elaborate. As soon as he is free, he will surely respond ( Mezudath David). Perhaps he is talking or he is pursuing Perhaps he is having a conference with his advisors now, or he is overtaking and pursuing his enemies in war . (Rashi). Alternatively, perhaps he is engaged in a business transaction with another ( Jonathan, according to Methurgeman). or he is on a journey to the w.c. (Rashi). Apparently, Rashi explains (derek), as a way or custom. Thus he explains the passage to mean that the Baal has the custom of mortals. i.e. he must excrete like mortals. This could account for his failure to respond to your prayers since he is occupied with his needs.* Verse 18:28 Masoretic Text

`~h,(yle[] ~D"-%p'v.-d[; ~yxi_m'r>b")W tAbr"x]B; ~j'P'v.miK. Wdd>GO*t.YIw: lAdG" lAqB. War>q.YIw:)

28

Septuagint

kai. evpekalou/nto evn fwnh/| mega,lh| kai. katete,mnonto kata. to.n evqismo.n auvtw/n evn macai,raij kai. seiroma,staij e[wj evkcu,sewj ai[matoj evpV auvtou,j
28

Targum

d[; !yximrUbW !ypiyseb. !AhyseAmnIki wmum;h'taiw> br: lq'b. ArqW `!Ahyle[] am'd> $ypet.vaid>
And they called in a loud voice, and they mutilated themselves according to their custom with knives and with spears until blood was poured out15 upon them. Jewish Commentators
15

28

MT: the pouring out of blood.

 and gashed themselves an expression of tearing the flesh with and instrument. Such was their custom (Rashi). as was their custom on occasion, to gash themselves and to announce to the people that at that point the Baal would answer their prayers. Alternatively, it may have been a type of service (Redak).*

Verse 29 Masoretic Text

`bv,q") !yaew> hn<[o-!yaew> lAq-!yae(w> hx'_n>Mih; tAl[]l; d[; WaB.n:t.YI)w: ~yIr:h\C'h; ( rbo[]K; yhiy>w:)

29

Septuagint

kai. evprofh,teuon e[wj ou- parh/lqen to. deilino,n kai. evge,neto w`j o` kairo.j tou/ avnabh/nai th.n qusi,an kai. ouvk h=n fwnh, kai. evla,lhsen Hliou o` Qesbi,thj pro.j tou.j profh,taj tw/n prosocqisma,twn le,gwn meta,sthte avpo. tou/ nu/n kai. evgw. poih,sw to. o`lokau,twma, mou kai. mete,sthsan kai. avph/lqon
29

Targum

tylew> lq' tylew> at'x'nmi qs;mil. d[; wauyjit;vaiw> ar"h]yje rb;[mik. hw"h]w: `tycimdI tylew> ynE['d>
And as the midday passed, and they danced around16 until the offering of the meal-offering, there was no voice and there was no one who was answering17 and there was no one who was listening.18 Jewish Commentators and they feined to prophesy (Mezudath Zion). Rashi and Redak, following Jonathan, render: and they raved. I.e. they raved and cried like madmen. until the sacrifice of the evening offering until the sacrifice of the daily burnt offering that was sacrificed in the late afternoon. By then, they were exhausted and ceased their antics (Mezudath David). and there was no voice and no answer and no one was listening There was no answer
16 17

29

MT: they prophesied. MT: no one answering. 18 MT: no one listening.

because no one was listening, because the Baal was not a god ( Redak, Mezudath David). According to Midrash, all sounds ceased, lest the Baal worshippers claim that any sound or echo was Baal responding to their prayers (Ex. Rabbah 29).

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sources ELLIGER, K. RUDOLPH, P., Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, Stuttgart 19975. RAHLFS A., HANHART R., Septuaginta, Stuttgart 2006. SPERBER A. (ED.), The Bible in Aramaic, Vol. II: The former prophets according to Targum Jonathan, Brill: Leiden, 1959.

Bibliography HARRINGTON D. J. (ED.) - SALDARINI A. J. (ED.), Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets, (The Aramaic Bible. The Targums 10), Clark: Edingburgh, 1987. ROSENBERG A. J. (ED.), Mikraoth Gedoloth: The Book of Kings , A new English Translation of the Text, Rashi and Commentary Digest, New York, 1991. TOV, E.; Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Studies: The Parallel Aligned Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Texts of Jewish Scripture . Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2003.

NOTAS IMPORTANTES For the origins of the Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets, cfr. p1 For the witnesses to the text of the Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets, cfr.p2 The translation is based on MS. Or. 2210 (p) of the British Museum, which Alexander Sperber printed in his edition of the Aramaic text.