While any translation of the Scriptures may in Hebrewbe called a Targum, the word is used especially for a translation of abook of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic. Before the Christian era Aramaichad in good part replaced Hebrew in Palestine as the vernacular of theJews.

Rabbinic Judaism has transmitted Targums of all the booksof the Hebrew Canon, with the exception of Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah, whichare themselves partly in Aramaic. Translations of books of the Hebrew Bibleinto Aramaic for liturgical purposes must have begun before the Christianera, although none transmitted by Rabbinic Judaism can be shown to be thatold.

The aim of this series is to translate all the traditionally-knownTargums into modern English idiom, while respecting the particular andpeculiar nature of what these Aramaic translations were originally intendedto be. The translators have made use of what they feel to be the best printededitions of the Aramaic Targum in question or have directly consulted themanuscripts. The translation aims at giving a faithful rendering of theAramaic.

The Targums are not of the same kind. They were translatedat different times and have more than one interpretive approach to theHebrew Bible. Targumic deviations from the Hebrew Text are indicated initalics.

It contains the Old Testament in nineteen volumes.

The Liturgical Press (1987 to 1992)

[Blakley Library,University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas]