Studies in the Targum to the Twelve Prophets: From Nahum to Malachi

This volume is concerned with the origin and development of the Targum to the prophets, focusing for this purpose on the 12 prophets (from Nahum to Malachi). A wide-ranging introductory chapter sets current research in context by surveying almost two centuries of Targumic study. It is argued that the evidence in the extant text for a Second Commonwealth phase in the Targum’s history is meagre and that, in particular, the Qumran Habakkuk pesher is not dependent upon the Targum to Habakkuk. Other issues discussed are the Hebrew Vorlage of the Targum, incipit formulae, Additional Targum and the standard Targum, the haggadah in the Targum to Zechariah 3 in the light of a so-called Eastern Aramaic linguistic element, Targum and Peshitta, land and divine presence and the final redaction of the Targum.