The Septuagint and earlier Jewish interpretative tradition ‐ especially as reflected in the targums

Abstract

Abstract This article concerns the relation between the Septuagint and the targums. Although they evidence certain similarities as regards interpretation and translation technique, the explicating additions to a more literally translated Hebrew text typical for the Babylonian targums and the extremely free and paraphrastic translation with an allegorical interpretation typical for the targums of the ketuvim are not representative for the Septuagint. The Septuagint is often the initiator of, rather than the medium for, Jewish interpretive tradition. Thus the LXX and the targums have had different functions; the targums were always directly related to the Hebrew original, while the Septuagint, at least in the Pentateuch, replaced the Hebrew text in the public reading of the Holy Scriptures.