Targum Pseudo-Jonathan to Genesis 27:31
Professor Shinan's opinion that Targum Pseudo-Jonathan ("PsJ") contains vulgar tradition may be confirmed by the Targum of Gen 27:31, where Esau presents his father with a cooked dog at Pesaḥ, in place of the proper offering. On the other hand, the tradition may be a learned one. Poss...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Penn Press
1993
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| In: |
The Jewish quarterly review
Year: 1993, Volume: 84, Issue: 2/3, Pages: 177-188 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Professor Shinan's opinion that Targum Pseudo-Jonathan ("PsJ") contains vulgar tradition may be confirmed by the Targum of Gen 27:31, where Esau presents his father with a cooked dog at Pesaḥ, in place of the proper offering. On the other hand, the tradition may be a learned one. Possibly Isa 66:3 exercised some influence over the targumist in his choice of a dog as suitable for Esau; but there is little evidence that dogs were used as sacrificial victims in the ancient Near East. However, it is well known that Esau was employed as a cipher for Rome, and the Romans sacrificed dogs in popular festivals, such as Lupercalia and Robigalia. Red dogs were also sacrificed annually at Rome, a point which would not have been lost on Jews residing in Rome, since Esau is Edom, "the red one." Greeks and others offered dogs to Hekate, a denizen of the underworld: "PsJ" remarks in Gen 27:33 that Esau's cooked dog stank like Gehinnom. Thus the Targum appears to have been affected by Roman and Greek cults in its choice of the dog as a suitable animal for Esau to bring to his father. |
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| ISSN: | 1553-0604 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The Jewish quarterly review
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/1455352 |