Targum Rishon

The Targum Rishon, also known as the First Targum of Esther in the Hebrew, is an Aramaic translation (targum) and elaboration of the Book of Esther. Compared to Targum Sheni (or the Second Targum of Esther), it is less embellished and shorter, coming out as less than half the length of Targum Sheni.[1] Targum Rishon is dated approximately between 500 and 700, postdating the Babylonian Talmud, and of Palestinian provenance.[2][1] A recent suggestion places the origins of both targums in early seventh century Palestine, and proposes that both are derivatives of an earlier rabbinic text called Esther Rabbati.[3]

Both the First and Second Targums should not be confused with another targum of Esther mentioned by tractate Megillah of the Talmud, which is an earlier but now lost text.[4]

  1. ^ a b Flesher, Paul V. M.; Chilton, Bruce (2011-01-01), "12 Targums to the Writings", The Targums, Brill, pp. 246–252, doi:10.1163/9789004218178_013, ISBN 978-90-04-21817-8, retrieved 2024-03-28
  2. ^ Damsma, Alinda (2014). "The Targums to Esther". European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe. 47 (1): 127–136. ISSN 0014-3006.
  3. ^ Enns, Peter; Longman, Tremper, eds. (2008). Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship. p. 178.
  4. ^ McNamara, Martin; McNamara, Martin (2010). Targum and Testament revisited: Aramaic paraphrases of the Hebrew Bible: a light on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Pub. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-8028-6275-4.