Yaacov Azuelos - Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio, «The 'angel sent from before the Lord' in Targum Joshua 5,14», Vol. 96 (2015) 161-178
The aim of this essay is to analyze the angelologic world of the Targum Jonathan of Joshua. The 'angels' in Josh 6,25 and 7,22 are considered in the Targum as 'messengers' of flesh and blood. Although 'angels' as noncorporeal emissaries of God do not appear explicitly in Joshua, 'the commander of the Lord’s army' in 5,15 is interpreted by the targumists as 'an angel sent from before the Lord'. After presenting his description in the Targum, we discuss his identity and mission. On the basis of biblical, pseudepigraphal and targumic sources, we claim that the angel is Michael.
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162 YAACOV AZUELOS – FRANCESCO GIOSUÈ VOLTAGGIO 162
did not appear in the original text, it seems that the Targumists used
the addition as a literary device to solve textual problems 4, fill gaps
in the storyline 5, and bypass theological issues 6, as well as a strat-
agem in anti-Christian polemics 7. In sum, our analysis uncovered
dynamic angelological actions in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, stand-
ing in contrast with the reserve of Targum Onqelos, which made an
effort to avoid adding angels into biblical verses where they did not
specifically appear.
In this article, we elaborate upon our earlier study of angelology
in the Aramaic Targums of the Pentateuch and analyze the transla-
tion and approach of the Targum Jonathan to the term ~ykalm/$alm
(“angel”/“angels”) in the Book of Joshua. Our aim is to reveal the
angelological world of Targum Jonathan in the Book of Joshua and
its relationship to the angelology of the Aramaic Targums of the
Pentateuch.
I. “Angels” in the Targum of Joshua
A search for the specific word ~ykalm/$alm (“angel”/“angels”)
in Joshua yields meager results. It only appears twice in 6,25 and
7,22.
Josh 6,25:
“But Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to
her, Joshua spared. Her family has lived in Israel ever since. For she
hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho”.
Targum Jonathan 8:
ynb wgb tbytyw [Xwhy ~yyq hld lk tyw ahwba tyb tyw atyqdnp bxr tyw
.wxyry ty allal [Xwhy xlXd aydgza ty trmja yra !ydh amwy d[ larXy
4
Cf. Tg. Ps.-J. Gen 18,10; 19,26; 22,19; 32,33.
5
Cf. Tg. Ps.-J. Gen 1,26.
6
Cf. Tg. Ps.-J. and Tg. Neof. Gen 3,5; Tg. Ps.-J. Gen 18,15; 31,24; 32,3.29.31;
33,10; 35,7; Exod 4,24-26.
7
Cf. Tg. Ps.-J. Gen 1,26; 35,7.
8
The texts of Tg. J. are from A. SPERBER, The Bible in Aramaic Based on
Old Manuscripts and Printed Texts. II. The Former Prophets According to
Targum Jonathan (Leiden 1959); for translations into modern languages, see
D.J. HARRINGTON – A.J. SALDARINI, Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets
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