The Syriac Version of the Old Testament (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications, Series Number 56)

While the Syriac version of the Old Testament, known as the Peshitta, was translated from a Hebrew text, it was, surprisingly, preserved by the eastern churches alone. In his book, M. W. Weitzman argues that the translation was put together in around 200 CE by a small Jewish community estranged from the Rabbinic majority. This community eventually embraced Christianity and brought the Peshitta with them. This remarkable theory is the prelude to a comprehensive analysis of the Peshitta itself, which covers all the books in the Bible, surveys the existing scholarship and explores the relationship between the translation and the original Hebrew text. Apart from the philological detail, the book also examines the translation's historical links with Judaism and early Christianity. As a wide-ranging introduction to the subject, the book will appeal to philologists and historical linguists, as well as to biblical studies scholars and theologians. The Syriac Version of the Old Testament: An Introduction / M. P. Weitzman......Page 1 Contents......Page 4 List of figures......Page 7 Foreword by Robert P. Gordon......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 List of abbreviations......Page 14 1 Introduction......Page 16 The name of the translation......Page 17 The framework of Peshitta research......Page 18 Existing research on the Peshitta......Page 23 The present investigation......Page 27 The relationship in general......Page 30 Perception......Page 32 Reading......Page 34 Construal......Page 37 The segmentation of the text......Page 38 Quantitative correspondence......Page 40 Consistency of equivalences......Page 41 Improvement on the Hebrew text......Page 48 Text not believed to have been understood......Page 51 Names......Page 63 The relationship of the Vorlage to the consonantal text of MT......Page 67 Conclusion and sequel......Page 76 Excursus: Aram and Edom......Page 77 The parallels with LXX: possible explanations......Page 83 Critical passages showing LXX influence upon the translators of P......Page 85 General arguments regarding the possibility of LXX influence......Page 93 The nature of LXX influence on the P translators......Page 94 Agreements between LXX and P against MT: a different Hebrew Vorlage?......Page 98 Influence of LXX upon copyists of P......Page 99 The main theories......Page 101 Parallels in the Torah attributable to polygenesis......Page 107 Parallels in the Torah implying common origin......Page 110 Alleged direct evidence for the literary dependence of P upon the Targums......Page 119 The Targums and non-standard Syriac texts in the Torah......Page 120 The relationship between P and the Targums in the Prophets......Page 122 The relationship between P and the Targums in Proverbs......Page 124 Is the Peshitta of Chronicles a Targum?......Page 126 The relationship between P and the Targums elsewhere in the Writings......Page 136 Is P of western origin?......Page 137 The theory of origin in Adiabene......Page 140 P's independence of all known Targums......Page 142 The contrasting functions of P and the Targums......Page 143 Appendix I: Biblical citations in Syriac and the Targums......Page 144 Translations from Greek into Syriac......Page 157 Translations from Syriac into Arabic......Page 162 Conclusion......Page 163 Appendix II: Parallels with rabbinic sources......Page 164 Appendix III: P among the Jews in the Middle Ages......Page 175 Appendix IV: The theory of common dependence on an Imperial Aramaic version......Page 177 Introduction......Page 179 Arranging the biblical books in a graded series......Page 182 Interpretation of the series: an implicational scale......Page 194 Sources of interference......Page 196 Further evidence for classification......Page 198 The translation units and the relationships between them......Page 201 Duplicate texts......Page 210 Summary......Page 218 Introduction......Page 221 Identification with the Jewish people in the Peshitta of Chronicles......Page 223 The attitude to Jewish law in the Peshitta of Chronicles......Page 225 Religious values outside Peshitta Chronicles......Page 231 Israel outside Chronicles......Page 241 Peshitta and Targum......Page 249 The case for origin within rabbinic Judaism......Page 252 The case for origin within Christianity......Page 255 The faith of the translators......Page 259 The place of the translation......Page 262 The date of the translation......Page 263 Historical reconstruction......Page 273 The goal of textual criticism......Page 278 The recovery of an Urtext......Page 279 Identifying determinate passages in P: the intrinsic criteria......Page 284 The hypothesis of revision of individual mss after MT......Page 287 The manuscript inter-relations in different biblical books - an overview......Page 295 The derivation and application of distributional arguments......Page 300 Emendation on the basis of external Syriac evidence......Page 303 Cases where a citation agrees with part of the manuscript tradition......Page 306 Emendation with aid of MT......Page 307 Historical interpretation......Page 315 Appendix I: Single Urtext or Multiple Origin?......Page 323 Appendix II: Two extensive variations......Page 324 Appendix III: Modelling the relations among the witnesses......Page 328 Appendix IV: The rationale of the manuscript map......Page 331 Index of references......Page 338 General index......Page 359 The Syriac Version of the Old Testament: An Introduction / M. P. Weitzman 1 Contents 4 List of figures 7 Foreword by Robert P. Gordon 8 Preface 12 List of abbreviations 14 1 Introduction 16 The name of the translation 17 The framework of Peshitta research 18 Existing research on the Peshitta 23 The present investigation 27 2 The relationship between the extant Hebrew and Syriac texts 30 The relationship in general 30 Perception 32 Reading 34 Construal 37 The segmentation of the text 38 Quantitative correspondence 40 Imitation of the form of the Hebrew 41 Consistency of equivalences 41 Improvement on the Hebrew text 48 Text not believed to have been understood 51 Names 63 The relationship of the Vorlage to the consonantal text of MT 67 Conclusion and sequel 76 Excursus: Aram and Edom 77 3 The Peshitta and other Versions 83 I. The Peshitta and the Septuagint 83 The parallels with LXX: possible explanations 83 Critical passages showing LXX influence upon the translators of P 85 General arguments regarding the possibility of LXX influence 93 The nature of LXX influence on the P translators 94 Agreements between LXX and P against MT: a different Hebrew Vorlage? 98 Influence of LXX upon copyists of P 99 II. The Peshitta and the extant Targums 101 The main theories 101 Parallels in the Torah attributable to polygenesis 107 Parallels in the Torah implying common origin 110 Alleged direct evidence for the literary dependence of P upon the Targums 119 The Targums and non-standard Syriac texts in the Torah 120 The relationship between P and the Targums in the Prophets 122 The relationship between P and the Targums in Proverbs 124 Is the Peshitta of Chronicles a Targum? 126 The relationship between P and the Targums elsewhere in the Writings 136 Is P of western origin? 137 The theory of origin in Adiabene 140 P's independence of all known Targums 142 The contrasting functions of P and the Targums 143 Summary of conclusions 144 Appendix I: Biblical citations in Syriac and the Targums 144 Translations from Greek into Syriac 157 Translations from Syriac into Arabic 162 Conclusion 163 Appendix II: Parallels with rabbinic sources 164 Appendix III: P among the Jews in the Middle Ages 175 Appendix IV: The theory of common dependence on an Imperial Aramaic version 177 4 Unity and diversity in the Peshitta 179 Introduction 179 Arranging the biblical books in a graded series 182 Interpretation of the series: an implicational scale 194 Sources of interference 196 Further evidence for classification 198 The translation units and the relationships between them 201 Duplicate texts 210 Summary 218 5 The background of the Peshitta 221 Introduction 221 Identification with the Jewish people in the Peshitta of Chronicles 223 The attitude to Jewish law in the Peshitta of Chronicles 225 Religious values outside Peshitta Chronicles 231 Israel outside Chronicles 241 Peshitta and Targum 249 The case for origin within rabbinic Judaism 252 The case for origin within Christianity 255 The faith of the translators 259 The place of the translation 262 The date of the translation 263 Historical reconstruction 273 6 The establishment of the text 278 The goal of textual criticism 278 The recovery of an Urtext 279 Identifying determinate passages in P: the intrinsic criteria 284 The hypothesis of revision of individual mss after MT 287 The manuscript inter-relations in different biblical books - an overview 295 The derivation and application of distributional arguments 300 Emendation on the basis of external Syriac evidence 303 Cases where a citation agrees with part of the manuscript tradition 306 Emendation with aid of MT 307 Historical interpretation 315 Appendix I: Single Urtext or Multiple Origin? 323 Appendix II: Two extensive variations 324 Appendix III: Modelling the relations among the witnesses 328 Appendix IV: The rationale of the manuscript map 331 Index of references 338 General index 359 9780521632881,0521632889,9780521017466,0521017467 While The Syriac Version Of The Old Testament, Known As The Peshitta, Was Translated From A Hebrew Text, It Was Preserved By The Eastern Churches Alone. In His Book, M.p. Weitzman Argues That The Translation Was Put Together In Around 200 Ce By A Small Jewish Community Estranged From The Rabbinic Majority. This Community Eventually Embraced Christianity And Brought The Peshitta With Them. This Remarkable Theory Is The Prelude To A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Peshitta Itself, Which Covers All The Books Of The Bible, Surveys The Existing Scholarship And Explores The Relationship Between The Translation And The Original Hebrew Text. As A Wide-ranging Introduction To The Subject, The Book Will Appeal To Biblical Scholars And Religious Studies Students As Well As To Philologists And Historical Linguists.--jacket. Foreword / Robert P. Gordon -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Relationship Between The Extant Hebrew And Syriac Texts -- 3. The Peshitta And Other Versions -- 4. Unity And Diversity In The Peshitta -- 5. The Background Of The Peshitta -- 6. The Establishment Of The Text. M.p. Weitzman. Includes Indexes. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.