The question has been raised whether the Targums have for their authors single individuals, or are the embodiment of traditional interpretations collected and revised by one or more persons.  Many biblical scholars of the present day incline strongly to the latter view, which is not in itself improbable.  But the decision of the question, in the case of each Targum, rests not on theory, but on the character of its contents, as ascertained by careful examination.

14.  The first place in worth, and probably in time also, belongs to the Targum on the Pentateuch which bears the name of Onkelos.  It is a literal and, upon the whole, an able and faithful version (not paraphrase) of the Hebrew text, written in good Aramaean, and approaching in style to the Chaldee parts of Daniel and Ezra.  In those passages which describe God in language borrowed from human attributes (anthropomorphic, describing God in human forms, as having eyes, hands, etc.; anthropopathic, ascribing to God human affections, as repenting, grieving, etc.), the author is inclined to use paraphrases; thus:  “And Jehovah smelled a sweet savor” (Gen. 8:21) becomes in this Targum:  “And Jehovah received the sacrifice with favor;” and “Jehovah went down to see” (Gen. 11:5), “Jehovah revealed himself.”  So also strong expressions discreditable to the ancient patriarchs are softened, as:  “Rachel took” instead of “Rachel stole.”  Gen. 31:19.  In the poetical passages, moreover, the Targum allows itself more liberty, and is consequently less satisfactory.

According to a Jewish tradition, Onkelos was a proselyte and nephew of the emperor Titus, so that he must have flourished about the time of the destruction of the second temple.  But all the notices we have of his person are very uncertain.  There is even ground for the suspicion that the above tradition respecting Onkelos relates, by a confusion of persons, to Aquila (Chaldee Akilas), the author of the Greek version already considered.  In this case the real author of the Targum is unknown, and we can only say that it should not probably be assigned to a later date than the close of the second century.

15.  Next in age and value is the Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel on the Prophets; that is, according to the Jewish classification (Chap. 13, No. 4), Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets.  In the historical books, this Targum is in the main literal; but in the prophets (in the stricter sense of the term) paraphrastic and allegorical.

The Jewish tradition represents that Jonathan wrote the paraphrase of the prophets from the mouth of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; a mere fable.  Who was the real author cannot be determined with certainty, only that he lived after the so-called Onkelos.

16.  There are two other Targums on the Pentateuch,