Texts in Conversation
In Exodus, a servant choosing to remain with his master is brought 'to the gods,' traditionally interpreted as judges. The Aramaic translation in Targum Onkelos translates this as 'before the judges,' clarifying the meaning and removing any polytheistic reading.
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Exodus 21:6
Hebrew Bible
5 But if the servant should declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master must bring him to the gods13, and he will bring him to the door or the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. 7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female servant, she will not go out as the male servants do.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Onkelos Exodus 21:6
Targum
5 But if the servant saying shall say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go out free; 6 his master shall bring him before the judges, and shall take him to the door, even to the post, and his master shall bore his ear with an awl; and he shall be to him a working servant for ever. 7 And when a man selleth his daughter to be a handmaid, she shall not go out as at the outgoing of the men servants.
Date: 100-200 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The Bible reads 'to the Elohim,' which is translated by Onkelos, Saadiah, Rashi, ibn Ezra, Rashbam, and the Mekhilta, as 'judges.' Onkelos also replaces 'to' with 'before' ..."
Drazin, Israel, and Stanley M. Wagner
Onkelos on the Torah, Exodus: Understanding the Bible Text
(p. 132) Gefen, 2006
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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