Texts in Conversation
In Exodus 27:14, the Hebrew text includes a particle translated as “and.” The Aramaic translation in Targum Onkelos keeps it, while a later Arabic translation omits it, implying it is insignificant. This contrast highlights different approaches to the text, whether some language is only stylistic or whether every letter conveys meaning.
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Exodus 27:14
Hebrew Bible
13 The width of the court on the east side, toward the sunrise, is to be 75 feet. 14 The hangings on one side of the gate are to be 22½ feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 15 On the second side there are to be hangings 22½ feet long, with their three posts and their three bases.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Onkelos Exodus 27:14
Targum
13 And the breadth of the court toward the east side eastward, fifty cubits, 14 and fifteen cubits the curtains on a side, their columns three and their bases three. 15 And on the second side fifteen curtains, their pillars three, and their bases three.
Date: 100-200 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The Bible attaches a letter vav ('and,' 'or,' 'but,' among other meanings) to many words, especially at verse beginnings. Saadiah, who translated the Bible into Arabic in the tenth century CE and who relied on our Targum in doing so, explains that this is frequently a matter of biblical style and that it has no educational purpose and no linguistic implication. Indeed, he states, many vavs are unnecessary. The same applies to the letter hay, the definite article 'the.' Saadiah and Onkelos delete many of these letters in their translations, thereby suggesting, contrary to the view of Rabbi Akiva that is discussed in the Introduction, that not every letter of the Torah has intended meaning. In verse 27:14, Saadiah deletes a vav, but the Targum does not ..."
Drazin, Israel, and Stanley M. Wagner
Onkelos on the Torah, Exodus: Understanding the Bible Text
(p. 187) 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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