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1 Kings 12:16 is part of the traditional list of “tiqqune soferim,” or scribal corrections, where later editors changed language considered disrespectful or problematic. The earliest version likely said “gods,” a word only one letter different from “tents,” suggesting an intentional change to remove polytheistic language.
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1 Kings 12:16
Hebrew Bible
15 The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your tents28, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes. 17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.)
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Jonathan 1 Kings 12:16
Targum
15 And the king did not accept from the people, for there was division from before the Lord in order to fulfill his word that the Lord spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite about Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 And all Israel saw that the king did not accept them, and the people answered the king a word, saying: What portion is there for us in David? And there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each man to your cities, O Israel. Now rule over the men of your house, O David. And Israel went to its cities. 17 And the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of the house of Judah, Rehoboam ruled over them.
Date: 200-300 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... It is common for the Targumist to set activities from biblical times in his own age for ease of understanding. Settlement in the Bible was seen in nomadic style in the ‘tent’, which the Targumist generally changes to קריא, ‘city’ (1 Kings 8:66; 1 Kings 12:16; 2 Kings 8:21; 2 Kings 13:5; 2 Kings 14:12). These cities appear to be considered more suitable for the urbanised people that the Israelites had become. This rendering is found elsewhere in Targum Jonathan (for example Joshua 22:4; Judges 7:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; Zechariah 12:7; Malachi 2:12). The occurrence of קרויהי, ‘his cities’, in place of אהליוי, ‘his tents’ (1 Kings 12:16), shows the targumic rendering to be in line with the reading of ‘tents’ and not ‘gods’, this being one of the tiqqune sopherim. It is not only ‘tents’ that is changed to ‘cities’ in Targum Jonathan to Kings, but also שדיך, ‘your fields’ (1 Kings 2:26) ..."
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