Texts in Conversation
In 2 Samuel, David curses the fields of Gilboa with obscure language. The Aramaic translation in Targum Jonathan attempts to explain it by connecting it to Numbers 15, where part of each harvest is offered to God. This interpretation says the fields of Gilboa would never again produce enough grain for such offerings.
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2 Samuel 1:21
Hebrew Bible
20 Don’t report it in Gath, don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate! 21 O mountains of Gilboa, may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings! For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled; the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.The sword of Saul never returned empty.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Jonathan 2 Samuel 1:21
Targum
20 Tell it not in Gath, announce it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, let there be no sufficient yield on you that they make from it a dough offering. For there the heroes’ shields were broken, the shield of Saul, anointed as if with anointing oil. 22 From the blood of the killed, from the fat of the heroes, the arrows of Jonathan’s bow are not turning back, and Saul’s sword is not returning empty.
Date: 200-300 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The first difficulty which the Targumist encountered in verse 21 was the terse formulation of Hebrew ושדי תרומות (“and fields of offerings”). Probably Hebrew שדי (“fields” or possibly derived from שד (shad, ‘fulness, riches’) was vocalized as a derivation of שד (shad, ‘fulness, riches’) and equated with כדי (k'dei, “enough”). The reading “riches of offerings” is explained in the Aramaic version as a curse on the hills of Gilboa: that there be not enough fruits, worthy of being set aside for sacred imposts. The ḥallah (“offering of dough”) was the minimum amount of dough which had to be given to the priests (compare Book of Numbers 15:17–21; Mishnah Hallah 2:7) ..."
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