Targum Onkelos has been noted for its anti-anthropomorphism. That is, where the Hebrew text is very clear in visualizing the God of Israel in physical terms, even if meant to be understood metaphorically, Onkelos will not allow it to be so presented but will speak around it (paraphrase) or use an intermediary word between the physical descrption and God. This intermediary word is the word "Word" - in Aramaic, Memra (the root is Aleph, Mem, Resh as in the Hebrew word 'Omer). Whereas the Hebrew text (Gen. 3:8) has it, "They (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the LORD God walking about in the garden", Onkelos has it, "they heard the sound of the Memra of the LORD God walking about in the garden" Apparently, walking about in the garden conjured up too much of rustling of leaves and bushes to take figuretivly, and so it was the Memra that was heard and not the LORD God. This is the pattern in other places in Genesis. Prof. David Flusser of the Hebrew University notes that it is to this Targumic mindset that the we owe our understanding of John 1:1 and not to Philo and the Alexandrian "logos" philosophy. " In the beginning was the Word (Memra) and the Word(Memra) was with God.. and the.Word (Memra)was God. John 1:1 is meant to rip away the distinction between God and the Memra and so declare that they are in reality one, ...and this One has, indeed, become flesh.
==The Principal Targumim==
Targum Onḳelos or Babylonian Targun (to the Five Books of Moses)
Targum Jonathan (to the Prophets)
Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem) (to the Prophets)
Targum to the Hagiographa
To the Psalms and to Job
To Proverbs: This Targum differs from all other Judæo-Aramaic translations of the Bible in that it shows Syriac characteristics, and also agrees in other respects with the Peshiṭta. See [[Aramaic Church]]
To the Five Megillot (Scrolls): Song of Songs,Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther
To Chronicles
Apocryphal Additions to Esther.
==See Also==
[[Aramaic Church]]
[[Midrash]]
==References==