Isaiah — Targum Jonathan

The Vineyard Song. The Targum makes the vineyard's identification explicit ('Israel') — the same identification Jesus assumes in his Vineyard Parable at Matt 21:33-44 / Mark 12:1-12 / Luke 20:9-19. The chain: Isa 5 vineyard = Israel; Jesus' parable retells Isa 5 to indict the leaders for rejecting the Son.

The vineyard-as-Israel identification (continuing from 5:1). Foundational for Jesus' vineyard parable (Matt 21:33-44 / Mark 12:1-12).

Jonathan renders 'almah as 'young woman' (ulimta) without Messianic elaboration, treating the sign as historically immediate. The name Immanuel ('God with us') is preserved without theological expansion — a rare instance of Jonathan's restraint.

The cornerstone-to-some / stumbling-stone-to-others image — cited at Rom 9:33 and 1 Pet 2:8 in conjunction with Isaiah 28:16. The Targum preserves the dual character of the divine presence: sanctuary for those who trust, stumbling stone for those who do not.

MARQUEE — cited at Matthew 4:14-16 in Jesus' Galilean ministry beginning. The light-comes-to-the-darkness messianic-prophecy fulfilled in Christ. Echoed at John 1:5 ('the light shines in the darkness').

MARQUEE MESSIANIC RE-READING. The 'child' is interpreted as the Messiah, and the four divine titles are redistributed: rather than predicating divinity directly of the child, the Targum makes them descriptions of God-as-Counselor whose Messiah is named. The Christian Christological reading (the child IS Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God) and the Jewish Targumic reading (the child is named after God's titles) diverge here on the relationship of the Messiah to divinity.

The botanical imagery (shoot, branch, roots) is decoded as royal-Messianic prophecy. The shoot is a king; the branch is the Messiah. Jonathan makes explicit what the Hebrew encodes metaphorically: this is about the Davidic Messiah arising from Jesse's line.

'The Spirit of the LORD' becomes 'the spirit of prophecy from before the LORD,' specifying the nature of the Spirit's endowment as prophetic gifting. The Messiah is a prophet-king anointed with the prophetic spirit.

'The rod of his mouth' becomes 'the word of his mouth' (pitgam pumeih). The Messiah's weapon is verbal — a decree, not a physical rod. This connects to the Memra concept: the Messiah rules through authoritative speech.

The 'root of Jesse' is interpreted as 'the son of David' (i.e., the Davidic Messiah). Cited at Romans 15:12 in Paul's Christological catena.

Targum interprets 'wells of salvation' as 'new instruction from the chosen of righteousness' — eschatological-Torah from messianic teachers. Cited liturgically in Sukkot water-libation. NT echo: John 7:37-39 ('rivers of living water') uses this water-imagery for the Spirit on the last day of Sukkot.

The throne-of-faithful-love. Davidic-messianic prophecy.

MARQUEE — the most universalist verse in the OT. Egypt and Assyria, Israel's traditional enemies, are reframed as 'my people' and 'work of my hands.' Foundational for the Pauline gentile-inclusion theology (Rom 9-11, Eph 2:11-22).

MARQUEE — cited at Revelation 3:7 in the letter to Philadelphia ('the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David'). Christian tradition reads this Christologically. The Targum preserves the literal phrase.

The eschatological-arrival shout. Cited (in concept) at 2 Tim 4:8 ('the crown of righteousness... to all who have loved his appearing').

Pre-Nicene Tier S — trust-in-the-Memra formula plus the 'eternal Rock' epithet. Foundational for biblical Rock-of-ages theology (cf. 1 Cor 10:4).

The cornerstone is interpreted as a Messianic king. Jonathan decodes the architectural metaphor as royal prophecy: the foundation stone in Zion is the king whom God appoints there.

'The name of the LORD comes' becomes 'the Memra of the LORD reveals himself.' The divine Name, Memra, and self-revelation converge: the theophany of judgment operates through the revealed Word.

Cited (in part) Matt 11:5, Luke 7:22 — Jesus invokes the surrounding context (Isa 35:5-6 'eyes of the blind opened') as proof of his messianic identity. Targum: 'God comes' becomes 'God is revealed' (anti-anthropomorphism), and divine redemption (פדק) is messianic vocabulary.

MARQUEE MESSIANIC PROOF-TEXT. Jesus cites this passage at Matthew 11:5 / Luke 7:22 in his answer to John the Baptist's messengers ('the blind receive their sight'). The Targum's eschatological interpretation (be'idana hahu, 'at that time') makes the messianic application explicit.

The angel-of-the-LORD-as-divine-warrior. Same passage as 2 Kgs 19:35. Foundational for biblical theology of divine warfare — Christian readings extend to Christ as cosmic warrior (Rev 19:11-16).

Pre-Nicene Tier S — the Memra of God's word stands eternally. Cited at 1 Pet 1:24-25 ('the word of the Lord remains forever'). Foundational for biblical scripture-eternality theology.

The shepherd-God image. Foundational for John 10's Good-Shepherd Christology and for the Christian pastoral-care vocabulary.

Pre-Nicene Tier S. The classic fear-not formula with Memra-mediation. Echoed at Heb 13:6 ('the Lord is my helper; I will not fear').

Servant-comfort oracle. Divine accompaniment: 'I help you' becomes 'my Memra is your help' — the divine assistance is mediated through the Word.

The first Servant Song explicitly identifies the Servant as 'the Messiah' (Meshicha). This is unambiguous: Jonathan reads the Isaianic Servant as the Messianic figure. 'I will uphold him' becomes 'I will bring him near' (aqarveineih), suggesting priestly approach or royal installation.

The Servant-Messiah's role extends to the nations: he is both Israel's covenant and the nations' light. Jonathan preserves the universal scope of the Servant's mission.

The LORD-only-savior formula. Cited (and Christologically applied) at Acts 4:12 ('there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved').

MARQUEE — cited at Revelation 1:17, 22:13 ('I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last') applied to the risen Christ. The divine-honor formula is Christologically applied — making this passage central to NT high-Christology.

Israel's salvation is 'by the Memra of the LORD,' making the Word the agent of eternal redemption. The Hebrew yasha ('save') becomes paraq ('redeem'), emphasizing liberation.

MARQUEE — cited at Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10-11 ('every knee should bow... every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord'). Paul applies the divine-honor formula directly to Christ. The Targum preserves qodamai ('before me') — the divine-presence locus of homage.

Babylon-judgment oracle. The Redeemer-title (פָּרְקָנָא) for YHWH preserved — same root as messianic redemption-language. Pre-Nicene relevance: divine Redeemer-figure as foundation for NT redeemer-Christology.

In the second Servant Song, Jonathan preserves the identification with Israel. The Servant is both Israel corporately and the Messiah individually — a dual identification that generates the creative tension of the entire Servant theology.

MARQUEE: cited at Acts 13:47 by Paul to ground the gentile mission. The Targum's preservation of 'light for the nations' (lenehor amemmayya) confirms the standardized Targumic vocabulary that Paul's Greek nehor amemmayya / phōs ethnōn comes from.

Servant Song III preface. Echoes through NT as the suffering-servant addressed by the Redeemer (Phil 2:7-9). Targum preserves Redeemer-as-divine-title.

Third Servant Song opening. The Servant as taught-by-God. Foundational for the Christian reading of Christ as the perfect disciple-and-master.

Third Servant Song's marquee passion-prophecy. Cited (in concept) at Matt 26:67 / Mark 14:65 / John 19:1 in the trial-and-flogging narratives. The Targum preserves the literal form.

The third Servant Song asks who will heed the Servant's voice. Jonathan renders literally, but in context with 42:1 and 52:13, the servant is the Messiah whose voice demands obedience.

Both Memra and Shekinah appear: the people will know the name of the Memra, and God's presence is confirmed as 'behold, my Shekinah.' The eschatological revelation is a full disclosure of the Memra's name and the Shekinah's presence.

Servant-Song-IV preface. The 'arm of YHWH' = divine power, revealed cosmically. NT echo: John 12:38 cites Isa 53:1's 'arm of the LORD' as Christ's revelation.

THE most important verse in all targum literature. The fourth Servant Song opens with the explicit identification: 'my servant the Messiah' (avdi Meshicha). This proves beyond doubt that pre-Christian Judaism read Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as a Messianic prophecy. What follows, however, is a dramatic reinterpretation of the suffering.

Jonathan redirects the marred appearance from the Servant-Messiah to Israel in exile. The disfigurement is Israel's exile condition, not the Messiah's suffering. This begins the systematic reinterpretation of the Suffering Servant.

MARQUEE — cited at John 12:38 and Romans 10:16 in the Christian preaching-of-the-gospel argument. The Targum preserves the form Paul cites.

Jonathan partially redirects: the kingdoms despise the Servant-Messiah, but the 'sorrows' are reframed as intercessory prayer. The Messiah is not passive in suffering but active in intercession. The suffering imagery is present but transformed into spiritual labor.

The most radical reinterpretation: 'bearing our griefs' becomes 'interceding for our sins.' The Messiah does not suffer for sins but intercedes for them. Physical suffering is replaced with priestly-prophetic intercession. Matthew 8:17 cites this verse with a different reading.

The piercing and crushing of the Servant are completely reinterpreted. The Messiah is not pierced — he builds the Temple that was profaned (mechullal) by Israel's sins. The passive suffering is transformed into active restoration. The Temple's destruction is Israel's fault; its rebuilding is the Messiah's work.

MARQUEE — cited at 1 Peter 2:25 ('you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls'). Foundational for Christian fall-and-redemption typology.

The lamb imagery is reversed: the Servant is not the lamb being led to slaughter — the Servant delivers the mighty to slaughter like a lamb. The victim becomes the victor. This is the theological crux of Jonathan's reinterpretation.

Jonathan's rendering is complex: God's purpose was to 'refine and purify' (not merely 'crush'), and the guilt offering (asham) is applied to the soul's self-offering. The Messiah's offering produces offspring — a remnant people. The suffering theology is not eliminated but reframed as purification and self-offering that yields a redeemed community.

The Servant's justification of many is rendered as making the righteous multiply before the LORD. Knowledge (da'at) becomes wisdom (mandei'ita). The forensic/salvific dimension is preserved: the righteous Servant produces righteousness in others.

Jonathan preserves the Servant's self-delivery to death (massar lemota nafshei), even within its broader reinterpretation. The Messiah willingly risks death — the language of self-sacrifice survives the shift from victimhood to victory. This is the closest Jonathan comes to preserving the suffering-death motif of the Hebrew.

The Great Invitation. Cited at John 7:37 ('if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink') and Revelation 22:17 ('let the one who thirsts come, take the water of life freely') as the prophetic foundation of Christian invitation theology.

Pre-Nicene Tier S — the word-of-my-Memra-is-effective formula. Striking: the Targum identifies the word with the Memra and attributes effective agency to it. Anticipates Heb 4:12 ('the word of God is living and active') and John 1:1's Logos-Christology of an effective divine speech.

Cited at Luke 4:18 in Jesus' Nazareth manifesto, conflated with Isaiah 61:1's liberation language. The Targum's cherut ('freedom') matches the Lev 25:10 Jubilee proclamation vocabulary.

Pre-Nicene Tier S — Memra-mediated answering of prayer. Foundational for biblical theology of prayer-answered-by-God's-Word.

Pre-Nicene Tier S — sin separates between Memra and the people. The Targum's hypostatic mediation extends to the alienation-from-God formula.

The Redeemer coming to Zion is rendered literally. Paul cites this verse in Romans 11:26. Jonathan does not add 'Messiah' here, but the eschatological context makes the Messianic identification implicit.

Part of the foreign-nations-bring-tribute-to-Zion oracle (vv. 1-22). Foundational for Christian magi-typology (Matt 2:1-12) which echoes this passage's gold-and-frankincense tribute.

'The Spirit of the Lord GOD' becomes 'the spirit of prophecy from before the Lord GOD,' specifying the Spirit as prophetic endowment. Jesus reads this passage in Luke 4:18. The anointing is preserved — the Servant is the Anointed One (Messiah) by definition.

Cited at Matthew 21:5 in conjunction with Zech 9:9 in the Triumphal Entry narrative. The Targum's keneshet ('assembly') for MT bat ('daughter') reframes the addressee from poetic personification to communal entity.

This is one of the most theologically significant renderings in all of Jonathan. The throne names are split: the exalted titles (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting One) are attributed to God who names the child, while the child himself is called 'the Messiah in whose days peace shall increase.' This preserves the Messianic reading while protecting divine titles from being applied directly to a human figure.

The eternal Davidic throne is rendered literally. Jonathan preserves the eschatological scope: the Messiah's kingdom on David's throne will have no end.