Endnote 17 – Coarse Language In The Bible?

Following the NJPS translation. See Genesis Rabbah 36:8: “R. Yudan said, … ‘and they read in the book of the Law of God’ refers to miqra’ [the Hebrew text]; meporasû refers to targum [a translation].” Similar statements are found in Babylonian Talmud Megillah 3a and Nedarim 37b, and Jerusalem Talmud Megillah 28b. For “targum” as “translation” rather than “translation into Aramaic,” see Genesis Rabbah, ed. H. Freedman, pp. 293–294, vol. 1 in Midrash Rabbah, ed. Freedman and Maurice Simon (London: Soncino Press, 1939).