M.A. / The exegetical traditions as reflected in Targum Jonathan (TJ) may assist with the renewal and supplementation of the historical connection between the Second Temple period and the age of formative Judaism. In this, translation techniques play a decisive factor. The aim of this research study is to seek to identify translation techniques used in TJ to the Prophets, and to systematically explore how these techniques were applied by the Targumist in his translation of the book of Malachi from the Hebrew into Aramaic. In this comparative study between the Masoretic text (MT) of the book Malachi and its rendering in TJ, translation techniques as identified by past researchers on other parts of TJ to the Prophets, are noted and applied to the context of TJ Malachi specific. In the same, the consistency of the Targumist’s application of these translation techniques in Malachi is investigated. The focus is also on enigmatic passages in MT Malachi as identified by modern scholars. The aim is to ascertain whether perspectives of the Targumist as translator and theologian can shed further light on how the MT of Malachi was propagated to be understood, either in distinction from modern scholarly, or similar. The argument is that ancient texts did not exist in isolation but always in relation or reaction to other texts/translations and it therefore may be taken that other texts/translations can supply additional insight into the understanding and interpretation of a source text. It is shown that TJ discloses the hypothesis of its translators through deviations from the source text in the same tendency as other translations of the Hebrew Scriptures. Further, the literal style of TJ Malachi reveals the limits of the translator’s freedom, but through the use of explanations and expansions, targumic theology is revealed. An attempt is made to categorise distinct translation techniques in TJ Malachi where the focus is on how the Targumist made use of them to interpret and resolve inherent incongruities in the MT. In the same, the study seeks to find a link between these and other obscurities surrounding TJ such as its stages of composition, dating, theology, dependency on other ancient witnesses of the Old Testament as well as its life-setting.

<p> The textual corruption found in Malachi 2:10-16 while providing frustration for the modem scholar also presents a unique opportunity to observe how ancient interpreters chose to deal with such difficulties. The Hebrew Leningradensis (L) and the Greek Sinaiticus (N) manuscripts diverge, at least to some degree, in their rendition and subsequent interpretation of Mal 2:10-16. The following thesis examines and compares this difficult corpus within these two manuscript traditions, in their similarities and differences, through an analysis of their various grammatical, syntactical and semantic features. This analysis shows that these two traditions present two variant versions of Mal 2:10-16 but yet still functioned as Scripture within their respective communities of faith. The findings of this analysis are brought into the discussion regarding concepts of biblical canonicity as presented by Brevard S. Childs and James A. Sanders.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This study looks into Malachi’s emphasis on the offering aspect of the cult within Israel’s prophetic heritage. Malachi presents a different attitude toward offerings than his pre-exilic predecessors who spoke harshly against the cult focusing on religion’s ethical and spiritual aspects. The thesis of this study argues that pre-exilic anti-cultic statements do not diminish or reject the cult per se but a corrupted form of it conditioned historically and religiously. Malachi’s post-exilic pro-cultic emphasis presents a different context in which criticism of the cult’s corrupted usage takes place while remaining positive toward the cult itself. The key to understanding properly both anti- and pro-cultic attacks on different aspects of the cult is the covenantal relationship with Yahweh. Malachi’s positive attitude toward offerings balances the anti-cultic prophetic heritage of Israel showing that there was never a rejection of the cult, only misunderstandings and misuses of it. / Old Testament / M. Th. (Old Testament)

This study looks into Malachi’s emphasis on the offering aspect of the cult within Israel’s prophetic heritage. Malachi presents a different attitude toward offerings than his pre-exilic predecessors who spoke harshly against the cult focusing on religion’s ethical and spiritual aspects. The thesis of this study argues that pre-exilic anti-cultic statements do not diminish or reject the cult per se but a corrupted form of it conditioned historically and religiously. Malachi’s post-exilic pro-cultic emphasis presents a different context in which criticism of the cult’s corrupted usage takes place while remaining positive toward the cult itself. The key to understanding properly both anti- and pro-cultic attacks on different aspects of the cult is the covenantal relationship with Yahweh. Malachi’s positive attitude toward offerings balances the anti-cultic prophetic heritage of Israel showing that there was never a rejection of the cult, only misunderstandings and misuses of it. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

This study attempted to understand Malachi’s ethics by situating them firmly in a particular historical, religious and socio-economic context. Malachi as the conscience of his people was skilful and creative in adapting the older prophetic traditions to the advantage of their religious, economic and socio-cultural context. The book of Malachi contains a fundamental critique of the sacrificial practices of the time. The prophetic criticism of the cult as seen in the book was conducted on the basis of covenantal principles. The book’s ethical uniqueness is observed somehow most clearly in the preponderance of a negative emphasis the book places on temple rituals and the way the language of the cult dominates his analysis of malpractices. The book shows where the ritual delinquencies are and how to deal with them. Thus for the purpose of enacting a communal ethic, the thesis stressed the theological values and ethical relevance of the enduring message of Yahweh alone as the sovereign of all creation and thus of humble trust and hope in him, of repentance, of commitment to the ideals of fidelity and steadfastness, of judgment, truth and justice, and of covenant renewal and restoration of fortunes which Malachi offers people who yearn for them irrespective of their religious and cultural background and nationality. The study showed how the ethical dimensions of Yahweh (theological dimension); his people as a restored community of faith (social and political aspects) and their land (economic conditions) as seen in the book of Malachi obviously make ethical proposals for faith communities in dealing with every theological, socio-political, and economic issue within the larger human society. Thus the various interpretations of the different oracles in the book of Malachi served as basis for this study to evolve ethical proposals for contemporary Christian application, at least within an ecclesia community. The church must serve as a channel through which the ethical demands of God for a well-ordered community can be mediated within her and larger human society and must find creative ways to translate the biblical imperative in a contemporary theological, social and economic context. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Old Testament Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

[pt] Uma questão muito discutida atualmente na exegese bíblica diz respeito ao status do rolo dos assim chamados Doze Profetas Menores. Os estudiosos se dividem entre aqueles que entendem que os Doze devem ser considerados como uma obra literária unificada e aqueles que entendem que os escritos que integram esse rolo devem ser vistos como independentes em relação aos demais. Esta tese, visando oferecer uma contribuição para a discussão da problemática dos Doze, parte de uma apresentação do status quaestionis da pesquisa dos Doze, e, passando por um estudo do texto do Livro de Malaquias e sua organização, desemboca na análise da última perícope desse escrito, Ml 3.13-21, procurando verificar suas relações com os demais textos do conjunto dos Doze, em geral, e do Livro de Malaquias, em particular. Atenção especial é dada à comparação entre o texto de Ml 3.13-21 e o Livro de Joel, sobretudo com respeito à utilização feita em ambos os textos do motivo do dia de YHWH. O trabalho chega à conclusão de que a perícope estudada revela pontos de contato mais fortes com o restante do Livro de Malaquias do que com os demais textos do conjunto dos Doze, o que fala a favor da consideração do último integrante dos Doze como um escrito independente. / [en] An issue that causes much discussion nowadays in biblical exegesis is the status of the scroll of the so-called Twelve Minor Prophets. Scholars are divided among those who understand that the Twelve should be considered as a unified literary work and those who understand that the writings that are part of that scroll should be seen as independent in relation to the others. This thesis, looking at offering a contribution to the discussion of the matter of the Twelve, has its starting point in a presentation of the status quaestionis of the research of the Twelve, and, going through a study of the text of the Book of Malachi and its organization, leads to the analysis of the last pericope of that writing, Ml 3.13-21, seeking for verifying its relations to the other texts of the whole of the Twelve, in general, and of the Book of Malachi, in particular. Special attention is given to the comparison between the text of Ml 3.13-21 and the Book of Joel, specially concerning the use that both texts make of the motif of the day of YHWH. This work comes to the conclusion that the pericope studied reveals stronger contacts with the rest of the Book of Malachi than with other texts of the whole of the Twelve, something that speaks in favour of the consideration of the last component of the Twelve as an independent writing.

The Hebrew Bible is the product of scribes. Whether copying, editing, conflating, adapting, or authoring, these ancient professionals were responsible for the various text designs, constructions and text-types that we have today. This thesis seeks to investigate the many practices employed by ancient scribes in literary production, or, more aptly, scribal composition. An investigation of scribal composition must incorporate inquiry into both synchronic and diachronic aspects of a text; a synchronic viewpoint can clarify diachronic features of the text and a diachronic viewpoint can clarify synchronic features of the text. To understand the text as the product of scribal composition requires recognition that the ancient scribe had a communicative goal when he engaged in the different forms of scribal composition (e.g. authoring, redacting, etc.). This communicative goal was reached through the scribal composer's implementation of various literary techniques. By tracing the reception of a text, it is possible to demonstrate when a scribal composer successfully reached his communicative goal. Using Malachi as a test-case, three autonomous yet complementary chapters will illustrate how investigating the text as the product of scribal composition can yield new and important insights. Chapter 2: Mal 2.10-16 focuses on a particularly difficult portion of Malachi (2.10-16), noting patterns amongst the texts reused in the pericope. These patterns give information about the ancient scribe's view of scripture and about his communicative goal. Chapter 3: Wordplay surveys Malachi for different types of the wordplay. The chapter demonstrates how a poetic feature such as wordplay, generally treated as a synchronic element, can also have diachronic implications. Chapter 4: Phinehas, he is Elijah investigates the reception of Malachi as a finished text. By tracing backwards a tradition found throughout later Jewish literature, it is evident that the literary techniques employed by the composer made his text successfully communicative.

[pt] O texto de Ml 1,6-14 é uma crítica profética ao culto do segundo Templo. O profeta apresenta sua crítica aos sacerdotes que oferecem animais impróprios para YHWH e também a justificativa da mesma crítica, apresentada nos vv. 11 e 14d-f. A presente dissertação visa verificar detalhadamente o sentido da crítica profética e, particularmente, deter-se sobre o sentido de Ml 1,11, uma vez que a interpretação deste versículo é causa de grande dissenso entre os estudiosos. É objetivo, ainda, da presente dissertação, deter-se sob o aspecto teológico da justificativa da crítica profética ao culto encontrada em Ml 1,11 e 14d-f. Para atingir tal objetivo a pesquisa começa com a tradução do texto, sua delimitação e colocação no conjunto do livro de Malaquias. Depois aborda-se a organização do texto, sua unidade, datação e gênero literário. Num terceiro momento é feito o comentário aos vv. 6-10.12-14a-c. Os vv. 11 e 14d-f são comentados num capítulo à parte, onde se dedica uma maior atenção ao v. 11, estabelendo-se, em primeiro lugar, o status quaestionis da sua interpretação, desde o judaísmo tardio até o momento atual. No último capítulo se aborda o pano de fundo teológico subjacente à crítica profética e a relação de Ml 1,6-14 com Nm 6,23-27. Este estudo chega à conclusão de que a crítica profética de Ml 1,6-14 revela pontos de contato com Nm 6,23-27, sendo uma espécie de anti-bênção com a qual os sacerdotes e o povo (cf. M 1,14) são condenados por não prestarem a YHWH o culto na sua forma devida e com a adequada disposição interior. Mostra também que, para entender o sentido real do v. 11 é necessário lê-lo em conjunto com o v. 14d-f, levando em conta a teologia do nome de YHWH e a imagem de YHWH como rei que estão subjacentes à perícope como um todo. / [en] The text of Ml 1,6-14 is a prophetic critique of the second Temple. The prophet presents his critique of the priests who offer animals unfit for YHWH and also the justification of the same critique, presented in vv. 11 and 14d-f. This dissertation aims to verify in detail the meaning of prophetic criticism and particularly establish the meaning of Ml 1,11, since the interpretation of this verse is cause of great disagreement among scholars. It is objective, yet, this dissertation study the theological aspect of the justification of prophetic critique of the cult found in Ml 1,11 and 14d-f. To achieve this goal the search begins with the translation of the text, its delimitation and placement throughout the book of Malachi. After addresses the organization of the text, its unity, dating and literary genre, in the third chapter is made the comment about the vv. 6-10.12-14a-c. The vv. 11 and 14d-f are discussed in a separate chapter, which is devoted greater attention to v. 11, establishing, first, the status quaestionis of his interpretation, since the late Judaism until the present time. The last chapter discusses the theological background of the prophetic critique and the relationship between Ml 1,6-14 and Nm 6,23-27. This study concludes that the prophetic critique of Ml 1,6-14 reveals contact points with Nm 6,23-27, being a kind of anti-blessing with which priests and people (Ml 1,14) are convicted of not doing the worship YHWH in its proper form and with proper interior disposition. It also shows that to understand the real meaning of v. 11 it is necessary to read it along with the v. 14d-f, taking into account the theology of the name of YHWH and YHWH s image as king that underlie the text as a whole.

There is an ancient rabbinic apothegm which asserts that prophecy “ceased” after the last Biblical prophets, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi. After their deaths, a new phase of divine revelation was believed to have emerged through manifestations of a bat kol (lit. “Daughter of a voice”). This thesis examines the bat kol’s function within the contours of the Babylonian Talmud, primarily, employing philological, literary, and historical analyses. Moreover, it includes a review of parallels with Biblical and Second-Temple era, Apocalyptic works, so as to suggest possible origins. In addition, a sample of about ten stories are presented as representative of larger categories I consider best exhibit the bat kol’s purpose. The categories include: announcing an individual’s entry into the world to come, encomium and disdain towards individuals, matters related to Halacha (Jewish Law), and miscellaneous. As a result we discover how the rabbis employed the bat kol to address contemporary concerns.

[pt] A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo principal estudar o modo como se relacionam, no profeta Malaquias, a crise do sacerdócio, descrita de modo particular em 2,1-9, e a perspectiva escatológica apresentada em 2,17 - 3,5. A pesquisa considera que, embora em 2,1-9 prevaleça o discurso de juízo sobre os sacerdotes faltosos, no v. 4 é delineada uma perspectiva salvífica. Tal perspectiva é desenvolvida em 2,17 - 3,5, onde o tema da purificação do sacerdócio e do restabelecimento do culto domina a maior parte do texto (cf. 3,2-4). Para o estudo das unidades textuais seguiu-se o Método Histórico Crítico nas suas etapas essenciais, conjugando-o, de modo particular no comentário aos textos, com a análise sincrônica, considerando-se cada uma das perícopes na sua forma final e canônica. Com relação a 2,17 - 3,5 procurou-se identificar os elementos que permitem caracterizar este texto como escatológico e delinear suas perspectivas principais. O estudo conjunto das perícopes demonstrou que, em Malaquias, o juízo previsto em 2,1-9 é revertido a partir da perspectiva escatológica apresentada em 2,17 - 3,5. Uma vez que os sacerdotes são os ministros do culto e este é a manifestação da dimensão propriamente religiosa da relação de Deus com seu povo, YHWH mesmo agirá, em primeiro lugar por meio de seu mensageiro, purificando os sacerdotes e restabelecendo o culto na sua integridade e, depois, atuando como testemunha contra os que não o temem. / [en] The aim of this research is to study how the prophet Malachi relates the priesthood crisis, described in particular in 2:1-9, with the eschatological perspective presented in 2:17 - 3:5. The research considers that while in 2:1-9 the judgmental discourse on the faulty priests prevails, in v. 4 is outlined a salvific perspective. This perspective is developed in 2:17 - 3:5, where the theme of priesthood purification and the reestablishment of worship dominates most of the text (cf. 3:2-4). For the study of the textual units, was followed the Critical Historical Method in its essential stages, combining it, particularly in the commentary on the texts, with the synchronic analysis, considering each of the pericopes in its final and canonical form. With respect to 2:17 - 3:5 it was tried to identify the elements that allow characterizing this text as eschatological and delineating its main perspectives. The joint study of the pericopes has shown that in Malachi the judgment predicted in 2:1-9 is reversed from the eschatological perspective presented in 2:17 – 3:5. Since the priests are the ministers of worship and this is the manifestation of the properly religious dimension of God s relationship with his people, YHWH himself will firstly act through his messenger, purifying the same priests and restoring the integrity of the worship, and so he will act as a witness against those who do not fear him.