In this post I will be citing particular chapters and verses from Isaiah and contrasting them with the Aramaic paraphrase known as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. The Targum was produced by Jews for the benefit of their countrymen who could only understand Aramaic.
This paraphrase of Isaiah gives us an insight into how the Jews understood specific texts, especially as they relate to the Trinity and the Messiah. The readers will see that the Targum often replaces the words YHWH and God with the term Word (Aramaic Memra), thereby indicating that the translators believed that it was actually the Word of YHWH who appeared as God and/or performed and/or will perform the very functions which the Hebrew text of Isaiah assigns YHWH Elohim (“The LORD God”). I will also cite specific cases where the Targum expressly identifies YHWH’s Servant as the Messiah and even equates with the Word himself.
All emphasis will be mine.
ISAIAH 45
“I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron… I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded… But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever… Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’”Isaiah 45:1, 12, 17, 21-25
TARGUM
מֵימְרִי קֳדָמָךְ יְהָךְ וְשׁוּרַיָא אֲכַבֵּשׁ דָשִׁין דִנְחָשׁ אֱתַּבֵר וְעַבְרִין דְבַרְזֶל אֲקַצֵץ:
My WORD shall go before thee, I will have a way in the plains; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron…
אֲנָא בְּמֵימְרִי עֲבַדֵת אַרְעָא וֶאֱנָשָׁא עֲלָהּ בְּרִיתִי אֲנָא בִּגְבוּרְתִּי תְּלֵית שְׁמַיָא וְכָל חֵילֵיהוֹן שֵׁכְלֵילִית:
It is I who have made the earth by my WORD, and I have created man upon it; it is I who have suspended the heavens by my power, and I have laid the foundation of all the hosts of them…
יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְפְּרִיק בְּמֵימְרָא דַייָ פּוּרְקָן עָלְמַיָא לָא תִבְהֲתוּן וְלָא תִתְכַּנְעוּן לַעֲלַם וּלְעַלְמֵי עָלְמַיָא:
Israel shall be saved by the WORD of the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded for ever, yea, for ages after ages…
חַווֹ וְאִתְקְרָבוּ אַף אִתְמְלִיכוּ כַּחֲדָא מִן בְּסַר דָא מִלְקַדְמִין מִבְּכֵן חַוְיָהּ הֲלָא אֲנָא יְיָ וְלֵית עוֹד אֱלָהּ בַּר מִנִי אֱלָהּ דְזַכֵּי וּפָרִיק לֵית אֶלָא אֲנָא:
Tell ye, and draw ye near; yea, take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God whatever besides me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none but I.
אִתְפְּנוּ לְמֵימְרִי וְאִתְפְּרִיקוּ כָּל דְבִסְיָפֵי אַרְעָא אֲרֵי אֲנָא אֱלָהָא וְלֵית עוֹד:
Turn unto my WORD, and be ye saved, all that are at the ends of the earth: for I am the Lord, and there is none else.
בְּמֵימְרִי קַיְמֵת נְפַק מִן קֳדָמַי בִּזְכוּ פִּתְגָם וְלָא יְבַטֵל אֲרֵי קֳדָמַי תִּכְרַע כָּל בֶּרֶךְ תְּקַיֵם כָּל לִישָׁן:
I have sworn by my WORD, the word is gone forth in righteousness from my presence, and shall not fail, That before me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
בְּרַם בְּמֵימְרָא דַייָ עֲלֵי אֲמַר לְאַיְתָאָה זַכְוָן וּתְקוֹף בְּמֵימְרֵהּ יוֹדוּן וְיִבְהַתוּן בְּטַעֲוָתְהוֹן כָּל עַמְמַיָא דַהֲווֹ מִתְגָרִין בְּעַמֵהּ:
Surely, He has promised to bring me righteousness and strength by the WORD of the Lord. In His WORD they shall offer praise, and all the nations that are incensed against His people shall be ashamed.
בְּמֵימְרָא דַייָ יִזְכּוּן וְיִשְׁתַּבְּחוּן כָּל זַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
In the WORD of the Lord all the seed of Israel shall be justified and glorified. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.45.2?lang=bi)
It is remarkable to see how the Targum identifies the Word as that very God that goes ahead of Israel to save and justify them, and who made creation!
ISAIAH 48
“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper. Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord Godand His SpiritHave sent Me.” Isaiah 48:11-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
TARGUM
בְּדִיל שְׁמִי בְּדִיל מֵימְרִי אַעְבֵּיד דְלָא יִתָּחָל וִיקָרִי דְאִתְגְלֵתִי עֲלֵיכוֹן לְעַם אוֹחֲרָן לָא אֶתֵּן:
For my name’s sake, for the sake of my WORD, that it may not be profaned, I will do it, and my glory in which I have revealed myself unto you, I will not give to another people.
קַבִּילוּ לְמֵימְרִי דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְזַמְנָא אֲנָא הוּא אֲנָא הוּא דְמִלְקָדְמִין אַף עַלְמֵי עַלְמַיָא דִילִי אִינוּן וּבַר מִנִי לֵית אֱלָהָא:
Hearken unto my WORD, ye who are of the house of Jacob and Israel, my called, I am He, who was of old, yea, ages after ages are mine, and besides me there is no God.
אַף בְּמֵימְרִי שַׁכְלֵילִית אַרְעָא וּבִגְבוּרְתִּי תָּלֵית שְׁמַיָא קְרֵית אֲנָא לְהוֹן קָמוּ כַּחֲדָא:
Yea, by my WORD I have laid the foundation of the earth, and by my might I have suspended the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ כוּלְהוֹן וּשְׁמָעוּ מַן בְּהוֹן חַוִי יַת אִלֵין יְיָ דְרַחֵם לֵיהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יַעְבֵּיד רְעוּתֵהּ בְּבָבֶל וּתְקוֹף דְרַע גְבוּרְתֵּהּ יַגְלֵי בְכַסְדָאֵי:
All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear: who among them hath declared these things ever since the Lord loved Israel? He will do His pleasure on Babylon, and He will reveal the strength of His arm on the Chaldeans.
אֲנָא בְּמֵימְרִי גְזָרִית קְיָם עִם אַבְרָהָם אֲבוּכוֹן אַף רַבִּיתֵהּ אָעִילְתֵּהּ לְאַרַע בֵּית שְׁכִינְתִּי וְאַצְלַח יַת אוֹרְחֵהּ:
I by my WORD have made a covenant with Abraham your father; yea, I have called him, I have brought him into the land of the place of my Shekinah, and I prospered his way.
אִתְקְרָבוּ לְמֵימְרִי שְׁמָעוּ דָא לָא מִן אַוְלָא בְּסִתְרָא מַלְלֵית מֵעִדַן דְאִתְפְּרִישׁוּ עַמְמַיָא מִדְחַלְתִּי תַּמָן אַבְרָהָם אֲבוּכוֹן קָרִיבְתֵּהּ לְפוּלְחָנִי אֲמַר נְבִיָא וּכְעַן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים שַׁלְחַנִי וּמֵימְרֵהּ:
Come ye near to my WORD; hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; at the time when the nations separated themselves from fearing me, at that time I brought Abraham your father to my service. THE PROPHET SAITH: And now the Lord God, and His WORD, hath sent me. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.48.11-17?lang=bi)
Remarkably, not only is the Word again described as the God who made the earth, he is further identified as the One having sent the prophet and who even saves Israel for his own sake!
The following chart helps to bring out the Word’s association with YHWH God more clearly.
| I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever. Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, “Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.” Isaiah 45 “For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another. Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am He, I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together. Assemble, all of you, and hear! who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chalde′ans. I, even I, have spoken and called him, I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way. Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord God has sent me and his Spirit. Isaiah 48 | My WORD shall go before thee, I will have a way in the plains ;I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. It is I who have made the earth by my WORD, and I have created man upon it; it is I who have suspended the heavens by my power, and I have laid the foundation of all the hosts of them. Israel shall be saved by the WORD of the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded for ever, yea, for ages after ages. Tell ye, and draw ye near; yea, take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God whatever besides me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none but I. Turn unto my WORD, and be ye saved, all that are at the ends of the earth: for I am the Lord, and there is none else. I have sworn by my WORD, the word is gone forth in righteousness from my presence, and shall not fail, That before me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, He has promised to bring me righteousness and strength by the WORD of the Lord. In His WORD they shall offer praise, and all the nations that are incensed against His people shall be ashamed. In the WORD of the Lord all the seed of Israel shall be justified and glorified. For my name’s sake, for the sake of my WORD, that it may not be profaned, I will do it, and my glory in which I have revealed myself unto you, I will not give to another people. Hearken unto my WORD, ye who are of the house of Jacob and Israel, my called, I am He, who was of old, yea, ages after ages are mine, and besides me there is no God. Yea, by my WORD I have laid the foundation of the earth, and by my might I have suspended the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear: who among them hath declared these things ever since the Lord loved Israel? He will do His pleasure on Babylon, and He will reveal the strength of His arm on the Chaldeans. I by my WORD have made a covenant with Abraham your father; yea, I have called him, I have brought him into the land of the place of my Shekinah, and I prospered his way. Come ye near to my WORD; hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; at the time when the nations separated themselves from fearing me, at that time I brought Abraham your father to my service. THE PROPHET SAITH: And now the Lord God, and His WORD, hath sent me. |
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I present several more cases where the Targum associates the Word with the God spoken by Isaiah.
ISAIAH 40
“The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken… Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him?… Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.” Isaiah 40:5, 13, 24
וְיִתְגְלֵי יְקָרָא דַייָ וְיֶחֱזוּן כָּל בְּנֵי בִשְׂרָא כַּחֲדָא אֲרֵי בְמֵימְרָא דַייָ גְזַר כֵּן:
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all the sons of flesh shall see together, that by the WORD of the Lord it has been decreed thus…
מַן תַּקִין יַת רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא בְּפוּם כָּל נְבִיַיָא הֲלָא יְיָ וְצַדִיקַיָא עָבְדֵי מֵימְרֵהּ פִּתְגָמֵי רְעוּתֵהּ הוֹדְעִינוּן:
Who hath directed the Holy Spirit in the mouth of all the prophets? Is it not the Lord? He maketh known the words of His will to the righteous, the servants of His WORD…
אֲפִילוּ יִפְשׁוּן אֲפִילוּ יִסְגוּן אֲפִילוּ יִתְרַבּוּן בְּאַרְעָא בְנֵיהוֹן וְאַף רוּגְזֵהּ יְשַׁלַח בְּהוֹן וְיִבְהֲתוּן וּמֵימְרֵהּ כְּעַלְעֵילָא לְקַשָׁא יְדַבֵּר יַתְהוֹן:
Although they multiply, although they increase, although their children become great in the earth, yet, nevertheless, He will send His wrath among them, and they shall be confounded: and His WORD shall scatter them, as the whirlwind the chaff. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.40.5?lang=bi)
ISAIAH 41
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand… For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you. Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel… You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:10, 13-14, 16
לָא תִדְחַל אֲרֵי בְסַעֲדָךְ מֵימְרִי לָא תִתְּבַר אֲרֵי אֲנָא אֱלָהָךְ אִתְקְפִינָךְ אַף אֶסְעַדִינָךְ אַף אַחֲדִינָךְ בִּימִין קוּשְׁטִי:
Fear not, for my WORD shall be thy support; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my truth…
אֲרֵי אֲנָא יְיָ אֱלָהָךְ מַתְקֵיף יְמִינָךְ דַאֲמָרִית לָךְ לָא תִדְחַל מֵימְרִי בְסַעֲדָךְ:
For I am the Lord thy God, that will hold thee fast by thy right hand; who saith unto thee, Fear not, my WORD shall be thy help.
לָא תִדַחְלוּן שִׁבְטַיָא דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב זַרְעִיתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵימְרִי בְסַעֲדְכוֹן אֲמַר יְיָ וּפָרִיקְכוֹן קַדִישָׁא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
Fear ye not, ye tribes of the house of Jacob, ye seed of Israel, my WORD shall be your help, saith the Lord, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel…
תְּדִרִינוּן וְרוּחָא תִטְלוּנוּן וּמֵימְרֵהּ כְּעַלְעוֹלָא לְקַשָׁא יְבַדֵר יַתְהוֹן וְאַתְּ תְּבוּעַ בְּמֵימְרָא דַייָ בְּקַדִישָׁא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל תִּשְׁתַּבַּח:
Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and my WORD shall scatter them as the whirlwind scattereth the chaff; but as for thee, thou shalt rejoice in the Word of the Lord, thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.41.10-17?lang=bi)
ISAIAH 42
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.” Isaiah 42:1
הָא עַבְדִי מְשִׁיחָא אֶקְרְבִינֵהּ בְּחִירִי דְאִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ מֵימְרִי אֶתֵּן רוּחָא דְקוּדְשִׁי עֲלוֹהִי דִינִין לְעַמְמִין יְגַלֵי:
Behold, my servant, the Messiah, whom I bring, my chosen in whom one delights: as for my Word, I will put my Holy Spirit upon him; he shall reveal my judgment unto the nations. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.42.1?lang=bi)
This is one is truly remarkable since the Targum comes right out and states that the Servant is the Messiah and even identifies him with the Word upon whom God’s Holy Spirit dwells!
ISAIAH 43
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you… Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;… ‘You are My witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.’” Isaiah 43:2, 5, 10
אֲרֵי בְקַדְמֵיתָא כַּד עֲבַרְתּוּן בְיַמָא דְסוּף מֵימְרִי הֲוָה בְּסַעְדְכוֹן פַּרְעֹה וּמִצְרָאֵי דְסַגִיאִין כְּמֵי נַהֲרָא לָא יְכִילוּ לְכוֹן וְאַף בְּתִנְיָנֵיתָא כַּד תַּהֲכוּן לְבֵינֵי עַמְמַיָא דְתַקִיפוּן כְּאֶשְׁתָּא לָא יִכְלוּן לְכוֹן וּמַלְכְּוָן דַחֲסִינָן כְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא לָא יְשֵׁיצוּן יַתְכוֹן:
For at first when ye did pass the Red Sea my Word was your support. Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who were as many as the waters of the river, did not prevail against you. And again, when ye came amongst nations, who were as mighty as fire, they did not prevail against you; and kingdoms, which were strong as a flame, did not destroy you;…
לָא תִדְחַל אֲרֵי בְסַעְדָךְ מֵימְרִי מִמַדִינְחָא אַיְתִי בְנָךְ וּמִמַעֲרְבָא אֱקָרֵיב גַלְוָתָךְ:
Fear not, for my WORD shall be thy support; I will bring thy children from the east, I will bring together thy captivity from the west.
אַתּוּן סַהֲדִין קֳדָמַי אֲמַר יְיָ וְעַבְדִי מְשִׁיחָא דְאִתְרְעֵתִי בֵיהּ בְּדִיל דְתִידְעוּן וּתְהֵימְנוּן קֳדָמָי וְתִסְתַּכְּלוּן אֲרֵי אֲנָא הוּא דְמִלְקַדְמִין אַף עַלְמֵי עַלְמַיָא דִילִי אִינוּן וּבַר מִנִי לֵית אֱלָהּ:
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant, the Messiah, in whom is my delight, in order that ye may know, and that ye may believe in me, and understand that I am He who was from the beginning; yea, ages after ages are mine, and beside me there is no god. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.43.2?lang=bi)
ISAIAH 44
“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;’” Isaiah 44:24
כִּדְנַן אֲמַר יְיָ דְפַרְקָךְ וּדְאַתְקְנָךְ מִמְעַיִין אֲנָא יְיָ עָבֵיד כּוֹלָא תְּלֵית שְׁמַיָא בְּמֵימְרִי שַׁכְלְלֵית אַרְעָא בִּגְבוּרְתִּי:
Thus saith the Lord, who hath redeemed thee, and who hath prepared thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, I have suspended the heavens by my WORD, I have laid the foundations of the earth by my strength; (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.44.24?lang=bi)
ISAIAH 46
“Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4
וְעַל עַלְמָא אֲנָא הוּא וְעַד עֲלָם עַלְמַיָא מֵימְרִי קַיָם אֲנָא בָרֵית כָּל אֱנָשָׁא וַאֲנָא בַדְרֵית יַתְהוֹן לְבֵינֵי עַמְמַיָא אַף אֲנָא אֶשְׁבּוֹק לְחוֹבֵיהוֹן וְאֶסְלַח:
Even unto eternity I am He, and my WORD shall endure for ages after ages. It is I who have created all men, and I have scattered them among the nations, yea, I will forgive their sins, and I will pardon. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.46.4?lang=bi)
ISAIAH 49
“And now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength—” Isaiah 49:5
וּכְעַן אֲמַר יְיָ דְאַתְקְנַנִי מִמְעַיִן לְמֶהֱוֵי עָבֵיד פַלָח קָדָמוֹהִי לַאֲתָבָא דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב לְפוּלְחָנֵהּ וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לִדְחַלְתֵּהּ יִתְקְרַב וְיַקִירְנָא קֳדָם יְיָ וּמֵימַר אֱלָהִי הֲוָה בְסַעֲדִי:
And now, saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be a perfect servant before Him, to make the house of Jacob to return to His service, and Israel shall be brought to fear Him and we shall be glorious before the Lord; and the WORD of my God shall be my support. (https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Isaiah.49.5?lang=bi)
Unless indicated otherwise, biblical citations taken from the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE).
FURTHER READING
THE TRINITY IN THE ARAMAIC TARGUMS
GOD’S SON IN TARGUM NEOFITI REVISITED
Answering Islam Blog 
Thank you Sam for this information
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May God open their spiritual eyes to see Jesus through these passages.
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