Jerome's translation of the Book of Exodus Iuxta Hebraeos in relation to Classical, Christian, and Jewish traditions of interpretation.

Abstract

Jerome's translation of the Bible from Hebrew into Latin is often ignored in discussions concerning his relationship with Classical, Christian, and Jewish literature. In addition, discussions about Jerome's erudition tend to collect references from Christian, Classical and Jewish literature in order to identify Jerome's sources rather than explain how he utilized his predecessors. However, recent scholarship on Jerome's commentaries has suggested that Jerome critically utilizes Christian, Classical, and Jewish informants. This dissertation demonstrates how Jerome also critically employs Christian, Classical, and Jewish learning in his translation of the Bible according to the Hebrew. Starting from a careful textual comparison between Jerome's translation of the Book of Exodus with the Hebrew and the Greek translations, the dissertation delineates three ways in which Jerome engages the Hebrew Bible. He interprets the Hebrew by itself, he may compare the Hebrew with the Greek versions, or he may rely on or respond to an exegetical tradition. Furthermore, Jerome's method of translation reflects the influence of a Classical philological model. According to this philological method, Jerome seeks to render the sense of the text rather than produce a slavishly literal translation. In addition, like the Classical commentators of his day, he initially concentrates on the semantics and syntax of the text before him. Only when the Hebrew is unclear does Jerome consider the other translations and exegetical traditions. Thus, I demonstrate that the Vulgate interprets the Bible from a Classical, Christian, and Jewish point of view and that Jerome integrates these traditions through a philological method. Therefore, Jerome's rendition must be understood as more than a plain translation. Rather, it should be read as a text that reflects the intellectual currents of its day. It must also be read as a Latin interpretation of Scriptures. The Vulgate must be treated as a work of Latin scholarship and Latin literature.