“Before Me”: Pronominal Prepositions and Divine Proximity in Targum Onkelos

בְּעִדָּנָא הַהִיא אֲמַר יְיָ לִי פְּסַל לָךְ תְּרֵין לוּחֵי אַבְנַיָּא כְּקַדְמָאֵי וְסַק לָקֳדָמַי לְטוּרָא וְתַעְבֵּד לָךְ אֲרוֹנָא דְאָעָא
(Deuteronomy 10:1)

At that time the LORD said to me, “Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones and go up before Me to the mountain, and make for yourself an ark of wood.”

Why This Verse?

This verse from Targum Onkelos contains a rich variety of morphological and syntactic constructions, but our focus will be on the phrase לָקֳדָמַי — a superb illustration of compound prepositions with attached pronominal suffixes in literary Jewish Aramaic. This phrase not only conveys location and directionality, but embeds theological intimacy through its form.


Dissecting לָקֳדָמַי

Component Form Function Notes
Preposition לְ To / toward Directional prefix
Base noun קֳדָם Before / in front of Locative noun acting like a preposition
Suffix -ַי “Me” (1cs) Pronominal suffix for the speaker

Grammar Breakdown

Morphology

קֳדָם is originally a noun meaning “front” or “presence.”
– When prefixed with לְ and suffixed with a pronominal element, it behaves like a compound preposition.
– The vowel under לְ becomes qamats due to attraction from the following guttural consonant and the closed syllable structure.

Syntax

– This phrase acts adverbially, modifying the verb סַק (“go up”), specifying direction and relational positioning.
– The order of the elements (verb + directional phrase + locative noun + pronoun) is characteristic of Aramaic register, maintaining emphasis on divine presence.

Semantics

לָקֳדָמַי implies not just “before” in the spatial sense, but in covenantal nearness. Going “before Me” is more intimate than simply ascending a mountain.

Discourse and Emphasis

– The command to ascend “before Me” highlights the unique prophetic role of Moshe in Aramaic interpretive tradition.
– Unlike Hebrew which uses אֵלַי or לְפָנַי, the Targum chooses לָקֳדָמַי, enhancing directness and sacred proximity.

Textual Notes

– Yemenite traditions consistently point this as לָקֳדָמַי rather than the later simplification to לְקֳדָמַי seen in some Western recensions.
– No alternates in the major manuscripts; consistent across Targum Onkelos MSS like Vatican 440 and Yemenite scrolls.


When Presence Becomes Proximity

The phrase לָקֳדָמַי teaches us how grammatical form enhances theological meaning. Through one prepositional phrase, the Targum conveys movement, reverence, and relationship. The divine is not abstract — He is the one before whom the prophet climbs, carrying the covenant anew. In Targumic Aramaic, syntax and sanctity walk hand in hand.

About Aramaic Grammar

Easy Aramaic: A Grammar for Readers of the Aramaic Translations of the Holy Scriptures is a series of accessible and thoughtfully crafted articles designed to guide readers through the essentials of Aramaic grammar, especially as encountered in the venerable Targums. Focusing on the dialects found in Targum Onkelos—the primary Aramaic translation of the Torah—and Targum Jonathan—the authoritative rendering of the Prophets—these articles provide a clear and engaging introduction to Aramaic morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. Ideal for students, scholars, and curious readers alike, the series serves as a bridge into the linguistic and interpretive world of these ancient texts, illuminating the theological and cultural traditions preserved through Aramaic translation within Jewish exegesis.
This entry was posted in Aramaic and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.