The lexicon of the targums
Onkelos is a translation, so its vocabulary is best described against the Hebrew it translates: for most Hebrew words there is one regular Aramaic equivalent, and learning the pairs is learning to read the targum. This file gives the frequent words, the regular Hebrew → Aramaic equivalents, the theological and rabbinic terms, and the loanwords.
Sources: Jastrow 1903 (cited s.v., public domain; local JSONL); Levy 1867–1868, Chaldäisches Wörterbuch über die Targumim (public domain; scan); Dalman 1905; Cook 2008, A Glossary of Targum Onkelos (Brill; in copyright, wanted). Counts are unpointed word tokens in the public-domain Onkelos (Sefaria), made on 2026-10-17; a spelling may cover more than one word (דבר is both "take!" and "word"; עבר "cross" and "side").
1. Most frequent words of Onkelos
The 40 most frequent unpointed tokens (82 922 tokens in all):
| token | count | what |
|---|---|---|
| ית | 2 463 | object marker יָת |
| יי | 1 693 | the divine name (יְיָ) |
| די | 1 636 | relative / complementiser |
| על | 1 101 | on, about |
| לא | 1 039 | not |
| כל | 937 | all |
| ארי | 936 | because, that (Hebrew כִּי) |
| וית | 775 | and + object marker |
| קדם | 769 | before (§4) |
| ואמר | 639 | and he said |
| בני | 532 | sons of |
| ישראל | 527 | Israel |
| מן | 512 | from; who |
| משה | 494 | Moses |
| לה | 465 | to him / her |
| ארעא | 436 | the earth, the land |
| בר | 410 | son; except |
| ולא | 374 | and not |
| דיי | 351 | of the LORD |
| לך | 326 | to you |
| עם | 314 | with; people |
| הוא | 312 | he |
| למימר | 308 | saying |
| אנא | 308 | I |
| יתה | 298 | him (ACC) |
| עד | 292 | until |
| חד | 282 | one |
| להון | 264 | to them |
| או | 260 | or |
| לכון | 250 | to you (pl.) |
| אלהך | 247 | your God |
| עמא | 246 | the people |
| כהנא | 224 | the priest |
| יהי | 223 | let there be, will be |
| יתהון | 222 | them (ACC) |
| גבר | 218 | man, each one |
| הדין | 206 | this |
| בה | 204 | in it |
| וכל | 198 | and all |
| כמא | 190 | as, like |
2. Hebrew → Onkelos equivalents
The regular equivalents of the most important Hebrew words. Verse references show an example; the pairs were checked in the Sefaria texts where cited and otherwise follow Jastrow and Dalman.
2.1 Nouns
| Hebrew | Onkelos | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| אָדָם | אֱנָשָׁא, אָדָם (name) | man, mankind | Gen 1:26; 2:7 |
| אִישׁ | גְּבַר | man, each | |
| אִשָּׁה | אִתְּתָא | woman, wife | Gen 3:8 (אִתְּתֵהּ) |
| בֵּן / בַּת | בַּר / בְּרַת | son / daughter | Gen 22:2 (בְּרָךְ) |
| אָח | אַחָא | brother | Gen 4:8 (אַחוֹהִי) |
| אָב / אֵם | אַבָּא / אִמָּא | father / mother | Gen 28:21 (לְבֵית אַבָּא) |
| עֶבֶד | עַבְדָּא | servant, slave | |
| אוֹר / חֹשֶׁךְ | נְהוֹרָא / חֲשׁוֹכָא | light / darkness | Gen 1:4 |
| יוֹם (daytime) / לַיְלָה | יְמָמָא / לֵילְיָא | day / night | Gen 1:5 |
| עֶרֶב / בֹּקֶר | רְמַשׁ / צְפַר | evening / morning | Gen 1:5 |
| מַיִם / יָם | מַיָּא / יַמָּא | water / sea | Gen 1:2, 26 |
| שָׁמַיִם / אֶרֶץ | שְׁמַיָּא / אַרְעָא | heaven / earth | Gen 1:1 |
| אֲדָמָה / עָפָר | אַדְמְתָא / עַפְרָא | ground / dust | Gen 2:7 |
| הַר | טוּרָא | mountain (ṯ̣ > ṭ) | Gen 22:2 (טוּרַיָּא) |
| שָׂדֶה | חַקְלָא | field | Gen 4:8 |
| גַּן | גִּינְתָא | garden | Gen 3:8 |
| עֵץ | אִילָן; קִיסָא (wood) | tree; wood | Gen 2:17; 3:8 |
| דֶּרֶךְ | אָרְחָא | way, road | Gen 28:20 |
| דָּבָר | פִּתְגָּמָא | word, thing | Gen 22:1 |
| לֶחֶם | לַחְמָא | bread | Gen 28:20 |
| בֶּגֶד | כְּסוּ | garment | Gen 28:20 |
| דָּג / עוֹף / בְּהֵמָה / רֶמֶשׂ | נוּנָא / עוֹפָא / בְּעִירָא / רִחֲשָׁא | fish / bird / beast / creeping thing | Gen 1:26 |
| שֶׂה | אִימְרָא | lamb | Gen 22:8 |
| עֹלָה | עֲלָתָא | burnt offering | Gen 22:2 |
| מִזְבֵּחַ | מַדְבְּחָא | altar | (184× מדבחא) |
| אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד / מִשְׁכָּן | מַשְׁכַּן זִמְנָא / מַשְׁכְּנָא | tent of meeting / tabernacle | (150× משכנא) |
| כֹּהֵן | כָּהֲנָא | priest | |
| נֶדֶר / בְּרִית | קְיָם | vow / covenant | Gen 28:20 |
| עַם / גּוֹיִם | עַמָּא / עַמְמַיָּא | people / nations | Gen 49:10 |
| שֵׁבֶט (sceptre) | עָבֵד שָׁלְטָן "one who exercises rule" | Gen 49:10 | |
| עֵדָה | כְּנִשְׁתָּא | congregation | (92× כנשתא) |
| תּוֹרָה | אוֹרַיְתָא | law, Torah | (59×) |
| מְאֹד (might) | נִכְסִין | property | Deut 6:5 |
| פְּנֵי | אַפֵּי | face of | Gen 1:2 |
2.2 Verbs
| Hebrew | Onkelos | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| אָמַר | אֲמַר | say | Gen 1:3 |
| דִּבֶּר | מַלֵּל (pael) | speak | Deut 6:7 |
| רָאָה | חֲזָא | see | Gen 1:4 |
| שָׁמַע | שְׁמַע | hear | Gen 3:8 |
| הָלַךְ | אֲזַל | go | Gen 22:8; 28:20 |
| בּוֹא | עַל (√עלל), אֲתָא | enter, come | Gen 49:10 (יֵיתֵי) |
| יָצָא / הוֹצִיא | נְפַק / אַפֵּיק | go out / bring out | Exod 20:2 |
| עָלָה / הֶעֱלָה | סְלֵיק / אַסֵּיק | go up / bring up, offer | Gen 22:2 |
| יָרַד | נְחַת | go down | (143× נחת) |
| לָקַח | דְּבַר, נְסֵיב | take | Gen 22:2 |
| נָתַן | יְהַב (perfect), יִתֵּן (imperfect) | give | Gen 28:20 |
| עָשָׂה | עֲבַד | do, make | Gen 1:26 |
| בָּרָא | בְּרָא | create | Gen 1:1 |
| יָצַר | בְּרָא | form | Gen 2:7 |
| יָשַׁב | יְתֵיב | sit, dwell | Deut 6:7 |
| שָׁכַב | שְׁכֵיב | lie down | Deut 6:7 |
| קוּם | קוּם | rise | Gen 4:8 |
| שׁוּב | תּוּב | return | Gen 28:21 |
| אָהַב | רְחֵם | love | Gen 22:2; Deut 6:5 |
| שָׁמַר | נְטַר | guard | Gen 28:20 |
| אָכַל / שָׁתָה | אֲכַל / שְׁתָא | eat / drink | Gen 2:17 |
| מָצָא | אַשְׁכַּח (aphel) | find | (59×) |
| בָּרַח | עֲרַק | flee | (25×) |
| הָרַג | קְטַל | kill | Gen 4:8 |
| נִסָּה | נַסִּי | test | Gen 22:1 |
| נָדַר | קַיֵּים קְיָם | vow a vow | Gen 28:20 |
| הֶאֱמִין | הֵימִין | believe | Exod 14:31 |
| הִתְפַּלֵּל | צַלִּי | pray | Gen 22:14; Tg 1 Sam 2:1 |
| נִחַם (of God) | תָּב בְּמֵימְרֵהּ | "regret" | Gen 6:6 |
| הֶאֱזִין | אַצֵּית | listen | Deut 32:1 |
2.3 Particles
| Hebrew | Onkelos | example |
|---|---|---|
| אֵת | יָת | Gen 1:1 |
| אֲשֶׁר | דִּי, ד־ | Gen 22:2 |
| כִּי | אֲרֵי | Gen 1:4 |
| הִנֵּה | הָא | Gen 22:1 |
| נָא | כְּעַן | Gen 22:2 |
| עַתָּה | כְּעַן | |
| גַּם | אַף | (131× אף) |
| אֵין / יֵשׁ | לֵית / אִית | |
| פֶּן | דִּלְמָא | |
| כֹּה | כִּדְנַן | Exod 3:14 |
| אַיֵּה, אַיֶּכָּה | אָן | Gen 3:9 |
| אַחַר | בָּתַר | Gen 22:1 |
| לְמַעַן | בְּדִיל | (110× בדיל) |
| סָבִיב | סְחוֹר | (123× סחור) |
| עִם, עִמָּדִי | עִם; בְּסַעְדִּי "in my support" (of God) | Gen 28:20 |
| יַחְדָּו | כַּחֲדָא | Gen 22:8 |
| מְאֹד | לַחֲדָא | (79× לחדא) |
| לֵאמֹר | לְמֵימַר |
3. The theological and rabbinic vocabulary
These words are the targum's own: they have no counterpart in the Hebrew verse, or replace one systematically (Translation technique and syntax of the targums §3–5).
| word | translit. | meaning | use |
|---|---|---|---|
| קֳדָם | qŏḏām | before | actions toward God (624× קדם יי) |
| מֵימְרָא | mēmrā | word, utterance | God's acting presence (Gen 3:8; 28:20) |
| יְקָרָא | yəqārā | glory, honour | what is seen of God (Exod 24:10) |
| שְׁכִינְתָּא | šəḵīntā | dwelling, Presence | God's presence in a place (Tg Isa 6:3, 5) |
| אִתְגְּלִי | ʾiṯgəlī | be revealed | for God's "coming down", "appearing" (Gen 18:21; Exod 3:2) |
| מְשִׁיחָא | məšīḥā | the anointed one | messianic readings (Gen 49:10; Num 24:17; Tg Isa 52:13) |
| בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא | bēṯ maqdəšā | the Temple | for Hebrew בֵּית יְהוָה and allusions (Exod 23:19) |
| פּוּלְחָנָא | pulḥānā | worship, service | Gen 22:2 ("land of worship") |
| טָעֲוָתָא | ṭāʿăwāṯā | idols ("errors") | for "other gods" in many places (51× טעות-) |
| דַּחַלְתָּא | daḥaltā | fear (of God); also an object of worship | Tg Mic 6:8 |
| אוֹרַיְתָא | ʾōrayṯā | Torah, teaching | |
| נְבִיאוּתָא | nəḇīʾūṯā | prophecy | Exod 14:31 |
| רוּחַ נְבוּאָה | rūaḥ nəḇūʾā | the spirit of prophecy | Tg 1 Sam 2:1 |
| רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא | rūaḥ qūḏšā | the holy spirit | Tg Writings |
| מָרֵי עָלְמָא, רִבּוֹן כָּל עָלְמָא | mārē ʿālmā | Lord of the world | Tg Song of Songs 1:1 |
| גְּמִילוּת חִסְדָא | gəmīlūṯ ḥisdā | deeds of kindness | Tg Mic 6:8 (a rabbinic term) |
| אוּלְפָנָא | ʾulpānā | teaching, instruction | Tg Isa 53:5 |
| גֵּיהִנָּם | gēhinnām | Gehenna | Jonathan and later targums |
| עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי | ʿālmā də-ʾāṯē | the world to come | Jonathan and later targums |
4. Loanwords
The targums have far fewer Greek and Latin words than the Talmuds and midrashim, because they translate a Hebrew text and keep to a formal register (Dalman 1905, introduction; Alexander 1992). What they have is mostly inherited from Imperial Aramaic or shared with the Bible:
| word | origin | meaning | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| פִּתְגָּמָא | Persian | word, thing | the normal word for Hebrew דָּבָר (77× פתגמא, 50× פתגמיא) |
| הֵיכְלָא | Akkadian (< Sumerian) | palace, temple | Tg Isa 6:1 |
| אִגַּרְתָּא | Akkadian | letter | |
| גִּזְבְּרָא | Persian | treasurer | rare |
| זִיוָא | Akkadian? | splendour | זִיו יְקָרֵיהּ (Tg Isa 6:3) |
| סַפְרָא | Akkadian-Aramaic | scribe | Gen 49:10 (וְסַפְרָא) |
| פְּרָסָא, פַּרְסָה | Persian (parasang) | a measure of distance; also "hoof" (Aramaic) | ambiguous spelling |
| קוֹלָסִין, אִיסְטְלָא etc. | Greek | not found in Onkelos (0 hits for the tested forms, 2026-10-17); frequent in JPA (The lexicon of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic) |
Checked 2026-10-18 (second pass): Krauss 1898, vol. 1, Einleitung, p. XXIII: every rabbinic work, the targums included, has Greek loanwords, but Onkelos is the purest of them; Krauss explains this by the careful language of Onkelos, not by a Babylonian origin. This confirms the opening sentence and the last row. The Persian and Akkadian etymologies of the other rows were not compared with Kohut's Aruch (unchecked: the OCR of Kohut has no Hebrew script and the entries were not looked up in the scans).
5. Words that tell Targumic from the spoken dialects
| meaning | Onkelos | JPA | JBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| see | חֲזָא | חֲמָא | חֲזָא |
| because | אֲרֵי | אֲרוּם, בְּגִין ד־ | מִשּׁוּם ד־ |
| now | כְּעַן | כְּדוֹן | הַשְׁתָּא |
| there is not | לֵית | לֵית | לֵיכָּא |
| this (m.) | דֵּין, הָדֵין | הָדֵין | הַאי |
| so that | בְּדִיל | בְּגִין | כִּי הֵיכִי ד־ |
| much, very | לַחֲדָא | סַגִּי | טוּבָא |
| take | דְּבַר, נְסֵיב | נְסַב | שְׁקַל |
| find | אַשְׁכַּח | אַשְׁכַּח | אַשְׁכַּח |
| perhaps | דִּלְמָא | דִּלְמָא | דִּלְמָא |
(Sources: Dalman 1905; Jastrow 1903 s.vv. טוּבָא, שְׁקַל, כְּדוּן, חֲמִי; Sokoloff 2002a, 2002b.)
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