Cyberdov

Everyone knows that Haman and his ten sons were hung from a tree - right? Esther 9:13 from the 1917 edition of the JPS translation reads: “… let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.” However Elan pointed out to me today that the new JPS translation has this as: “impaled on sticks”.

Any ideas where this novel translation came from?

UPDATE - Elan called me this morning with further info. The first time the term ‘Tala al Etz’ is used is in Genesis 40:19, where Joseph tells the butler, translated by the 1917 JPS as ” within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree;” - but if his head were cut off, why hang him? And how? Perhaps impaling is more suitable. There is also some indication that impaling was a common punishment at the time. Elan also suggested that as hanging became more popular, the meaning of the word may have changed.

Filed under: , DJC, Torah