Hello, the Targum is an Aramaic translation of the OT that was done to make it clear and give the meaning to it so that the people understood what was being read (Nehemiah 8:8), so for example, if they thought that a prophecy was alluding to the Messiah, then they would directly state that. The Targum was read out loud in the public readings, so it gives insight in how they understood the OT at that time. In order to avoid giving human characteristics to God, they would use the word "memra" in its place, which is translated into Greek as "logos", or into English as "word", so the Word of the Lord is personification of God's human characteristics, they attributed creation to the Word of the Lord, and there are strong parallels between Genesis 1 and the opening of John's Gospel. For example:
Genesis 1:27 (JER) And the Word of the Lord created man in His likeness, in the likeness of the presence of the Lord He created him, the male and his yoke-fellow He created them.
Genesis 7:16 (PAL) And they coming entered, male and female, of all flesh unto him, as the Lord had instructed him; and the Word of the Lord covered over the door of the ark upon the face thereof.
On the Virtues was written by Philo of Alexandria, who was a Jew who was roughly contemporary with Jesus, but probably never met him. He also wrote:
"...the most universal of all things is God; and in the second place the Word of God (Allegorical Interpretation, II, 86)
"...the shadow of God is His Word, which He used like an instrument when He was making the world..." (Allegorical Interpretation, III, 96)
"This same Word is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race, which is exposed to affliction and misery; and is also the ambassador, sent by the Ruler of all, to the subject race...neither being uncreated as God, nor yet created as you, but being in the midst between these two extremities..." (Who is the Heir of Divine Things, 205-6)
