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INTRODUCTION:

My original purpose in writing this page was to document Scriptural evidence indicating what language the Scriptures were written.

There seems to exist a large contingent of persons who believe the B'rit Hadasha was written in Aramaic, Greek or some language other than Hebrew. I this belief is erroneous.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls seem to support the conclusion that the TeNaKh AND the B'rit Hadasha (Old and New Testaments) were written originally, almost exclusively in Hebrew. While there exists evidence to indicate that more than one of the books of Scripture was originally penned in a language other than Hebrew, it appears to me that the preponderance of the evidence supports the conclusion that the vast majority of the Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew.

I am also interesting in knowing how similar the languistic contructs for Hebrew and Aramaic are. Hebrew due to its root structure uses 'Hebrewisms' heavily in the TeNaKh. 'Hebrewisms' are where words with similar roots sounds are used to indicate similar meaning. Much like a 'play on words' in English. I would like to know if Aramaic is structured similarly and if they imploy the same linguistic style.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

Zephaniah 3:9

9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. (KJV)

John 1:38

38"Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?" (KJV)

John 1:41

41"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." (KJV)

John 1:42

42"And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. " (KJV)

Acts 9:29

29'And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.' (KJV)

Interesting to note that with the word, 'Grecians/Hellenists', 1st century believers differentiated between Jews that spoke Greek and those that did not.

Acts 9:36-40

36'Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.' (KJV)

37'And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.' (KJV)

38'And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.' (KJV)

39'Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.' (KJV)

40'But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.' (KJV)

There is information here I am missing. The Scriptures mention her name by interpretation is Dorcas and use that name twice, but when Peter/Kĕpha goes to awaken her, he calls her by her other name, Tabitha/Tabitha.

Acts 21:37

37"And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?" (KJV)

This verse can be taken to say that Paul was speaking Hebrew or Aramaic but it does seem to indicate that he was not speaking Greek. Since he was talking to the Roman captain he was most likely speaking Aramaic.

Acts 21:40

40"And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying," (KJV)

If Hebrew was a dead language and most of the people spoke Aramaic, why would Paul/Sha'ul choose to speak to them in Hebrew?

Acts 22:2

2"(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)" (KJV)

The common people obviously knew and understood Hebrew at the time.

Acts 26:14

14"And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." (KJV)

The voice spoke Hebrew and Saul understood the language.