Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il>]

> On 28/01/2004 14:33, Trevor Peterson wrote:
>
>
> Well, is there any evidence from early non-Jewish Aramaic, I wonder?
> King Darius uses 'elaha in his letter in Ezra 6:3 and would hardly have
> been influenced by Hebrew, but some would argue of course that that
> letter as we have it was composed or redacted by Jews. What word for
> "god" would the real Darius have used in his letters? Is there any
> evidence from Imperial Aramaic?
>
>
The Deir "Ala Plaster Inscription immediately comes to mind. In the first or
second line, Balaam is called "xzh 'lhn".- a seer of the gods.
You can also check HALOT.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Safren, Editor
Mo'ed - Annual for Jewish Studies
Center for Jewish Culture
Beit Berl College
Beit Berl Post Office
44905 Israel
e-mail: moed AT beitberl.ac.il
Tel.: 972-9-7476396
Fax: 072-9-7476397