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  • From: "Chris and Nel" <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Discovering the language of Jesus
  • Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 18:46:14 +0100

Dear Oun,

I am not able to answer the question about Jesus, but I would like to 'donate' some balance to the idea that all the jews coming back from babylon spoke Aramaic, this reasoning propagated by many, is entirely unjustified. Nehemiah 13:24 is but a small, indicative clue to the practicality of the situation. I believe that common sense and modern history can teach us that many Jews would have retained their native dialects and passed them on. Some would have abandoned their children's language to the language of Babylonia. My own children have not been allowed to forget their native language in spite of living in an English speaking environment. I have heard and read it so many times that the Jews spoke aramaic after Babylon -- and I find it a simplistic view of a complex environment. Nehemiah 13:24 does in no way deny that jews may well be conversing in aramaic, the business community, to converse with their neighbours etc, but it also presents an unexpected portrayal of Practical daily life that I am thankful was inserted into the scripture.

Chris Watts
Ireland.



To the List memebers,

Can you give an opinion on the subject and on a book 'Discovering the
Language of Jesus'
by Douglas Hamp?

How plausible is his claim that He spoke in Hebrew; while it is
acknowledged that the Jews (Judeans, etc.) spoke Aramaic (from the
heritage of Babylonian exile)?

Oun Kwon.




  • [b-hebrew] Discovering the language of Jesus, Chris and Nel, 10/01/2006

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