Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Chris and Nel" <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>]

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.