Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Chavoux Luyt <chavoux AT gmail.com>]

Hi Karl

On 16 July 2013 05:43, <b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:

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 ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
<snip> 

By the way, can you document any changes that happened to Biblical Hebrew language during the 800 years from Moses to Nebuchadnezzar when it was a natively spoken language?

First off, it is known from surrounding ANE countries that scribes normally updated the language (grammar, spelling and sometimes vocabulary) when they copied a previous work. Understanding was more important than keeping archaisms. So it is reasonable that the same process happened in Biblical Hebrew.

I also think it would be good to compare the spelling used in the tunnel of Hezekiah to that used in our later copies of the Tanach. If I remember correctly, there is much less use of plene spelling (matres lectionis).

I would assume that even though some archaisms survived in the older texts, most of the language would be updated as was normal at the time. One glaring example of change is the use of the male הוא (hu) for females instead of היא (hi) found only in the Torah and in none of the later books.

Shalom

Chavoux Luyt