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What Language Was The Old Testament Written In?
The Old Testament is an immensely influential collection of ancient religious writings that forms an integral part of the Christian Bible. This esteemed work of literature was primarily written in Hebrew, an ancient southwestern Semitic language that is still used in modern-day Israel. But, the Old Testament did not always exist in just one language. In fact, it was written in many languages over a series of centuries.
The earliest portions of the Old Testament were composed in Hebrew over the course of several centuries, starting around the 8th century BCE and ending in the 5th century BCE. This period marked a pivotal time in the history of Israel, the nation state at the core of the Old Testament’s narrative arc. During this span of several centuries, Hebrew was used to write numerous books of the Old Testament. This includes such foundational texts as the Books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Book of Isaiah, among many others.
As the Hebrew language was passed on through the generations, it gradually began to evolve and acquire slight semantic differences. As a result, the language of the Old Testament is now referred to as Biblical Hebrew. This term denotes the distinctive dialect used in Old Testament writings, which differs from Modern Hebrew, the contemporary version of the language.
In addition to the original Hebrew writing of the Old Testament, several other languages were employed over the centuries. As the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world, the impact of their religion and language spread as well. This began in the 5th century, when a Greek translation of the Old Testament was produced. This influential translation is known as the Septuagint, and it was used for centuries by the Jewish people, especially in the diaspora.
Another language used to write parts of the Old Testament was Aramaic. This Semitic tongue was spoken in various parts of the Middle East and Mediterranean region. In fact, Jesus Christ himself is said to have spoken Aramaic. The Aramaic language was employed to write sections of the Old Testament, including Daniel and Ezra.
The Old Testament was also written in a few other languages, including Latin and Syriac. Such a variety of languages testifies to the vitality, resilience, and tenacity of the Jewish people, who were able to keep their culture alive even in spite of displacement and exile.
In summary, the Old Testament was written in a variety of languages, including Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Latin, and Syriac. These languages were used to write the books of the Old Testament over the course of several centuries, starting in the 8th century BCE and ending in the 5th century CE. Today, this revered work of literature is available in many different translations, making it accessible to readers of all languages.
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