Biblical Languages

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BIBLICAL LANGUAGES

Biblical languages consist of the tongues used by the inspired authors in writing the sacred Scriptures. All the protocanonical books of the Old Testament were written in Hebrew, except about one-half of Daniel (Dn 2.4b7.28) and two sections of Ezra (Ez 4.86.18;7.1226), which were composed in Aramaic. Of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, two (2 Maccabees and Wisdom) were composed in Greek; the others were written originally in Hebrew or Aramaic, but have been preserved only in ancient translations (especially Greek), except that about two-thirds of Sirach has been preserved in its original Hebrew. All the books of the New Testament were composed in Greek. On the nature of these tongues as used in the composition of the sacred Scriptures, see hebrew language; aramaic language; greek language, biblical.

[l. f. hartman]