{"id":69477,"date":"2023-01-31T18:06:35","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T22:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=69477"},"modified":"2023-01-31T18:10:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T22:10:49","slug":"archaeology-a-proto-hebrew-language-in-1800-bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2023\/01\/archaeology-a-proto-hebrew-language-in-1800-bc.html","title":{"rendered":"Archaeology & a Proto-Hebrew Language in 1800 BC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

An article in Haaretz<\/em>: \u201cTwo 3,800-year-old Cuneiform Tablets Found in Iraq Give First Glimpse of Hebrew Precursor\u201d<\/a> (Ofer Aderet, 1-20-23), describes a very recent and exceptionally exciting discovery (I corrected a few typos):<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThis is something sensational. I\u2019m excited,\u201d says Professor Nathan Wasserman of the Hebrew University Institute of Archaeology and Department of Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations. His colleague from the Tel Aviv University Archeology Department, Professor Yoram (Yori) Cohen, calls it a \u201cparadigm change\u201d of \u201cvery fundamental significance,\u201d and doesn\u2019t hesitate to use the word \u201camazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big news from the ancient world centers on two cuneiform tablets that have been dated to 1800 B.C.E., 3,800 years ago. This was the era of Hammurabi, the Babylonian king known for the Code of Hammurabi . . .<\/p>\n

The text on the tablets resembles a language manual that is divided into two parts. On the first are words and phrases in the\u00a0Amorite\/Canaanite\u00a0<\/a>language \u2013 an extinct ancient language of which scholars hitherto had very little knowledge, and the second contains their translation into Akkadian, a known language that can be read and translated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this text, which is very, very ancient, words appear that anyone who knows Hebrew will immediately recognize. You don\u2019t have to be a linguist to understand the connection to Hebrew,\u201d Cohen says. \u201cBasically, we\u2019re looking at our forefathers here,\u201d he adds. \u201cThis is a very significant discovery for anyone who speaks Hebrew,\u201d Wasserman comments.<\/p>\n

Cohen adds that the text proves \u201cbeyond a shadow of a doubt\u201d that already in the second millennium B.C.E there was a spoken language that was very close to Hebrew, which has been heretofore only known from the first millennium B.C.E. . . .<\/p>\n

This language manual, which also includes sentences related to meetings between people, to addressing a king, to food preparation and to situations from everyday life, is practically the only documentation of the Amorite\/Canaanite language and the fullest example of it to date. \u201cUp to now, we\u2019ve had a very fragmented acquaintance with Amorite\/Canaanite, mainly from proper nouns and from a number of nouns from Babylonia and Canaan. And now suddenly the language is revealed to us with full documentation, with grammar, vocabulary, phrases and even poetry,\u201d Cohen says.<\/p>\n

Wasserman can hardly conceal his excitement over this text and from other parts of it that contain names of gods as well as expressions of love. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty incredible. They were actually speaking\u00a0a kind of Hebrew<\/a>. It\u2019s not really Hebrew, but it\u2019s close to Hebrew,\u201d he says. Cohen describes their language as \u201cthe mother of Hebrew\u201d and says that \u201cmost scholars agree that Hebrew developed from it and is related to it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So now we\u2019ve discovered \u201ca spoken language that was very close to Hebrew\u201d in 1800 BC in ancient Israel (Canaan). That would be quite a shock to many \u201chigher criticism\u201d Bible skeptics \u2014 were we able to raise them from the dead to inform them of this \u2014 (and a few stubborn holdovers today) who delighted in taunting Christians and Jews with their contentions that Moses (c. 1340 or 1330\u2013c. 1220 or 1210 BC, in my reckoning, based on the eminent Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen\u2019s exhaustive research) wouldn\u2019t have been able to read or write<\/a> at all, let alone write the first five books of the Bible.<\/p>\n

But now we have this evidence that predates his writing of the Torah (yes, I think he wrote it, and provide 50 reasons for why I think so<\/a>) by some 500 years or more. It\u2019s so old that it is contemporaneous with the life of Abraham<\/em> (born c. 1880\u20131860 BC according to Kitchen). Abraham would have been able to (possibly) write in language (if indeed he used this language) that Moses would have understood without much trouble.<\/p>\n

Thus the oral + written Hebrew \/ biblical tradition passed down would have had less linguistically diverse evolution than previously thought, even according to the thinking of \u201cmaximalist\u201d archaeologists, who think the Bible is remarkably historically trustworthy. The implications of this new data are monumental.<\/p>\n

Genesis 15:18-21 records the Abrahamic covenant, in which God told Abraham that his descendants would possess the land of the Amorites, Canaanites, and eight other ancient peoples in the region. It\u2019s the previously little-known Amorite\/Canaanite language that is on these tablets.<\/p>\n

In Genesis 48:21-22 the dying Jacob gives to Joseph some land (a \u201cmountain slope\u201d) that he won in battle with the Amorites. In Exodus 3:8, 17 God makes a similar promise to Moses: that the Israelites would inherit \u201ca land flowing with milk and honey\u201d form the Amorites and other groups. his was reiterated many times (see the many OT references to \u201cAmorites\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n

King Solomon enslaved the Amorites and other former inhabitants of Canaan (1 Kgs 9:20-21). That would have brought about intermingling which in turn could have contributed to the evolving Hebrew tongue. Moreover, we have the following related statement:<\/p>\n

Judges 3:5-7<\/strong> So the people of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per\u2019izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb\u2019usites; [6] and they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they served their gods. [7] And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, forgetting the LORD their God, and serving the Ba\u2019als and the Ashe\u2019roth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This mixing of the Israelis and other Canaanite cultures is what would have brought about the linguistic similarities. This is usually the way that cultures both clash and<\/em> intermingle (as seen, for example, in the mixing of the Anglo-Saxons with the earlier Celts, and then with the conquering\u00a0 Normans, in medieval England). The process was similar in ancient Israel after Moses\u2019 successor Joshua entered Canaan. I wrote in my new book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back up the Bible<\/em><\/a> (Catholic Answers Press, March 2023), in my chapter, \u201cJoshua and the Conquest of Canaan\u201d:<\/p>\n

Joshua does not describe a widespread destruction of the land. Rather, as Joshua admits (13:1), there was still much land not in Israelite hands, and the book proceeds to outline those areas (vv. 2\u20138). So the idea of a group of tribes coming to Canaan, using some military force, partially taking a number of cities and areas over a period of some years, destroying (burning) just three cities, and coexisting alongside the Canaanites and other ethnic groups for a period of time before the beginnings of monarchy [as much as 100-200 years] does not require blind faith.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

***<\/p>\n

Further Related Reading<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Bible & Archaeology web page<\/a><\/p>\n

My book,\u00a0The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back up the Bible<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Catholic Answers Press, March 2023)<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Practical Matters<\/em><\/strong>: Perhaps some of my 4,000+ free online articles (the most comprehensive \u201cone-stop\u201d Catholic apologetics site) or\u00a0fifty books<\/a>\u00a0have helped you (by God\u2019s grace) to decide to\u00a0become Catholic<\/a>\u00a0or to\u00a0return to the Church<\/a>,\u00a0or better understand some doctrines and\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0we believe them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. I\u2019m always in need of more funds: especially\u00a0monthly<\/em>\u00a0support. \u201cThe laborer is worthy of his wages\u201d (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a\u00a0full-time Catholic apologist<\/a>,\u00a0and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog.<\/p>\n

PayPal donations<\/a>\u00a0are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. You\u2019ll see the term \u201cCatholic Used Book Service\u201d, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing, including 100% tax deduction, etc., see my page:\u00a0About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong \/ Donation Information<\/a>.\u00a0Thanks a million<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from the bottom of my heart!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Photo credit<\/strong>: [David Owen\/ \u05d3\u05d5\u05d9\u05d3 \u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05d0\u05df \/ Haaretz<\/em><\/a>]<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Summary<\/em>: We now have striking direct evidence of a proto-Hebrew language dating from 1800 BC: \u201ca spoken language that was very close to Hebrew\u201d in Abraham\u2019s time!<\/p>\n

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An article in Haaretz: \u201cTwo 3,800-year-old Cuneiform Tablets Found in Iraq Give First Glimpse of Hebrew Precursor\u201d (Ofer Aderet, 1-20-23), describes a very recent and exceptionally exciting discovery (I corrected a few typos): \u201cThis is something sensational. I\u2019m excited,\u201d says Professor Nathan Wasserman of the Hebrew University Institute of Archaeology and Department of Ancient Near […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":69480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[448],"tags":[800,17001,17007,17004,13841,16902,1661,638,16893,450,449,637,17010,16896],"class_list":["post-69477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jews-judaism-old-testament","tag-ancient-israel","tag-archaeology-ancient-canaanite-language","tag-archaeology-ancient-hebrew","tag-archaeology-the-amorites","tag-archaeology-the-bible","tag-archaeology-of-ancient-israel","tag-biblical-accuracy","tag-biblical-archaeology","tag-history-the-bible","tag-holy-land","tag-israel","tag-jerusalem","tag-proto-hebrew-language","tag-trustworthiness-of-the-bible"],"yoast_head":"\nArchaeology & a Proto-Hebrew 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69477\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}