Ancient Words

Why would anyone want to learn a foreign language?

Besides the fact that you almost have to if you want to go to college.   What about learning an ancient language... even perhaps a once dead language?

Back when we decided to homeschool, the prospect of choosing our learning path made me almost giddy with excitement.  The limitless possibilities, the time flexibility and the freedom to chart our own course.   Foreign language learning was of no exception.  I knew we would probably choose something non-traditional in this department too.  The children have dappled in common languages like Spanish (in fact attend that one at co-op for a class now), but several years ago we decided that learning Hebrew just might be the better fit.

My mother-in-law has been teaching herself Hebrew for years now.  She doesn't use the fancy-smancy computerized, voice-recognition program that we have.  She found a used language book and has spent hours pouring over the words, practicing out loud and labeling items in her house.  Truly a dedication that amazes us still.

So, of what value does a language like Hebrew gain us in this modern world?  Well, being believers in YHVH  (God) we really want to understand Him better.  Most of the biblical translations including the King James are all translations of the original manuscripts written in Hebrew and Greek.  Have you ever heard the saying "lost in translation"?  Well, much of what we read in our current translated bibles has lost meaning through word and cultural changes.  It's like me trying to explain what I think a french book means even though I've never lived in France.

Many Biblical scholars say that Hebrew very well could have been the first written language.  It was first referred to as pictoral a.k.a. Paleo-Hebrew.  Many other pictoral languages on caves, etc. could be versions of these first writings.  It's often called God's holy language and if you ever study the origins of the book of Enoch (in the Apocryphal readings not the canonized Bible... video study link here: http://vimeo.com/49239310) there's new evidence that Enoch was living around the time of Seth (Adam and Eve's son).

Enoch was described as a scribe and the book of Enoch was found with the Dead Sea Scrolls several years ago...course all written in Hebrew.  Now whether the earth is merely 6000 years old or millions, that's a topic for another post, but we do know that biblical Adam can be traced back 6000 years.  So, for YHVH's people understanding the plight of humanity through Adam should be of interest...who more than likely spoke Hebrew!

Understanding some Hebrew can help believers make better sense out of the original translations through word studies and shed light on the details of our existence.  Learning about Hebrew roots is a part of recognizing who we are as children of God.  Unfortunately, this is rarely taught in mainstream denominational churches  where much emphasis is placed on 'feel good religion'.

Doing what we think is right in our own eyes is not the same as doing what is righteous defined by the scriptures.  How do we know what righteousness pleases YHVH?

We have to read and STUDY (word studies...including looking up the hebrew) His written word.

Noah working on his Hebrew