HEATHEN SCRIPTURE, GIVEN BY INSPIRATION
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. – James 1:17
Before getting into the Heathen Inspire Originals, perhaps we should consider to whom scripture was given by inspiration in the Bible – Herb Evans
Scripture Given by Inspiration to the Ass
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? – Num 22:28, 29
Was the Ass speaking in Hebrew or Balak’s language (Moabite?)? Syriac? What language did Balaam speak not being a Jew orpart of Israel?
Scripture Given by Inspiration to Balaam
Num 23:17 – 24: (17.)And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? (18.)And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: (19.) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (20.) Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I can not reverse it, (21.) He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. (22.)God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. (23.)Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! (24.) Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
Num 24:2 – 9: (2.)And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. (3.)And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: (4.)He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: (5.) How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! (6.) As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. (7.) He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. (8.) God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. 9. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Again what language did Balaam speak? Was it Hebrew? Syriac? The language of Moab and/or Midian?
Scripture Given by Inspiration to Baruch Twice
Jer 36:1 – 4: (1.)And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, (2.) Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. (3.) It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. (4.) Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
Jer 36:23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
Jer. 36:32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.
Scripture Given by Inspiration to Pharaoh
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter [in Egypt]. -- Gen. 42:23
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee [Pharaoh] up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. -- Exo. 9:16
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. -- Rom. 9:17
A Bible Corrector from Pasadena, Texas, has very carefully challenged our published article, "Did Our Inspired Bible Expire?" which we wrote some years ago. In our article, we challenged a certain common "dogmatic" assumption, which we think some have "dogmatically" insisted upon without a proof-text that the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek (although we do not deny nor have we ever denied such a possibility).
Our article offered the possibility (to the dismay of our critic) that the scripture, at least in part, could originally be written or spoken in Egyptian, due to the scripture having been spoken to Pharaoh by Moses (before being recorded by Moses). Our rationale for the article was that a subservient Moses, after 400 years in Egypt, surely wasn't speaking Hebrew scripture (spoken first - recorded later) to an antagonistic, ruling Pharaoh. (Especially since Moses was trained in the Egyptian schools, and much earlier, Joseph spake through a Hebrew interpreter, feigning not being able to speak Hebrew without arousing the slightest bit of suspicion --Genesis 42:23.)
The objection, of course, is that "God would not use a heathen language to inspire His word." Yet, apparently many Old Testament words are not written and do not originate in Hebrew but are written and originate in Syriac, the Chaldee language, and therein are possibly even some antediluvian and Akkadian words. Moreover, parts of the New Testament are not written in Greek but in Babylonian Syriac or Aramaic. The parts that are in Greek are, more than often, based on the spoken, inspired, heathen, Syrian and Hebrew counterparts. Our contention is that God did inspire His word in certain inspired, heathen languages, despite from whichever way or prospectivethat you care to look at or view it.
Scripture Given by Inspiration in Syriac and the Heathen Language of Canaan
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha [Chaldean Syriac]: but Jacob called it Galeed[Hebrew, the language of Canaan]. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; -- Gen 31:46 - 48
And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans [Syriac]. – Dan 1:3, 4
And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac [H762], O king, live forever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. Obviously, the Chaldeans spoke to the king in a Syrian Aramaic as with the following: -- Dan 2:3, 4
. . . Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.– Ezra 4:7
. . . Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.– Esther 8:9
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall. -- Isa 36:11
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. -- Jer. 10:11
Jeremiah 10:11 and also Dan 2:4 - Daniel 7:28 and Ezra 4:8 - Ezra 6:18, are written, in heathen Syriac, the inspired language of the heathen Chaldeans. So, chalk up another "sacred" language, Bible Correctors! Do you suppose that there could be any more "sacred" languages?
What is obvious from the other above passages is that the tongue of the Chaldeans was similar but distinct and apart from the Hebrew that the captives spoke and had to be learned. Abraham left Ur of the CHALDEES and adopted the language of Canaan – Hebrew. Now, if the Bible Correctors think that we have an objection to Chaldeans speaking and writing Syriac in Babylon and it being recorded in the Bible in that language . . . we don’t. Or could it be that Bible Correctors are suggesting that the O.T was originally written in the tongue of the Chadeans? Why not Egyptian as we shall show? Moreover, we would never deny the loaner words from the Syriac to the Hebrew and vice versa, as also is the case in English from the French, Latin, Greek, and the German.
The Original Source of Hebrew
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha (Syriac): but Jacob called it Galeed (Hebrew). -- Gen. 31:47
Isa 19:18 – 20 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. – Isa 19:18 -20
When Abraham had forsaken the heathen city, Ur of the Chaldees, it seems that he also had forsaken Ur and Laban and his ancestors’ heathen language. That, in itself, would not be a surprise with the exception that it seems that he adopted another heathen language, which belonged to other idolaters and enemies of God, the Canaanites. (Nevertheless, Laban continues to speak the language of the Chaldeans (Jegarsahadutha), but Abraham's descendants spoke another language, Hebrew, the language of Canaan (Galeed). (Both have the same alphabetical characters.) But, what about the rest of the story?
Language Linguistic Families Canaanite
Old Canaanite
Moabite
Phonecian
Punic
Hebrew
New Hebrew
Ugaritic
Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia, William Bridgewater, Viking Press, N.Y. 1953
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 53-7954
Scripture Given by Inspiration to Tertius
Rom 16:22 – 27 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever.
God Inspires Galilean Hebrew Dialectand the Chaldean Syriac in the N.T. Originals
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. - Mark 5:41
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? -- Mark 15:34
Paul . . . spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you. -- Acts 21:40 - 22:1
. . . whereby we cry, Abba[Chaldean origin], Father. -- Rom. 8:15
. . . the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, [Chaldean origin]Father. -- Gal. 4:6
And he said, Abba[Chaldean origin], Father . . . -- Mark 14:36
To add insult to injury against poor Bible Correctors (who worships the so-called "sacred" Hebrew in theheathen Greek language. Some Bible Correctors think that Jesus spoke certain inspired originals of the New Testament in the inspired, heathen Aramaic, and that these inspired New Testament originals are recorded in the inspired, heathen Aramaic. We remain unconvinced of this.
In the book of Acts, Paul speaks the original N.T. "originals" in the inspired, heathen, Canaanite Hebrew, and these inspired originals are recorded in the inspired, heathen Greek. Paul and Jesus both use the word "Abba" (Chaldean origin) for father. If Bible Correctors want their minds messed up, God will send them strong delusion and great CONFUSION! See why they are such a perplexed and frustrated folk?
I would be surprised if Jesus actually spoke Aramaic throughout the gospels but rather a Galilean dialect of Hebrew. Still, many of the once supposed Aramaic phrases have turned out to be either actual Hebrew or a Galilean Hebrew, such as Peter’s, which was spotted in Matt 26:73 and Mark 14:70 (branded an “accent” in the NIV and NKJV). Of course, perhaps, a case could be made for a hybrid Hebrew/Aramaic much like a hybrid German/Hebrew that results in Yiddish. Actually Aramaic is Hebrew’s ugly sister, but there are several variations or dialects of Aramaic in various countries. It was not just one Aramaic language that was spoken in Mesopotamia, in the middle east, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Babylon, and Syria throughout history. Even Akkadian had its influence on these Aramaic languages that stemmed from Aram and Assur (Assyria).
--by Herb Evans
Flaming Torch - July/Aug/Sept 1996, p. 6 (Expanded)
Bible Believer’s Bulletin, August 1986, p.6 (As the Egyptian Originals Expanded)