The rabbis say that Ivrit is "Leshon HaKodesh" (לשון הקודש), "The Holy Tongue", and that it was ...the original and only language given to Adam, until the time of the Tower of Babel. Hebrew is normally called "Yehudit" (יהודית) in the Bible because Judah (Yehuda) was the only surviving kingdom at the time.

The Bible should have supreme authority over all other writings and holy texts, and yet, as the author Thomas Paine (1773-1809) once said,

"The Bible is a book that has been read more and examined less than any book that ever existed."

This in-depth and challenging talk takes a look at the structure of Biblical Hebrew and a general linguistic overview, before going on the look at specific examples of how understanding more about the Bible's own language can liberate us in our understanding of God's Word for our lives.

It asserts that the following are the languages of the Bible in their rightful pace in history and context:

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures):

• Hebrew (primary)
• Aramaic (local / neighbouring)

The New Testament:

• Hebrew (primary)
• Aramaic (local / neighbouring)
• Greek (international / trading)

Not so different in Israel today...

• Hebrew (primary),
• Arabic (neighbouring) and
• English (international / trading)

Much of the talk examines specific Hebrew word studies to illustrate the nuances, colour, and dynamism of this fascinating language.

Both Old and New Testament examples are looked at in order to whet the appetite for further personal study and prayer into this inspirational topic.

Old Testament:

• Love (ahavah)
• Wind (ruach)
• Nobel character (chayil)
• Trust (betach)
• Amen
• Ground (adamah)
• Faith (emunah)
• Universe (olam)

New Testament:

• Simon the leper
• Eunuchs for the Kingdom
• Went away
• More fruit