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Learning Biblical Languages: Any biblical language questions / discoveries?

Have you ever wanted to learn about a biblical language?

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IshChayil

IshChayil

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ב"ה​
I've bumped into many people at Biblical Families who are either actively learning Hebrew or another Biblical Language or have demonstrated some knowledge in these areas. I think most lovers of the bible eventually develop some varying level of interest in these areas.

I thought it would be neat to have a thread where anyone can dump any questions they have about Biblical Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek language. For those learning these languages I'm happy to offer help with grammar and strategies for study here and anyone else with proficiency can help as well.

Questions can be as simple as "is there something deeper happening in this verse?" to "why is the subjunctive mood being used in this Greek construction?"
Any knowledge of alternative biblical classical languages like Latin, Coptic, Syriac also often insight into how people viewed scripture at the time/place of translation

In Classical Hebrew the words for "study" and "teach" are closely related.
They share the same root: למד LMD
LaMaD = to study
LiMMeD = to teach -this form of the verb in Hebrew is known as an "intensive" form where often the basic meaning is intensified. SHaVaR - to break, becomes SHiVVeR - to smash to pieces
So teaching is intense learning so that when we teach we also learn more deeply the content ourselves.
Anyone who has touched on these languages should not be shy feeling that they do not know "enough" to teach. Chime in, share what you have learned and don't be shy.

Ideas for what is a good contribution here:
1-any question relating to biblical languages or auxiliary languages (like Latin)
2-sharing of any neat gem you have discovered or learned over the years where a bible language shed light on that gem (i.e. word plays in the original language, alternate meanings, rhyming etc).
3-any tip you have on learning (years ago I memorized several hundred Greek words with the assistance of cartoons acting out the words as a mnemonic device; I'll post the link to that if I can find it. I still see the girl saying "so glad to have met ya" indicating that the Genitive (girl) following the word "meta" means "with" if it's an animate thing)
4-General language learning tips you picked up which can be applied to classical languages.
For modern languages I learned it can be a great help to get movies you like which have been dubbed in the target language; I used this to learn German. I had Braveheart dialogue in English memorized so when I watched it in German it was really fun. Ich bin William Wallace! For Aramaic and some Hebrew I recommend Passion of the Christ, turn off the subtitles.
5.strategies-one strategy I recommend which is against the grain is to not focus on all the vocab of frequency x beyond a certain point. For example, if you are into eschatology and you just can't get enough Revelation then I would recommend you memorize glosses of all the words in Greek for chapters x-z to master. Then you can enjoy your win instead of constantly wondering when you'll finally know every word in the new testament and feeling bad about your progress.
6.specific original language tips which help us in our battle for polygamy recognition.
Example: the use of Hebrew אחד "echad" being chosen for man and woman to be "one" flesh. A plethora of examples demonstrate this word is a complex unity, not an absolute oneness.
7.Please learn to not count on Strong's definitions for ancient words. If you do this alone, you'll be ahead of the pack.
I'm open to any suggestions for other functions of the thread.
I think cross posting will be appropriate for example if someone makes a language-based point in another thread, it will be good to link to it with a post in this thread. I recommend the link title follow the format: Biblical Families discussion of xyz... this helps us with discovery as well.
(if you've dug deep in the past or taken the time to write a post/thread here on Biblical Families involving language stuff: please link to it here. See the format I'm using for links bellow). This will be a nice index for others searching for that stuff as the search doesn't always like it if you type just one word.
 
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Repost from Biblical Families Hebrew word for ONE reveals G-d's idea of unity between man and women.
I reposted just the Hebrew part here as the second part of that post gets into the Aramaic "memra".
********************partial repost follows*****************
The Hebrew word used here for "one" is אחד "echad"which is an interesting choice. In Hebrew we have 2 words to express "oneness". יחיד "yachiyd" which is absolutely 1, and אחד "echad" used here which expresses really complex unity.
A famous Jewish philosopher/rabbi, the Rambam, complained that "Yachiyd" would have been better here...one of the reasons for this preference is exactly what your comment misunderstands about the original ... "yachiyd" would have been a great weapon against the Christian missionaries because it ends the discussion. "echad" as it stands does not end the discussion. The same word is used in the 1st paragraph of Genesis "and the evening and the morning was "echad" day", that is to say a "united day".
Man and woman shall become "echad" flesh (not yachiyd mind you) but united. We still have our independent functions but we operate as a unit.

Echad is used in reference to clusters of grapes and other unifying language. It's true that echad does not mean there is a trinity, but it is fortuitous to this thread about binitarianism as the use of echad in the shma hints at G-d's nature of existence; it hints at binatirianism or trinitarianitism or quadratarianism.
G-d is a unity. In one orthodox Jewish prayer book I saw from Britain, that passage was even translated so,
"Hear oh Israel, Adonai our G-d, Adonai is unified." I was very surprised to see such a translation in an orthodox siddur (not mainstream like artscroll mind you).
Other aspects of the Hebrew language hint at a plurality of sorts with G-d. The very fact that אלקים elohim, "gods" is used to mean "G-d" as in the one true G-d. In fact, the way we know to translate it as "G-d" and not "gods" is when the verb is in the singular despite the noun being a plural.
 
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Paleo Hebrew (proto Hebrew, etc) - pictures represented by the Ancient alphabet don't affect the meanings of words in Biblical Hebrew.

If you are interested in "Paleo Hebrew" and why it may be a waste of your time, see this post which explains how the supposed Paleo Hebrew word pictures principle actually does function in languages like Ancient Egyptian but not in Hebrew:
Biblical Families: Egyptian Hieroglyphs demonstrate why Paleo Hebrew word pictures add nothing to the discussion of Hebrew word meanings

Biblical Families: a Thorough walk through of why Classical Hebrew was not based on pictures

Biblical Families: Wisdom Teeth-why the letter Shin (picture of teeth) does not affect meaning, and some talk about Runes

If the other stuff was too detailed, try a high level overview:
Biblical Families: Why Ancient Hebrew does not work pictographically
 
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