# Is this verse of (Bible) scripture Hebrew?



## Issachar

Good day to all, Could someone please tell me if "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani" is Hebrew? These are the famous words of Jesus in the 27th chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, verse 46 (And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?).

Thanks in advance,

David


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## scriptum

It's Aramaic (afaik, the correct pronunciation is "shvaqtani")


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## Issachar

Thanks you for the quick response. Do you know the distinction between Hebrew and Aramaic? I mean is Aramaic a Hebrew dialect? or is it a separate language?

Thanks.


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## übermönch

Issachar said:


> Thanks you for the quick response. Do you know the distinction between Hebrew and Aramaic? I mean is Aramaic a Hebrew dialect? or is it a separate language?
> 
> Thanks.


No, Aramaic is a separate semitic language which was the lingua franca in the middle east during Roman antique. It was the secular language of Judaism (as opposed to the _holy _Hebrew) and remained so until modern times in some communities.


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## Issachar

übermönch said:


> No, Aramaic is a separate semitic language which was the lingua franca in the middle east during Roman antique. It was the secular language of Judaism (as opposed to the _holy _Hebrew) and remained so until modern times in some communities.



Would this be similar to saying that French is a separate Western language?


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## übermönch

Issachar said:


> Would this be similar to saying that French is a separate Western language?


Almost. There is no 'western' language family, French belongs, like Spanish and Italian to the Romance languages which together with Germanic, Celtic and other languages stem from the Indoeuropean language family. Similarily Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac and Aramaic are Semitic languages from the Afroasiatic language family which also encompasses Amharic(Ethiopian) and Coptic(Egyptian).


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## Issachar

Thank you Scriptum and Ubermonch. I always appreciate when someone comes to my rescue on questions of interests that I may have. I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to help me along in my search for understanding this chaotic world that we live in.

Peace and blessings.


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## Flaminius

A parallel phrase can be found in Hebrew, Psalm 22:1 (or 2, depends on redactions).

אֵלִי אֵלִי, לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי
Eli Eli, lama `azavtani


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## Veggy

Does anyone know the exact meaning of the Aramaic word sabachthani? Is the english forsaken the only possible translation?
Thank you


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## scriptum

Veggy said:


> Does anyone know the exact meaning of the Aramaic word sabachthani? Is the english forsaken the only possible translation?


shvaqtani means "you left me".
The root sh-b-q seems to mean "to let go" in the widest sense of the word: to leave, to forsake, to pardon, to allow.


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## Veggy

Thank you very much for your clear answer, scriptum.


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