What is the value or profit of studying Aramaic? Now that we have produced a Word Study Concordance and Vertical Interlinear, why should I, as a Biblical research student, learn how to use them? I asked similar questions to these nearly 40 years ago when I first began studying the language. I have since found it a fascinating and rewarding way to study God's Word. I would like to show, with examples, for any prospective Aramaic student, an approach that he or she can use with the books which will add tremendously to his personal study of God's Word.
There is an important point to remember first of all. That is that we have no originals of the Word of God. All of the research books, both Greek and Aramaic, are based on later manuscripts of the Bible. Since we have no originals and the oldest manuscripts that we have date back to the third or fourth century AD, how can we get back to the authentic prophecy that was given when holy men of God spoke? To get the Word of God out of any translation or out of any version, we have to compare one word with another word and one verse with another verse. We have to study the context of all the verses.
In order to understand a particular verse, we as students must compare verse with verse and word with word, including a scope of the context and overall subject. It is never a particular translation or version---whether Greek or Aramaic---which is always right. But by comparing one word with another in both languages, it is available to come to a full assurance of understanding of God's Word.
With this important overall point in mind, there are five categories that will be covered in which Aramaic contributes to Biblical research:
1) Variance in the reading of a passage
2) Idioms and figures of speech show Eastern thinking
3) Word families based on concrete verbs
4) Verb intensities
5) Comparison to Greek word(s)
- 1) The simplest way to study Aramaic is to do an English Word Search and compare a verse to the King James Version and the Murdock translation. Then when something is noted which appears to be different, this can be studied more intently. Find the Dictionary Number in the Interlinear and then search that number in the Word Study Concordance. Then all the places in the New Testament where that word is used can be read.
This type of study was used in work on the resurrection appearances. A small difference was noted in Mark 16:3 and helped to understand how this passage fit together with the other gospels. The stone was rolled away on Saturday evening and when the women come to the tomb early on Sunday morning, it is already rolled away from the tomb.
Much more often, the variance in the reading of a passage does not affect how the Word fits or contradict the King James in great measure, but only gives added light and understanding.
The emphasis in this verse is the glory of his GRACE and is beautifully presented as being poured out or forth upon us. Another example is Hebrews 6:19:
An anchor holds or retains a boat from being shaken and swerved by the wind or waves. Thus the hope can be an anchor for our life so that it is sure and steadfast.
- 2) The second category is regarding the Eastern idioms and figures of speech which are common to the Aramaic language. They show the Semitic way of thinking so we as Westerners can have insight into the background of the culture by way of this language. One can just leaf through the Aramaic Concordance and see combinations of words that have a common number. These are the most common idioms, words which are always used together to mean something different than the individual words. Several examples are:
- rab baita #2271 + #243 - steward, literally, head of the house
- bar agara #323 + #19 - lunatic, literally, son of the rooftop
- kul edan #1168 + #1750 - always, literally, at every season
There are other words that are bracketed together in the Interlinear and when used in that particular combination have a specific meaning. These are marked in the Aramaic Peshitta New Testament Translation and below is the whole idiom chart in the book. Several examples are:
- to be a hypocrite is literally, to take or receive faces
- longsuffering is literally, length or continuance of spirit
- to salute is literally, to ask peace
Figures of speech are also easy to see from the Interlinear. Figures of repetition are common, for example, forms of polyptoton, "a different arrangement of the same word, a leading of the same word through different inflections.” An example not readily seen in the English is Galatians 3:16. We can see by this figure that the emphasis in the verse is on the promise.
Galatians 5:12 has an example of a particular construction using a verb participle plus the imperfect together, which almost doubles the meaning.
Literally, the translation would be “cutting, they would be cut off.” In English, we can translate these phrases with "indeed", or "really" or "definitely." Those who were advocating circumcision and troubling the believers should have indeed been cut off themselves! These are only several examples of idioms and figures of speech. This study in Aramaic is a wide-open field.
- 3) The third category is one which contributes most vividly to personal understanding and paints pictures for our minds. Every word is a part of a word family, normally based on a simple verb. Adjectives, nouns, adverbs and other verbs are derived from the simple verb. The Concordance is set up so this can be easily seen. A student can study the basic verb alone or also all the related words to get a greater perspective. The Greek language also does this, but there is one difference. Normally in Aramaic the verb root is a concrete or action word. Then other more abstract nouns or verbs are tied together with this simple verb.
"Meekness," for example, is a difficult word to define. No matter how many words are used to describe it, it is hard to communicate. However, the Aramaic root verb for meekness, #1356, makikutha, is mak, #1353, which means "to lay down flat, was spread flat, (laid) low or under." It says in 1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God...” This verse tells us exactly what we are to lay down under. Because the verb from which the noun comes is a concrete action, there is a basic understanding of all the related words in the word family. Studying many abstract words with this approach will give the student one way to get a deeper and clearer understanding of the meaning of a word or words.
- 4) The fourth category has to do with a grammatical difference between the Western and Eastern languages. Aramaic verbs have the various tenses and forms similar to Greek or English: past, future, infinitives, and participles. However, each verb also has the potential for 3 different intensities. Then there are passive forms for each of these. The meaning of the verb changes depending on which intensity is used.
A simple example of a verb which has all three intensities is, #1381, melak. The Peal (or simple form) means "to give advice, counsel or promise." The Ethpeel (or simple passive) means "was promised." The Pael (intensive form) and its passive Ethpaal, mean "to hold or take counsel." The Dictionary Number Lexicon adds the definition, "to deliberate." The Aphel (extensive form) and its passive Ethtaphel mean "to hold sway, reign." The meaning is intensified in a ladder-type progression.
Another example is the word for "love", #696, khav. In Peal, it means "to kindle, set on fire." (This is another example of an action verb as its simple root meaning.) In Pael, it means "to be ardently attached to, cherish." It implies great affection and care and this intensity fits perfectly with the meaning in 1 Thessalonians 2:7,8 where it is used. But in Aphel, it means to love. One place the Aphel form of this verb is used is in I John 3:11: "we should love one another." Another place is Philippians l:8:
The adjective "greatly" is missing in the Aramaic because it is communicated in the verb.
A fourth intensity is very rare, called Shaphel, with its passive, Eshtaphal. This is like the fourth step in the ladder and is extra-extensive. It is the form used in Colossians 2:10: "And in him also you are absolutely completed because he is the head of all principalities and authorities." So when studying verbs, insight can be gained by noting the intensity and thus its specific meaning.
- 5) The fifth category has to do with the comparison with Greek words. Sometimes there are several Aramaic words that correspond to only one Greek word and also vice versa. When there is a different Aramaic word used other that the usual correspondence, it will help to understand the meaning of that particular context. An example is that there are two different Aramaic words for savior. One is #2044, paruqa, which is the most common and lines up with the Greek word, soter, most of the time. There is another Aramaic word which also corresponds to soter, and that is #785, makhyana, which comes from the verb "to have or give life" and it means "life-giver." It is used, for example, in 1 Timothy 2:3-4.
God is the giver of life and it is his great desire that all men should have that life.
To summarize, a study of a short passage will show how these categories can be noted together.
First of all, note the comparison in the English to see what you would like to study further. "Labour" is the number in the Concordance (#1265). "I will give you rest" is "I will refresh you." If you check the number in the Interlinear, it is #1483. There is "restful" for "meek" and "meek" for "lowly." Those two words can be studied more intently. "In heart" is "in my heart".
When these things noted above are explored further, the student will find that there is a figure of speech, a repetition of the words for rest, all having the same root in the Concordance: "I will refresh you", "I am peaceful" or restful, and "you will find rest." The simple verb from which all these forms are derived is #1483, nakh, which means "to cease." It is used in its simple Peal form in Luke 8:24, where the wind and raging of the water in a storm "ceased." Keeping this simple action meaning in mind, when Jesus Christ says that he is "restful," it means that he is quiet. The storms of his life have ceased. This is a vivid picture of one kind of "meekness," which is seen easily because of the root meaning of the verb.
The root verb of the word for "lowly" is mak, which was mentioned previously, "to lay down flat." One can do an extensive work on comparing the Greek words for meekness and rest with these two Aramaic words. The humbleness of mind that Jesus Christ came from his believing literally all of God's Word and thus he could rest and be quiet in that assurance. "I will refresh you" is in the Aphel form (extensive). It means, "to cause to rest, make rest", thus refresh is a good translation. When we come to God by believing His Word - for us, all that He accomplished for us in Christ Jesus - we too will be caused to rest.
Keeping these five categories in mind while studying and Word Study Concordance and Interlinear will definitely help you as a Biblical research student, applying the keys to research. It is my prayer and believing that in your personal study of God's Word Ephesians 1:18 will be a living reality.
[1] E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, p. 267.
[2] Jennings, Syriac New.Testament Lexicon, p. 122.
[3] Ibid, p. 68.