Aramaic

Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in ancient Aram (present-day Syria) and spread throughout the Near East during the first millennium BCE. It served as a lingua franca of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires, and was the everyday language of the Levant, including Judea, during the Second Temple period. Its influence extended to administration, trade, literature, and religion. Many biblical texts, including parts of the books of Daniel and Ezra, are written in Aramaic. It evolved into various dialects and continues to be spoken today, primarily by Assyrian Christians and other small communities.

Aramaic meaning with examples

• Scholars meticulously studied Aramaic texts to better understand the political and social climates of the ancient world. These texts, written on papyrus and stone, provided crucial insights into the daily lives, religious beliefs, and legal practices of people living in the ancient Middle East, offering an unmatched look into past cultures.
• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls revealed numerous Aramaic fragments alongside Hebrew texts, broadening the understanding of the language's influence during the Second Temple period. Analyzing these fragments clarified many religious interpretations.
• Jesus Christ is believed to have spoken Aramaic, and some of his sayings, such as 'Talitha kum' ('Little girl, get up'), are recorded in their original Aramaic form in the Gospels. This linguistic context helps provide insight into Jesus's culture and life.
• The Targums, Aramaic translations and paraphrases of the Hebrew Bible, were essential for Jewish communities who no longer understood Hebrew. They allowed them to engage with their scriptures.
• Modern-day Assyrian Christians continue to speak various dialects of Aramaic, such as Syriac, preserving a language with an unbroken history spanning thousands of years. They use the language in religious ceremonies, communal practices, and family life.