John 19:19 (YHWH?)

[Karl]

But don't you know what Jews believe about Hebrew? It is Lashon HaQodesh, the language that God used to speak the universe into being. Aramaic sprang up at the Tower of Babel. Before that, everyone spoke Hebrew. We <!-- s:inlove: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/inlove.gif" alt=":inlove:" title="In Love" /><!-- s:inlove: --> Hebrew. <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: -->

Which Hebrew? There have been a number of languages/dialects called "Hebrew." Modern Hebrew? Medieval Hebrew? Several dialects of Jewish Aramaic? Ah no, you must mean Biblical Hebrew. In either case, I think I just demonstrated that the name "Hebrew" isn't reserved for a specific, defined, single language. I could make up some random space language right now, call it "Hebrew," and claim all other languages derived from it.

For all we know, by "Hebrew" the Torah could mean "Proto-Semitic." How do you know for sure?

Paul, this is exactly what you were saying in another thread about Assyrians calling their language "Assyrian" when it's really Aramaic, 1st century Jews calling their language "Hebrew" when it was really Aramaic, and so on.