What is the…
Chaldee language and does any of the Bible use it?

also known as: Chaldean Aramaic, Aramaic of the Chaldean

Abraham, the father of what became the Israelite people, came from a region known as Ur of the Chaldea, or Aram, in northern Mesopotamia. Haran is there. Its language is called Chaldee or Aramaic.

This is a language variant is used by the Biblical writers in certain portions of the Old Testament, such as: Daniel 2:4-7, 28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Genesis 31:46; Jeremiah 10:11.

It is an Aramaic dialect, as distinguished from the Hebrew dialect.

It was the language of commerce and of social transaction. After the Exile gradually came to be the popular language of Canaan.

It is called “Syrian” in 2 Kings 18:26 KJV, but most modern translations call it “Aramaic” (2 Kings 18:26 NKJV, 2 Kings 18:26 NASB; 2 Kings 18:26 ESV).

Josephus wrote his work on the Jewish War in the Chaldee dialect, which was later translated into Greek, probably under his supervision. In the New Testament, Chaldee is called Hebrew. The term “Hebrew” was applied to the Chaldee, because it had become the dialect of the Hebrews (John 5:2; 19:20). In the Talmud of Rabbinic Judaism, it is called Syriac or Aramaean.

Some isolated words in this dialect are preserved in the New Testament and specimens of the vernacular language of Israel at that time.

• “Raca” —Matthew 5:22 KJV
• “mammon” —Matthew 6:24 KJV
• “Barjona” —Matthew 16:17 KJV
• “sabachthani” —Matthew 27:46 KJV
• “Boanerges” —Mark 3:17 KJV
• “cumi” / “kum!” —Mark 5:41 KJV
• “Ephphatha” —Mark 7:34
• “Abba” —Mark 14:36
• “Aceldama” / “Hakeldama” —Acts 1:19 KJV, Acts 1:19 NASB
• “Maranatha” —1 Corinthians 16:22 (an exclamation of the approaching Divine judgment)

More information

• What is Chaldea?
• Who are the Chaldees?
• About the Aramaic language
• About the ANCIENT HEBREW LANGUAGE
• What is Ur in the Bible?
• What is Haran?