Daniel 5 : The Pre Babylonian Exile "Ivrit"

Hello again neighbor,

Today I wanted to begin discussing something that I have been studying that troubles me greatly. The differences which exist within the "Hebrew" (MT) Masoretic Text vs. the Greek (LXX) Septuagint.

First I have placed the word "Hebrew" in parenthesis. Why? 

Because although the sentence structure (syntax) and the spelling of the words within the (MT) Masoretic Text are indeed "Hebrew" what isn't Hebrew is the Alphabet that is used to express it. 

What the Rabbi's are passing off as "Hebrew" is just the Aramaic Alphabet in it's block lettering form which they adopted in Babylon. I would discover this as I was doing research when I was teaching on Daniel as a prison ministry volunteer from 2009-2017. The Prophet Daniel happens to be one of the books still extant within Western Bibles that was originally written in both Hebrew and Aramaic. 

https://www.coursera.org/learn/organising-empire-assyrian-way/

When I enrolled in a course on Assyriology online given by Dr. Karen Radner (Organizing an Empire the Assyrian Way) I discovered that it takes three (3) years to be proficient in Akkadian. That's when I realized that the prophet Daniel declares that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael; and, Azariah were appointed to three (3) years of training:

"Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the kings descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom no blemish, but good looking, gifted in aww wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans...and three years of training for them, so that at the end they might serve before the king" (Daniel 1:5).

The Babylonians used a system of government that they copied from the Assyrians; and, the Persians would then copy as well. All three empires would subjugate the Children of Israel throughout their history. This "system" used two (2) languages both written and spoken to govern their empires. 

Daniel and his friends would have learned both Akkadian; and, Aramaic in order to serve in the King's courts. We are offered a clue about this pre Babylonian Exile Hebrew language in Daniel 5:25.

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN: 
ACCORDING TO THE "HEBREW" (MT) MASORETIC TEXT

מנא מנא תּקל וּפרסין

So. What is important about this; is that we are told that the language written upon the wall was one that was NOT KNOWN TO THE KING (actually the vice regent) of Babylon. This king was none other than Belshazzar the oldest son of Nabonidus the last emperor of Babylon. 

Nabonidus was himself responsible for bringing back the worship of the Moon God called Nanna in Sumerian; and, called SIN/SU'EN in Akkadian. The moon god is intimately associated with the Ziggurat in UR. 

𒀭𒋀𒈾

The very place that Abram (Abraham) was called out by YHVH (יהוה) from the worship of false gods. A place where he and his father Terah were exposed to the worship of this particular god (Su'en/SIN) associated with the Crescent Moon.

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Because the King couldn't read what was written; this would in fact rule out the block lettering system used in Babylon as a candidate for what was seen. There is NO WAY that King Belshazzar saw what we see below as asserted by the (MT) Masoretic Text. 

Mene "Numbered" - Mene "Numbered" - Tekel "Weighed" - Upharsin = "Divided"

מנא מנא תּקל וּפרסין

From right to left:
Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin

We are told in Daniel 5 that the King has held a great feast for a thousand of his lords; and, that they ate and drank in his presence. This must have been an enormous gathering. We are told that they were praising the gods of of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood; and, stone. They were not praising the creator of all things. The Moon God is not the Creator. I'm going to assert to you that there is a theme of Moon God worship within the Bible that needs deep consideration. 

Here is what the text of Daniel 5 declares was seen:

5. In the same hour the finger's of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and, the king saw the part of the hand that write. 6. Then the king's countenance changed so that his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 7. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans; and, the Soothsayers. The King spoke, saying to the wise of Babylon:

'Whoever reads this interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and a chain of gold around his neck; and, he shall be third ruler in the Kingdom.'

8. Now all the king's wise men came, but they could not read the writing; or make known to the King its interpretation. 

It had been over 70 years since King Nebuchadnezzar II had sacked Jerusalem. The language of Hebrew had become a dead language. Yet the Queen declared this to Belshazzar:

"Oh King, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you; nor let your countenance change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God."

Daniel was allegedly 16 years old when he was deported from the land of Israel to Babylon. Daniel was most likely in his 80's when he was called before Belshazzar. The Pre Babylonian Exile written language called "IVRIT" had become a dead language by this time. Unspoken. Unwritten. Forgotten. To all except those who lived in Samaria. Preserved for all time by those considered half-breeds; preserved by those who were hated by the Jews. 

So. What was seen? 

Here is my suspicion. The hand wrote most likely in IVRIT; the Pre-Babylonian exile script, because the King had to call someone from the old kingdom of Israel (pre exile) who could actually read the language/script that was written; and, give the King it's interpretation. 

When I was studying the Talmud itself I discovered it declares the Samaritan's have the pre-babylonian exile IVRIT. So here beneath us are the same words from the (MT) Masoretic Text; but, rendered instead using the Samaritan Alphabet. 

This is NOT Aramaic you see below. This is the SAMARITAN HEBREW ALPHABET - IVRIT HEBREW. I used the Samaritan Alphabet to render "Mene - Mene - Tekel - Upharsin." 

The pre-babylonian exile Hebrew alphabet. Preserved by the Samaritans; and, their scroll received thru Aaron's great grandson Abishua. Here is a LINK about the Samaritans and their Torah Scroll.

 

ࠌࠍࠄ ࠌࠍࠄ ࠕࠒࠋࠋ ࠅࠐࠓࠎࠉࠍ

Friend, something important occurred during the Babylonian Captivity that we are just now beginning to really understand; and, it has greater implications than you can possibly imagine. While in Captivity both the written language/spoken language of the people (those of Judah in Babylon) became Aramaic; and, the Hebrew language was abandoned by the common people. 

This explains the necessity for the Targums (Aramaic Translations) used in the Temple Service. If you have never read the Targum; or are unaware of what they are here is an article I wrote about the Targums. 

Should you go and examine the Targums themselves comparing them to the MT you will find material differences. These difference matter. Why? Because detailed within the prophet Malachi the LORD of Hosts (יהוה צבאות) YHVH TSABA'OT accussess the High Priests the Kohan'im of:

• Departing from the way of the LORD of Hosts
• Causing many to stumble at the Torah
• Corrupting the Covenant of Levi
• Not Keeping His Ways
• Showing partiality in Torah (Theirs over His)

What we have today that is passed off as being "authentic" is in fact
the Doctrine of the Scribes. 

SOMETHING JESUS HIMSELF WARNED US ABOUT

The (MT) Masoretic Text was altered by the Masorites to be materially different from the LXX. It was done POST YESHUA. These changes were made "POST JESUS." Why?

Because the Christians were using the LXX (Septuagint) to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. They were using it to prove that Jesus was the Prophet Like Unto Moses. 

We will be discussing these differences a lot more going forward. 

• How exactly was the text altered?
• What are the changes that were made?
• Where within the text can we find these changes? 
• How does this alter our understanding of the text? 
• What does this do to our existing theology?

I look forward to presenting these answers to you.
And I look forward to your reading them.