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I have been told everything from I don't know to four different potential language, including the ancient language of "Syriac". Any serious assistance is appreciated.

Thank you

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curiousdannii
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SB1972
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    The text is written in Hebrew script with Masoretic vocalization. To my knowledge it cannot be but a Biblical text. But someone knowledgeable in Biblical Hebrew should confirm this. – Artemij Keidan Apr 08 '17 at 15:05
  • Thank you. I will try to find someone with such knowledge of "Masoretic Vocalization." However, so far I have been told by two Jewish associates that read Hebrew that it was closer to old language of Hebrew, and they could only make out some words. – SB1972 Apr 08 '17 at 15:12
  • since your "Jewish associates" told you it's Hebrew, it must be Hebrew. The difficulty of reading is because of the low quality of the picture. The term "Masoretic" refers, in this context, just to the special diacritical marks, not to the languages, which is simply Hebrew. – Artemij Keidan Apr 08 '17 at 15:15
  • Based on the information you provided regarding "Masoretic Vocalization" I search Wikipedia and found much more information to know much more it. Its not just Hebrew, but a combination of languages to be able to understand such writing. Syriac" is one of them. – SB1972 Apr 08 '17 at 15:25
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    Unless your Hebrew speaking friends have specifically learnt Biblical Hebrew you shouldn't expect them to understand it, considering it could be up to 3000 years old (about 2500 in this case.) Most English speakers can't even understand Beowolf, which is only up to 1300 years old. – curiousdannii Apr 09 '17 at 06:10
  • @curiousdannii - Comparing Hebrew and English the way you do it is wrong. English is an innovative language which developed freely and evolved along its way, but Modern Hebrew is just Biblical Hebrew revived after more than 2000+ years of it not being spoken. That is why, Modern Hebrew is much more close (at least in writing) to the Biblical Hebrew of 3000 years ago than Modern English is to the language of Beowulf of 1300 years ago. If you tell me about the differences between Biblical Hebrew and Modern Hebrew, I'll be very grateful to you. – Yellow Sky Apr 09 '17 at 16:46
  • @YellowSky Modern Hebrew is not just revived Biblical Hebrew. Some linguists (controversially) say that it is a hybrid Indo-European language. The absence of the waw-consecutive is a huge difference. Modern Hebrew has other innovations too, such as של. Very well read Modern Hebrew speakers may be able to read the Hebrew scriptures well enough, but there are enough differences that many or most speakers will struggle. – curiousdannii Apr 10 '17 at 00:05

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The language is Biblical Hebrew. That text is from Bible, Isaiah 7:14.

לָכֵן יִתֵּן אֲדֹנָי הוּא לָכֶם אוֹת; הִנֵּה הָעַלְמָה, הָרָה וְיֹלֶדֶת בֵּן, וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ עִמָּנוּ אֵל

In the King James version it is:

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

I wonder why your Hebrew-speaking friends couldn't identify the language and the text which is one of the most often quoted pieces, the prophecy of the comming of the Messiah, it took me 5 minutes to do that, although I don't know Hebrew.

Yellow Sky
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