Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
... The Hebrew tongue was the first, and the only language on earth to the flood, and to the building of the tower of Babel, Gen. 11. 1. 9. The whole earth was of one language, and of one speech, or had the same words. At the building of Babel began the confusion of languages, and from the Hebrew, as from the mother of all the rest, all other tongues had their first beginning: for all other languages are nothing else in a manner, but as Dialects to the Hebrew tongue, of which some resemble their mother more then other: some be more estranged from her.
In that confusion of tongues, the Hebrew was preserved as the womb or mother (as Hierome speaketh) of all the rest; this was preserved (I say) in the family of Heber, who was the fourth from Noah, and lived that very time that the tower of Babel was built, and when the confusion of languages began. The Hebrew tongue then was so called first of Heber, & from him it came to his posterity, not to all, but to them only of whom came Abraham: and from him continued to the very last of all the Prophets: for Haggai, Zacharias & Malachi wrote their prophecies in this very language. Thus far of the Hebrew tongue. ...
Now to speak of the preservation of these books of the old Testament: the books of Moses & the prophets, that is, the old Testament written in Hebrew, was kept by the admirable providence of almighty God unto this day. They were preserved (I say) in most perilous & hard times, as in the burning of the city and of the temple of Jerusalem, in the captivity, & in that most grievous persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes: for he raged also against these very books; & in the great persecutions which were after Christ, under the Roman Emperors. ...
For more, see Robert Rollock on the authenticity of the Hebrew Old Testament.
In that confusion of tongues, the Hebrew was preserved as the womb or mother (as Hierome speaketh) of all the rest; this was preserved (I say) in the family of Heber, who was the fourth from Noah, and lived that very time that the tower of Babel was built, and when the confusion of languages began. The Hebrew tongue then was so called first of Heber, & from him it came to his posterity, not to all, but to them only of whom came Abraham: and from him continued to the very last of all the Prophets: for Haggai, Zacharias & Malachi wrote their prophecies in this very language. Thus far of the Hebrew tongue. ...
Now to speak of the preservation of these books of the old Testament: the books of Moses & the prophets, that is, the old Testament written in Hebrew, was kept by the admirable providence of almighty God unto this day. They were preserved (I say) in most perilous & hard times, as in the burning of the city and of the temple of Jerusalem, in the captivity, & in that most grievous persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes: for he raged also against these very books; & in the great persecutions which were after Christ, under the Roman Emperors. ...
For more, see Robert Rollock on the authenticity of the Hebrew Old Testament.
