The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the Chaldee and Syrian Tongues. (Book 34)

THE Chaldee and Syrian Tongue was once all one, as appeareth in Gen. 31. 47. Ezra 4. 7. Dan. 2. 4. In Character indeed they differed, they of Babilon using one kind of letter, they of Syria another: This was that that nonplust the Babilonian wiz∣ards about the writing of the wall, so that they could not read it, though it were in their own Language, because it was not in their own letter. In after-times the very Languages themselves began to vary: as the Chaldee in Daniel, and Onkelos and Jeruse∣lamy and Jonathan, and the Syrian in the Testament do witness. The Paraphrasts do much differ between themselves for purity of speech, and all far short of the Bible Chal∣dee. They are very full of Greek words, and so the Syrian: a relick of Alexanders conquests: some think they find some Greek in Daniel. Montanus himself renders Osphaiae 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all along. Four kind of Characters is the Chaldee to be had in, or if you will the Chaldee in two, and the Syrian in two. Our Bible and Paraphrasts and Rabbins Chal∣dee is in the Hebrew letter, and the other kind of letter is the Samaritan. The Syrian hath either a set letter, such as we have the New Testament imprinted in, or their run∣ning hand, such as the Maronites use in their writing for speed: there is no great differ∣ence betwixt them, as you may see by their Alphabet.