Aramaic is a Semitic language that belongs to Northwest Semitic group of languages, which also includes Canaanite languages such as Hebrew and Phoenician. Aramaic script was widely adopted for other languages like Arabic and Hebrew alphabets. There is no one singular Aramaic language, but each time and place has had its own variation.
The Aramaic language was the international trade language of the ancient Middle East. Originated in what is modern-day Syria, between 1000 and 600 BCE it became extremely widespread, spoken from the Mediterranean coast to the borders of India. Its script, derived from Phoenician and first attested during the 9th century BCE.
In the Bible we can find Aramaic in the book of Genesis as one expression in Genesis 31:47-"יְגַר שָׂהֲדוּתָא" - monument
Another place is in the book of Jeremiah 10:11-
"כִּדְנָה, תֵּאמְרוּן לְהוֹם, אֱלָהַיָּא, דִּי-שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ; יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן-תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא, אֵלֶּה. "
"Thus shall ye say unto them: 'The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens."
In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel we can find few chapters with Aramaic. Some of the best known stories in biblical literature, including that of Belshazzar’s feast with the famous "handwriting on the wall" are in Aramaic
Read more:
My goal for studying was to understand the text as clearly as possible, and although the language seems strange and difficult at first the payoff is tremendous! This program with the cirriculum and live interaction, has given me the chance to reach...
Aramaic and Nehemiah
I don't think this article is correct in respect of Nehemiah when it says, "In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel we can find few chapters with Aramaic." Ezra and Daniel yes, Nehemiah - I think not.