Editing Hebrew language (section)

==Etymology==
The modern [[English language|English]] word "Hebrew" is derived from [[Old French]] {{Lang|ang|Ebrau}}, via [[Latin]] from the [[Ancient Greek]] {{Lang|grc|Ἑβραῖος|italic=no}} ({{Lang|grc-latn|hebraîos}}) and [[Aramaic]] ''<nowiki/>'ibrāy'', all ultimately derived from [[Biblical Hebrew]] {{Lang|hbo-latn|Ivri}} ({{lang|hbo|עברי}}), one of several names for the [[Israelites|Israelite]] ([[Jews|Jewish]] and [[Samaritans|Samaritan]]) people, or the [[Hebrews]]. It is traditionally understood to be an adjective based on the name of [[Abraham]]'s ancestor, [[Eber]], mentioned in {{bibleverse|Genesis|10:21}}. The name is believed to be based on the [[Semitic root]] ''ʕ-b-r'' ({{Script/Hebrew|ע־ב־ר}}), meaning "beyond", "other side", "across";<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5676.htm|title=Strong's Hebrew: 5676. עֵ֫בֶר (eber) – region across or beyond, side|website=biblehub.com|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417133208/http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5676.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> interpretations of the term "Hebrew" generally render its meaning as roughly "from the other side [of the river/desert]"—i.e., an [[Exonym and endonym|exonym]] for the inhabitants of the land of [[History of ancient Israel and Judah|Israel and Judah]], perhaps from the perspective of [[Mesopotamia]], [[Phoenicia]] or [[Transjordan (region)|Transjordan]] (with the river referred to being perhaps the [[Euphrates]], [[Jordan River|Jordan]] or [[Litani River|Litani]]; or maybe the northern [[Arabian Desert]] between [[Babylonia]] and [[Canaan]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lib.cet.ac.il/pages/item.asp?item=12606 |title=הספריה של מט"ח |publisher=Lib.cet.ac.il |access-date=25 April 2013 |archive-date=2 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502104627/http://lib.cet.ac.il/pages/item.asp?item=12606 |url-status=live }}</ref> Compare the word ''[[Habiru]]'' or cognate [[Akkadian language|Assyrian]] ''ebru'', of identical meaning.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uycYAAAAYAAJ&q=assyrian+ebru&pg=PA9|title=A Concise Dictionary of the Assyrian Languages|last=Muss-Arnolt|first=William|date=1905|publisher=Reuther & Reichard|pages=9|language=en|access-date=10 June 2021|archive-date=8 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408152916/https://books.google.com/books?id=uycYAAAAYAAJ&q=assyrian+ebru&pg=PA9|url-status=live}}</ref>

One of the earliest references to the language's name as "''Ivrit''" is found in the prologue to the [[Book of Sirach]],{{refn|group=note|https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/chapter.asp?book=30|See original text}}{{clarify|reason=The link to ellopos a) isn't showing, and b) doesn't seem to be working.|date=September 2021}} from the 2nd century BCE.<ref name=Xeravits>{{cite book|author1=Géza Xeravits|author2=József Zsengellér|title=Studies in the Book of Ben Sira: Papers of the Third International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, Shime'on Centre, Pápa, Hungary, 18–20 May, 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y042aO03HLUC&pg=PA43|date=25 June 2008|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-16906-7|pages=43–}}</ref> The Hebrew Bible does not use the term "Hebrew" in reference to the language of the Hebrew people;<ref>Barton, John, ed. (2004) [2002]. ''The Biblical World''. 2. Taylor & Francis. p. 7.</ref> its later historiography, in the [[Books of Kings|Book of Kings]], refers to it as {{lang|he|יְהוּדִית}} ''Yehudit'' "[[Tribe of Judah|Judahite]] (language)".<ref>Kings II 18:26.</ref>