DESCRIPTION: This course is devoted to elucidating various issues in the phonology, morphology, and syntax of biblical Hebrew, with an emphasis upon historical grammar. The course will focus upon helping students gain increased competency in translating Standard Biblical Hebrew as well as gain exposure to the historical grammar of other diachronic phases of the language, such as the Archaic and Late Biblical Hebrew. The course will also give students an increased appreciation of how an understanding of the social history of Hebrew aids an interpretation of the theological message of the Old Testament.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the quarter, students will be able to (1) demonstrate an increased ability to translate a variety of different forms of biblical Hebrew, including both poetry and prose texts; (2) demonstrate a solid grasp of the history of the Hebrew verbal system and its development during the biblical period; (3) explain the different historical phases of biblical Hebrew and how they relate to certain extra-biblical Hebrew texts from the first millennium.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course provides an opportunity to achieve a more thorough control of the language of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament than allowed in introductory courses. An increased proficiency in biblical Hebrew as well as an increased understanding of the history of the language leads to a deeper appreciation for its bearing upon certain theological issues in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions. Class sessions will consist of short lectures, reading, quizzes, and translation exercises.

REQUIRED READING:

Elliger, K. & W. Rudolph. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. 5th ed. Deutsche Biblegessellschaft, 1997.

Jouon, P. & T. Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Editrice Pontifico Istituto Biblio, 1991.

Either Koehler, L. & W. Baumgartner. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 2 vols. Brill, 2002. OR Brown, F., S.R. Driver, and C.A. Briggs, A Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament, with an Appendix, containing the Biblical Aramaic. Hendrickson, 1996.

Saenz-Badillos, A. A History of the Hebrew Language. Trans. J. Elwolde. Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Smith, Mark S. The Origins and Development of the Waw-Consecutive: Northwest Semitic Evidence from Ugarit to Qumran. Scholars Press, 1991.

Assigned articles listed in course syllabus.

Waltke, B. K. & M. P. O'Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Eisenbrauns, 1999.

Young, I. Diversity in Pre-Exilic Hebrew. J.C.B. Mohr, 1993.

1. Preparation for class sessions, which requires full participation in translation exercises, secondary readings and discussions (25%)

2. A short paper on the history of the Hebrew language (20%)

3. A 12-page research paper on a topic assigned by the instructor (30%)

4. A final examination (25%)