DESCRIPTION:

This course is devoted to discussing and elucidating problems in Hebrew phonology, morphology, and syntax beyond the work possible in LG502 and the M.Div. exegetical core courses. In order to accomplish this goal, the course surveys the History of the Hebrew Language from its origins up until the Rabbinic period (ca. 1400 BCE-200 CE). Attention will be paid to diachronic aspects (e.g., archaic Hebrew, late Biblical Hebrew, Rabbinic Hebrew), dialects (e.g., northern vs. southern), and register (e.g., poetry vs. prose, vernacular vs. literary).

This course provides a step in achieving a more thorough control of the history of Hebrew than that provided by the basic Hebrew courses. This kind of study is requisite for those who will be engaged in the ministry of academic study and teaching of the Old Testament.

This course will require the expenditure of a total of one hundred and twenty (120) hours during the quarter. Classes and the final exam period, dealing with assigned work, will account for forty (40) hours of this total. Students will use the remainder of the time, eighty (80) hours, for their own preparation.

A Hebrew Bible.

A Hebrew Lexicon (BDB or KB).

A Hebrew Reference Grammar (Gesenius and/or Joüon).

Cross, F. M. and Freedman, D. N. Studies in Early Yahwistic Poetry. Eerdmans, 1997.

Driver, S.R. A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew and Some Other Syntactical Questions. Eerdmans, 1998.

McWhorter, John H. The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language. W. H. Freeman, 2001.

Miller, Cynthia L. The Verbless Clause in Biblical Hebrew. Linguistic Approaches. Linguistic Studies in Ancient West Semitic 1. Eisenbrauns, 1999.

Sáenz-Badillos, A. A History of the Hebrew Language. Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Rabin, C. A Short History of the Hebrew Language. Jerusalem: Haomanim Press, 1974.

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

Young, I. Diversity in Pre-Exilic Hebrew. FZAT 5. J.C.B. Mohr, 1993.

Zevit, Ziony. The Anterior Construction in Classical Hebrew. SBLMS 50. Scholars Press, 1998.

Prepared Attendance. Students must attend at least 90% of the regular class sessions and must attend the final session. Students should complete the work due before each class. Written work:

1. 2000-2500 word paper: Review and evaluation of either Cross/Freedman or Driver. [Due at midterm]

2. 2000-2500 word paper on a topic of your choice. Students will present their work near the end of the quarter. [Paper due at final]

LG502 or equivalent. Master's level students who meet the language requirement and show exceptional ability in Hebrew will be admitted with special permission.

The course meets requirements for the M.A. in Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature and for the Th.M. and Ph.D. degrees.