DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an introduction to the grammar and syntax of Biblical
Hebrew. The mastery of the basics of Hebrew will form a foundation on which to
build and develop skills which can be applied to study in a Hebrew exegetical
class, to further exploration of Semitic languages, or to growth in personal
Bible study.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
Anyone who has taught from the Bible will be aware that different versions of
the Bible often give radically different translations for the same verse and
that consulting commentaries can sometimes increase the confusion. A knowledge
of Hebrew can equip a person to make intelligent choices among the array of
options presented by commentators and translators.
COURSE FORMAT:
The class will meet twice weekly for four-hour sessions. The course will be
based on the material in the required texts for the class. Classes will consist
of lecture, reading from the Hebrew Bible, translation exercises, and daily
quizzes. Because of the structure of this class, attendance at every class
session is extremely important.
REQUIRED READING:
Brown, F.; S. R. Driver; and C. A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon.
Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.
Elliger, K. and W. Rudolph. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. 5th ed.
Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1997.
Gesenius, Wilhelm. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar. Edited and enlarged by Emil
Kautzsch. Second English Edition by A. E. Cowley. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1995.
Haney, Linda. Beginning Hebrew Grammar: Summer, 2005.
_________. Beginning Hebrew Workbook: Summer, 2005.
Williams, Ronald J. Hebrew Syntax. 2nd ed. Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 1992.