LG502
Haney
LG502: BEGINNING HEBREW. Linda S. Haney.
DESCRIPTION:
- This 8-hour intensive course provides an introduction to the
grammar and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Students will be introduced to and given
practice in the use of Hebrew grammatical and lexical reference works. The
mastery of the basics of Hebrew, along with the use of widely available tools,
will provide the student with the necessary competency to begin reading and
interpreting the Hebrew Bible.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- Very often those in the church find the Old Testament confusing, or
they fail to recognize the relevance of the Old Testament witness to Christian
life. An understanding of Hebrew will help to build a bridge into the cultural
world of the Old Testament, to equip a person to make informed choices among
the exegetical options offered by translations and commentaries, and to enable
him or her to add depth of understanding to personal Bible study. In addition,
those interested in further study of the Old Testament or other Semitic
languages will have formed a foundation on which to build and develop the
skills necessary for those pursuits.
COURSE FORMAT:
- The course will be based on Kelley's grammar, supplemented by
material that further explains various features of the language. Class will
meet twice weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays for four hours each. Classes will
consist of lecture, reading from the Hebrew Bible, recitation in class from
assigned homework, and frequent quizzes designed both to reinforce learning and
to provide students with feedback about their progress.
REQUIRED READING:
- Kelley, Page H. Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.
- Elliger, Karl, and Wilhelm Rudolph, eds. Biblia Hebraica
Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1990.
- Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, eds. A Hebrew and
English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1979.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- An intensive language course requires a major time commitment from
those taking it. The seminary guideline for class preparation is two hours of
outside preparation for each hour of class time. This translates into sixteen
hours a week preparation time in addition to the eight weekly hours of class
time. Assignments will be made based on the expectation that this amount of
time will be spent. Because there is a great deal of material to cover in a
relatively short amount of time, attendance at class is vital as well. Typical
assignments will include a vocabulary list to learn, text to read and study,
and exercises to prepare. Quizzes will be frequent, and there will be a midterm
exam. The student's grade will be based on class participation, daily quiz
scores, the midterm exam, and the final.
PREREQUISITES:
- Good standing.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Meets the M. Div. core requirement in Hebrew (HEB).
FINAL EXAMINATION:
- Yes.