Old Testament LG1100 - Hebrew

2008 J-Term Diane Jacobson, Prof

9:00- 9:50; 10:40-11:30 - Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri Bockman 104C, ext. 268

9-9:50; 11-11:40 - Wed

2008 Spring Term, first six weeks Joe Hilgenkamp,

Tue, Thu 8:30-9:50 teaching assistant, 612-710-0706

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An introduction to Hebrew grammar and syntax. Reading and analysis of selected Old Testament texts explores the nature of translation and its relation to interpretation. Help is given in effective use of resources such as BibleWorks, grammars, lexicons, concordances, parsing guides, and inter-linears. Mastery of basic vocabulary is stressed.

TEXTS

Jacobson, Diane Hebrew LG1100 Introduction to Hebrew Powerpoint Pages

Kelley, Page H., Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.

Pratico, Gary and Pelt, Miles. Zondervan Study Guide: Biblical Hebrew. 2005.

Scott, William, A Simplified Guide to BHS. Berkeley: Bibal, 1987.

Either BibleWorks or

1. Either Biblia Hebraica or an Interlinear

2. A Hebrew Lexicon such as one by Brown, Driver, Briggs or Holliday

OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire a beginning knowledge of Hebrew grammar and vocabulary.

2. To learn Hebrew well enough to begin to be able to understand the Hebrew that stands behind the English Bible and to compare critically the various translations of the Hebrew Bible.

3. To facilitate the reading of secondary literature that refers to Hebrew.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND EVALUATION

1. Attendance and participation in class in partnership with one other student* (15%)

2. At least two hours work out of class (exercises, test preparation, learning vocabulary,

and translation) for every hour in class. Completing the exercises is crucial drill practice.

Help is provided with regular sessions with the teaching assistant. (15%)

3. Four tests on grammar (largely translation, plus reproduction of the perfect and

imperfect of the regular verb) These tests both complete the drills and are intended to

challenge you to go to the next level (30%)

4. Seven vocabulary quizzes to be passed by 80%, retaking all failed quizzes (20%)

5. Midterm Take-Home Exam, due Tuesday, February 7 (10%)

6. Final Oral Exam (10%)

*Each student is to form a partnership with one other student. Your role as partner is to help each other to keep up, to clarify points of confusion, to check each other’s work when helpful, and to answer questions asked in class in partnership with one another.

CLASS SCHEDULE

January

Thu.,3 Chap.I - The Alphabet - Consonants

Fri.,4 Chap.II – Vowels; Chap.III - Strokes, Dots, and Shevas

Mon.,7 Chap.IV - Accents, Letters and Syllables

Tue.,8 Test #1 - 0n first four chapters;

Chap.V - Gutturals and the Definite Article ** Exercise #1 (due Tue.)

Wed.,9 Chap.VI - Prepositions and Conjunctions;

Chap.VII - Nouns: Gender and Number **Exercise #2 (due Wed.)

Thu.,10 Chap.VIII - Adjectives: Gender, Number, and Usage

**Exercises #3 and #4 (due Thu.)

Fri.,11 Vocab Quiz #1 - 35 words; Chap.IX - Pronouns: Personal and Demonstrative

Mon.,14 **Exercise #5 (class); Review

Tue.,15 Test #2 - On chapters 5-9; Chap.X - Nouns: Segholates and Constructs

**Exercise #6 (due Mon.)

Wed.,16 Chap.XI - Pronominal Suffixes, on Prepositions and Nouns

**Exercise #7 (due Wed.)

Thu.,17 Vocab Quiz #2 - 50 words; Chap.XII - The Verb: Qal Perfect **Exercise #8 (due Thu.)

Fri.,18 Chap.XIII - Interrogatives and Numbers; Review **Exercise #9 (class)

Tue.,22 Test #3 - On chapters 10-13; Chap.XV - Qal Imperfect **Exercise #10 (due Mon.)

Wed.,23 Chap.XV cont.: Jussive and Cohortative;

Chap.XVI - Vav (W) Consecutive and Directive h **Exercises #11&12 (due Tue.)

Thu.,24 Vocab Quiz #3 - 50 words; Chap.XVIII - Imperatives & Negative Commands;

Chap.XIX- Infinitive: Construct & Absolute **Exercises #13 &14 (due Wed.)

Fri.,25 Chap. - Participles; Review of the Regular Verb **Exercise #15 (class)

Mon.,28 Test #4 - On the regular verb; Chap.XIV – Niphal **Exercise #16 (due Fri.)

Tue.,29 Use of Tools – books and BibleWorks; Piel and Pual **Exercise #17 (due Mon.)

Wed.,30 Hiphil, Hophal, and Hithpael; Parsing practice and tools

**Exercise #18 and #19(due Tue.)

Thu.,31 Vocab Quiz #4 - 50 words; Intro to Weak verbs and parsing practice;

Take-Home Midterm Exam, due Thursday, Feb.7

CLASS SCHEDULE (continued)

Each student is expected to come to class prepared to offer a credible translation of the text of the day as well as correct parsing of verbs, analysis of other words, and interesting observations about what you have learned from reading the text in Hebrew.

February

Thu.,7 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (6 verses)

Tue.,12 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (cont)

Thu.,14 Vocab Quiz #5 - 50 words; Review Midterm

Tue.,19 Genesis 22:1-14 (14 verses)

Thu.,21 Genesis 22:1-14 (cont.)

Tue.,26 Genesis 21:14-21 (12 verses)

Thu.,28 Genesis 21:14-21 (cont.)

March

Tue.,4 Vocab Quiz #6 - 50 words; Psalm 121 (8 verses)

Thu.,6 Psalm 121 (8 verses)

Tue.11 Introduction to Text Criticism

Thu.,13 Vocab Quiz #7 - 50 words; Genesis 1: 1-5 (5 verses)

Tue.,18 Finish Genesis 1

Final Oral Exam: Read aloud, translate, and answer questions about either

Psalm 121 or Genesis 1:1-5.

Students will sign up in groups of six for time slots on Tuesday, March 18

and Wednesday, March 19.

Those who wish to continue translating Hebrew at this same time for the next six weeks are invited to register for LG6112DS Basic Hebrew Reading, an elective designed for just this purpose!