Practical study of an ancient language II: Ancient Hebrew 2900-HAMC-K2-LANGHB2
This course introduces biblical Hebrew - the language of ancient Israel/Judah, in which the Tanakh/Old Testament was written. The course is accessible to absolute beginners, and assumes no prior knowledge of the language. The main aim of the course is to teach the students the basics of Biblical Hebrew and prepare them for reading Biblical texts with comprehension and using the dictionary if necessary.
Students begin by learning the alphabet and writing system, followed by systematically studying grammar and incrementally acquiring vocabulary. Their learning is consolidated throughout the course through exercises, translations, short quizzes and homework. By the end of the course, they are able to read simple Hebrew prose and conduct a detailed examination of a set text taken from the Hebrew Bible.
Over the span of the course, students will have increasing opportunities to practice putting these skills to use for the purposes of reading and translating from the Hebrew Bible. These translation tools can be applied for homiletical exegesis, scholarly pursuit, and the gaining of a deeper understanding of and access to Scripture.
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
1. Developing theoretical and methodological tools for coping with linguistic issues that are relevant for the interpretation of biblical texts.
2. Familiarity with Hebrew alphabet and punctuation.
3. A basic understanding of the language rules and a basic ability to read and translate the sentences from the Hebrew Bible.
4. To analyse the verse structure according to the cantillation signs and interpret them accordingly.
Assessment criteria
Attendance, homework, monthly quizzes, and a final exam that will either be written, oral or a combination of both.
Additional information
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