Re 144-1: Biblical Hebrew I

 
Re 144 "Biblical Hebrew I": This is the first semester of a two-semester course in Introductory Biblical Hebrew. The course will cover the fundamentals of grammar as well as substantial readings from the Old Testament in the original Hebrew. Instruction will also be provided on the proper use of lexical tools that are useful for biblical research. Open to those with no knowledge of Hebrew; also to those who know some Hebrew but who wish to improve their skills in reading and grammar.
 
 
[ Course Requirements , Schedule , Goals and Objectives , September, October, November, December ]


Re 144-1: Biblical Hebrew I
Fall 1999
MWF 12:30 - 1:30PM

Professor Dr. Andrew G. Vaughn
Office Old Main 105C
office telephone x7475
home telephone 625-2797 (before 9PM)
office hours MW 1:30 - 3:30; Tu 12:45 - 2:00

Required Texts (for both semesters):
Seow, A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew, Revised Ed. (abbrev. Seow)
Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Lexicon (abbrev. BDB)
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (abbrev. BHS)


Goals and Objectives of the Course: The primary goal of the course is to enable the student to read and interpret the Hebrew Scriptures in the original language. With this in mind, the course introduces elementary Hebrew grammar and syntax in the context of reading selected passages from the Old Testament in Hebrew. The student will be introduced to a variety of genres in the Old Testament (i.e, poetry and prose). In order to aid the student in interpretation of Old Testament texts, we will devote study to the proper use of various lexical tools and commentaries. By the end of the second semester, the student should be able to read and interpret a large portion of the Hebrew Bible with the use of lexical aids.

 

Course Requirements: The following requirements will facilitate the goals listed above:

  1. Faithful attendance and participation in class (you cannot learn Hebrew if you do not come to class)
  2. Completion of daily homework assignments (you may work with your classmates on these)
  3. Completion of daily vocabulary assignments (much of learning Hebrew is just memorization)
  4. Participation in "Interpretation Workshops" during the class hour
  5. Completion of weekly quizes
  6. Completion of a mid-term exam
  7. Completion of a final exam (we may have individual, oral exams)


Anticipated Method of Evaluation:

 Attendance

15%

 Homework

10%

Weekly Quizes

40%

Midterm Exam

15%

Final Exam

20%

Total

100%

 

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

 

Sep. 08 (W): Course introduction and The Alphabet
10 (F): Quiz on Lesson 1 and Introduction to Lesson II (vowels and varia)
 
13 (M): Lesson II (vowels and varia)
14 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 10:30 and 12:30)
15 (W): Lesson III (The Noun):
17 (F): Quiz on Lessons I-III and Introduction to Lession IV (Hebrew Roots)
20 (M): Lessons IV and V
21 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:45 and 2:30)
22 (W): Lesson VI
24 (F): Quiz on Lessons I-VI
  • vocabulary from Lessons II - VI
  • Irreg. Plurals on p. 43 (I will give some choice here).
  • Forming plurals of segolete nouns (I will choose these from p. 45, ex. B)
  • Forming plurals of the nouns with dipthongs that are on p. 20
  • Forming plurals of the nouns from p. 22, ex. A.
  • 27 (M): Lesson VI
    29 (W): Lesson VII
    Oct. 01 (F): Quiz on Lessons I-VII
  • vocabulary from Lessons II-VII
  • definate article, preposition min, prefixed prepositions (questions taken from p. 62: a, b, and c)
  • inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • uses of the adjective (p. 72-3, #s 3 and 4) (questions taken from p. 76: a and b)
  • 04 (M): Lesson VIII
  • vocabulary from Lessons VIII (tape of vocab)
  • study inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • study the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • read and translate Gen 1:1-7 with help of notes in Seow
  • 05 (Tu): Nobel Conference
  • turn in p. 86:a-c to the professor's office before 5PM.
  • 06 (W): Nobel Conference
    07 (Th): Pick up your homework from the professor's office (answers to p. 87:b, d)
    08 (F): Quiz on Lessons I-VIII
  • vocabulary from Lessons II-VIII
  • study inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • study the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • Hebrew translation taken from p. 76:b or p. 87-88:d
  • 11 (M): Lesson IX
  • read the chapter
  • memorize the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • memorize the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • vocabulary from Lesson IX (tape of vocab)
  • 12 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:45 and 2:00)
  • p. 102: a, and b. (answers to 102:a)
  • worksheet on prepositions and suffixes (answers)
  • 13 (W): Translation day
  • read and translate Gen 1:1-19 uses notes from Seow
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • review inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • review the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • 15 (F): Translation day
  • read and translate Ps 146:6-10 using notes from Seow
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • review inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • review the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • 18 (M): Translation day
  • translate p. 103:d (answers)
  • translate Gen 41:17-20 using notes in Seow (p. 103)
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • review inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • review the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • 19 (Tu): stop by Andy's Office between 12:45 and 2:00 with questions for midterm
    20 (W): midterm exam
  • vocabularly Lessons II-IX
  • translation passages covered on the syllabus to date
  • the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • the Qal participle paradigm (p. 79)
  • 22 (F): Reading Period
    25: (M): Reading Period
    27 (W): Lesson X
    28 (Th): Homework for quiz
    29 (F): quiz
  • the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • inflection of the adjective paradigm (p. 70)
  • Nov. 01 (M): no class
    02 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:40 and 2:00)
    03 (W): Lesson XI
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • translate Deut 29:12-14
  • 04 (Th): Homework for quiz
    05 (F): quiz
  • the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • 08 (M): Lesson XII
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • 09 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:40 and 2:00)
    10 (W): Lesson XIII
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • review the "type C" suffixed pronouns on the preposition `al (p. 97)
  • 11 (Th): Homework for quiz
  • review the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • 12 (F): Quiz
  • the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • 15 (M): Lesson XIII
    16 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:40 and 2:00)
     
    17 (W): no class-- study for Friday's quiz
    19 (F): Quiz
  • the "type A" suffixed pronouns on the preposition bet (p. 94)
  • 22 (M): no class (professor at a conference)
    24 (W): Lesson XIV (and vocabulary quiz)
    26 (F): Thanksgiving break
    29 (M): Lesson XIV
    30 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:40 and 2:00)
    Dec 01 (W): Lesson XIV
    03 (F): Lesson XIV and quiz
    06 (M): Lesson XV
     
    07 (Tu): Homework check (stop by Andy's Office between 12:40 and 2:00)
    08 (We): Lesson XV
    10 (F): No quiz! Just translations!
     
     
     
    Final Exam (on Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999, at 8:00AM in our classroom):