HB 2201: Beginning Biblical Hebrew I

Course Description

For students who wish to read, hear, and even (to an extent) produce Hebrew, this course offers a textually immersive introduction to classical Hebrew. Grammatical features like morphology, phonology, and syntax are learned inductively, through a cycle of illustrated readings drawn from Genesis. Techniques of second-language acquisition are also used to help develop language competency. Continuation in HB 2202 is strongly recommended. This course is open to AST students and to Continuing Education participants.

Prerequisites: None. The course is required for HB 2202 and advanced biblical Hebrew.

Requirements: Daily assignments and in-class work, periodic quizzes, one or two longer interpretive exercises or exams.

Download the latest syllabus (Summer 2022, v 3.6.0).

Student access is through Microsoft Teams. Registered students, use your AST email address to log in.

Required Texts (Summer 2022)*

LBH Grammar
Karl V. Kutz and Rebekah Josberger. Learning Biblical Hebrew: Reading for Comprehension: An Introductory Grammar. Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2018. ISBN 978-1683590842.
Note that LBH has a companion site with resources for teachers and students. You can order the Learning Biblical Hebrew Bundle (2 vols.) directly from the publisher, in print or digital format. I would recommend getting the Reader in print format, since you want to write out the exercises, but it might be useful to have both formats of the Reader if you want to use a digital format for the Grammar.
Alternatively, order the Grammar in Canada or the USA.
LBH Reader
Karl V. Kutz and Rebekah Josberger. Learning Biblical Hebrew: A Graded Reader with Exercises. Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2019. ISBN 978-1683592440.
Order the Reader in Canada or the USA.

* Please note that textbook selections for my courses often change with each iteration of the course.

BHS
Karl Elliger and Willhelm Rudulph, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1997.
Optional for HB 2201, required for HB 2202. The student edition (paperback) is more affordable, but the hardcover is significantly more durable.
Order it in Canada or the USA.
Cook and Holmstedt
John A. Cook and Robert D. Holmstedt. Beginning Biblical Hebrew: A Grammar and Illustrated Reader. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
Note that this textbook includes a significant set of online study aids.
Order it in Canada or the USA.
Muraoka
Takamitsu Muraoka. A Biblical Hebrew Reader: With an Outline Grammar. Leuven: Peeters, 2017.
Order it in Canada or the USA.
Making Sense
Northey, Margot, Bradford A. Anderson, and Joel N. Lohr. Making Sense in Religious Studies: A Student’s Guide to Research and Writing. 3rd ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press, 2019.
This title is optional but highly recommended. It includes basic advice on things like reading religious texts, writing essays and book reviews, making oral presentations, and learning languages. It should help you master fundamental tasks in nearly any course in religion or theology.
SBLHS2
The SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd Edition, is the definitive style manual for biblical studies and related disciplines.
A blog (sblhs2.com) and free Student Supplement (PDF) should cover the issues most common to term papers. The AST library copy is in the reference section at PN 147 S26 2014.
Serious students of biblical studies will want a copy of their own. Order one from SBL Press or elsewhere online. ISBN 978-1589839649.
See my resources page for further advice on writing, style, and research.

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