Ross K Nichols - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Current Research - In the News by Ross K Nichols

Horeb Press, 2024

This paper compares six key nineteenth-century accounts that document the origin and history of t... more This paper compares six key nineteenth-century accounts that document the origin and history of the Shapira fragments, aiming to reconstruct a coherent historical narrative of the events. These accounts are presented in a harmonized format to facilitate direct comparison. In preserving the authenticity of the original accounts, I have maintained their original grammar and spelling. No alterations were made to the narrative order; my sole effort was to align the content for better comparative analysis.

Horeb Press, The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In The Moses Scroll, I presented evidence that Moses Wilhelm Shapira was involved in early effort... more In The Moses Scroll, I presented evidence that Moses Wilhelm Shapira was involved in early efforts to decipher the Siloam Inscription. His daughter reported his work in copying and producing a “tracing” of the inscription, but as this article will show, Moses Shapira was the first to recognize the meaning of the Siloam Inscription and was correct about one specific reading when other scholars were initially wrong. A careful review of contemporary reports is now necessary to set the record straight and to give, as we say, credit where credit is due.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2021

A recent discussion made inference that a forger used the Siloam Inscription as a model for forge... more A recent discussion made inference that a forger used the Siloam Inscription as a model for forgery. This paper discuses a few relevant points about Moses Shapira and the Inscription of Siloam.

Moses W. Shapira Research by Ross K Nichols

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

A team of scholars recently announced the discovery of a lead amulet (defixio) in 2019 by wetsift... more A team of scholars recently announced the discovery of a lead amulet (defixio) in 2019 by wetsifting dirt excavated by Adam Zertal in archaeological seasons from 1982 to 1989. This article provides the basic story, a brief overview of the search for the elusive biblical Mount Ebal, and then considers the biblical Ebal narratives in the light of Moses Wilhelm Shapira's MSS and the recent discovery.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

As someone following the academic reaction to the breaking story of the purported decipherment of... more As someone following the academic reaction to the breaking story of the purported decipherment of an inscription by Professor Gershon Galil, I cannot help but make a few observations based on my present studies. On 7 July 2022, Professor Galil wrote that he was happy to announce that he had "deciphered the Jerusalem stone tablet." 1 He included in the announcement, his drawing of the inscribed stone tablet, some background on the discovery, a transcription, transliteration, translation, and an interpretation of the inscription. This announcement was met the next day with a response by Professor Christopher Rollston (rollstonepigraphy.com). 2 Rollston's piece, posted on his Facebook page, was titled "Déjà Vu: Gershon Galil's Sensational New Claims." In that post, he informed his readers that he is "far from convinced that this is an inscription. In fact," he continued, "one could make an entirely plausible case that these are not letters but repetitive decorative motifs and striations." He doesn't make a case for that but suggests that "one could make" such a case. The reader might assume this is possible, but how will we know in the absence of said case? Rollston noted "concerns about his [Galil's] readings and interpretations." He admitted that while it is "perhaps possible that there is some sort of 'inscription' here, these readings and translation of Galil's are not all that convincing." Despite his denouncement of Galil's reading and translation, Rollston does not offer any alternative. Next, he proceeds to explain how "notoriously difficult to read" what he prefers to call "Early Alphabetic inscriptions." Next, he criticizes Galil for some of his "speculations," informing his readers that he at times reminds his "undergrad students" of "reading something into a text that isn't there." But Rollston does not equate Galil with one of his students; he says, "Galil goes still further than eisegesis."

Horeb Press, 2023

19 August 2023 marked the 155th anniversary of an archaeological discovery that has fascinated th... more 19 August 2023 marked the 155th anniversary of an archaeological discovery that has fascinated the world for well over a century due to its profound biblical connections. History, however, has its way of concealing truths in the most unsuspecting shadows. The esteemed Monsieur Charles Clermont-Ganneau, renowned for his reconstruction of Mesha’s stele, seemingly overlooked, or chose not to regard, the first-hand testimony of one who beheld the Mesha Stele in all its original splendor. It's high time the true narrative saw the light of day.

Horeb Press, 2020

The accounts compared in this worksheet, describing the meeting in Sheik Erekat’s home, the disco... more The accounts compared in this worksheet, describing the meeting in Sheik Erekat’s home, the discovery of the scroll fragments, and how Moses Shapira came to possess them, are presented in (1) a letter from M.W. Shapira to Hermann Strack, dated 9 May 1883, contained in “Papers Relating to Shapira’s Forged MS of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883-1884).” Additional Manuscript 41294 (London: British Library). (2) An account recorded in Hermann Guthe, Fragmente einer Lederhandscrift enthaltend Mose’s letzte Rede an die Kinder Israel (Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Breitkopf & Härtel, 1883). For an English translation, see Hermann Guthe, Fragments of a Leather Manuscript Containing Moses’ Last Words to the Children of Israel (Saint Francisville: Horeb Press, 2021). (3) A written account given to Walter Besant and Claude Conder in July of 1883. Also see the account in Ross K. Nichols, The Moses Scroll (Saint Francisville: Horeb Press, 2021), 1-7.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

On 7 July 1880, Albert Socin published an article informing the readers of the Journal of the Ger... more On 7 July 1880, Albert Socin published an article informing the readers of the Journal of the German Palestine Association of a new discovery in Jerusalem. That discovery would become known as the Siloam Inscription. The following article is an English translation of Albert Socin‘s, “Eine neue Entdeckung in Jerusalem,” Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palaestina-Vereins, (Leipzig: 1880), 54-55.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

Moses Shapira, “My reasons for doubting the Genuineness of this M.s. for a long time have been as... more Moses Shapira, “My reasons for doubting the Genuineness of this M.s. for a long time have been as follows,” in, “Papers Relative to M.W. Shapira’s Forged MS. of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883 – 1884).” Add. MS. 41294 (London: British Library). My transcription is produced as accurately as possible from photos of Shapira’s handwriting. No attempt has been made to correct spelling and grammar. I added lines between each numbered point (Against it and For it) to make the table more legible.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This is a chart containing the Ten Words, side by side with their corresponding blessings and cur... more This is a chart containing the Ten Words, side by side with their corresponding blessings and curses as they appear in the Shapira MSS. It is part of a larger project and is based upon my previously published transcriptions. [Brackets] indicate reconstructed texts; footnotes identify the source. Variations are footnoted. Underlined letters/words and * indicate uncertain letters.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This paper compares my Hebrew transcriptions of eight fragments of Moses W. Shapira's leather str... more This paper compares my Hebrew transcriptions of eight fragments of Moses W. Shapira's leather strips (designated A-H). It includes the 19th-century transcriptions of Moses W. Shapira, Hermann Guthe, Eduard Meyer, and Christian D. Ginsburg. Also attached are scans of the 19th-century transcriptions.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

The meaning, cause, and remedy of the biblical ‫צרעת‬ have been the source of much debate. Tradit... more The meaning, cause, and remedy of the biblical ‫צרעת‬ have been the source of much debate. Traditional translations have rendered the word as leprosy, usually with the somewhat confusing caveat that despite the retention of leprosy, it does not mean leprosy. The root צרע‬ yields our problematic ‫צרעת‬ , proper names, and three occurrences of a stinging insect capable of chasing out Hivites, Canaanites, Hittites, and two Amorite kings! Shapira's MSS sensibly suggests a more dangerous fiend to the Canaanites than a hornet-the dreaded ‫צרעת‬ .

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In 1956, a scholar set out on an investigative tour to seek out and record opinions about the sig... more In 1956, a scholar set out on an investigative tour to seek out and record opinions about the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Along the way he heard by chance of another scroll discovery - 70 years before Qumran. His investigation led him to call for a reassessment of a manuscript long deemed a forgery. This note is about Professor Menahem Mansoor - the man who disturbed the scholarly calm.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In one of those strange coincidences of history, one date, the 8th of March, proved to be signifi... more In one of those strange coincidences of history, one date, the 8th of March, proved to be significant in the Shapira story – a date of death and disappearance. As the 9th of Av has become a date on which calamities occur again and again in Jewish history, the 8th of March is a date that stands for death and disappearance regarding the Shapira saga.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This is a transcription of handwritten notes by Moses Shapira about his "Deuteronomy" manuscript ... more This is a transcription of handwritten notes by Moses Shapira about his "Deuteronomy" manuscript strips. The original is preserved in "Papers Relative to M.W. Shapira's Forged MS. of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883-1884)," Add. MS. 41294 (London: British Library).

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

10 February marks eighty-eight years since a reporter, writing about the British Museum's recent ... more 10 February marks eighty-eight years since a reporter, writing about the British Museum's recent purchase of the Codex Sinaiticus, recalled a famous "fraud." The first reaction to manuscript discoveries seems always to be a fear of fraud - can you guess which "fraud" has everyone so afraid?

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In 1870, Anton Scholz was shown a manuscript of Jeremiah in the shop of Jerusalem bookseller, Mos... more In 1870, Anton Scholz was shown a manuscript of Jeremiah in the shop of Jerusalem bookseller, Moses Shapira. He called it a "magnificent manuscript of Jeremiah, written without vowels or accents," saying further that it corresponded to "the LXX translation." A new article by Hermann-Josef Stipp, suggests that this story might "cast additional light on the elusive manuscript known as the 'Valediction of Moses.'" I agree, but not fully.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In this paper, I present a few thoughts on the idea that Shapira's fragments are a 19th-century J... more In this paper, I present a few thoughts on the idea that Shapira's fragments are a 19th-century Jewish Christian work. This idea has been presented before, but most recently appeared in Dead Sea Discoveries in a Review Essay by Professor Jonathan Klawans titled, "Shapira's Deuteronomy, Its Decalogue, and Dead Sea Scrolls Authentic and Forged."

Horeb Press, 2021

An oft-repeated error is a statement that Shapira's manuscript strips contained eleven commandmen... more An oft-repeated error is a statement that Shapira's manuscript strips contained eleven commandments. Is this true or not? And if not, how did this rumor get started? How many "commandments" are in the Ten Commandments of Shapira's MSS, and how can we be sure?

Horeb Press, 2022

When the Qumran Scrolls first came to light, scholars were skeptical. Part of that skepticism was... more When the Qumran Scrolls first came to light, scholars were skeptical. Part of that skepticism was due to fear and humiliation should these discoveries prove to be fakes. More specifically, the greatest cause of this early academic caution was because the story sounded very similar to the story told by Moses Shapira - a man long labeled a forger and a charlatan. Are today's skeptics of Shapira's manuscripts still choosing caution over courage?

Horeb Press, 2024

This paper compares six key nineteenth-century accounts that document the origin and history of t... more This paper compares six key nineteenth-century accounts that document the origin and history of the Shapira fragments, aiming to reconstruct a coherent historical narrative of the events. These accounts are presented in a harmonized format to facilitate direct comparison. In preserving the authenticity of the original accounts, I have maintained their original grammar and spelling. No alterations were made to the narrative order; my sole effort was to align the content for better comparative analysis.

Horeb Press, The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In The Moses Scroll, I presented evidence that Moses Wilhelm Shapira was involved in early effort... more In The Moses Scroll, I presented evidence that Moses Wilhelm Shapira was involved in early efforts to decipher the Siloam Inscription. His daughter reported his work in copying and producing a “tracing” of the inscription, but as this article will show, Moses Shapira was the first to recognize the meaning of the Siloam Inscription and was correct about one specific reading when other scholars were initially wrong. A careful review of contemporary reports is now necessary to set the record straight and to give, as we say, credit where credit is due.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2021

A recent discussion made inference that a forger used the Siloam Inscription as a model for forge... more A recent discussion made inference that a forger used the Siloam Inscription as a model for forgery. This paper discuses a few relevant points about Moses Shapira and the Inscription of Siloam.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

A team of scholars recently announced the discovery of a lead amulet (defixio) in 2019 by wetsift... more A team of scholars recently announced the discovery of a lead amulet (defixio) in 2019 by wetsifting dirt excavated by Adam Zertal in archaeological seasons from 1982 to 1989. This article provides the basic story, a brief overview of the search for the elusive biblical Mount Ebal, and then considers the biblical Ebal narratives in the light of Moses Wilhelm Shapira's MSS and the recent discovery.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

As someone following the academic reaction to the breaking story of the purported decipherment of... more As someone following the academic reaction to the breaking story of the purported decipherment of an inscription by Professor Gershon Galil, I cannot help but make a few observations based on my present studies. On 7 July 2022, Professor Galil wrote that he was happy to announce that he had "deciphered the Jerusalem stone tablet." 1 He included in the announcement, his drawing of the inscribed stone tablet, some background on the discovery, a transcription, transliteration, translation, and an interpretation of the inscription. This announcement was met the next day with a response by Professor Christopher Rollston (rollstonepigraphy.com). 2 Rollston's piece, posted on his Facebook page, was titled "Déjà Vu: Gershon Galil's Sensational New Claims." In that post, he informed his readers that he is "far from convinced that this is an inscription. In fact," he continued, "one could make an entirely plausible case that these are not letters but repetitive decorative motifs and striations." He doesn't make a case for that but suggests that "one could make" such a case. The reader might assume this is possible, but how will we know in the absence of said case? Rollston noted "concerns about his [Galil's] readings and interpretations." He admitted that while it is "perhaps possible that there is some sort of 'inscription' here, these readings and translation of Galil's are not all that convincing." Despite his denouncement of Galil's reading and translation, Rollston does not offer any alternative. Next, he proceeds to explain how "notoriously difficult to read" what he prefers to call "Early Alphabetic inscriptions." Next, he criticizes Galil for some of his "speculations," informing his readers that he at times reminds his "undergrad students" of "reading something into a text that isn't there." But Rollston does not equate Galil with one of his students; he says, "Galil goes still further than eisegesis."

Horeb Press, 2023

19 August 2023 marked the 155th anniversary of an archaeological discovery that has fascinated th... more 19 August 2023 marked the 155th anniversary of an archaeological discovery that has fascinated the world for well over a century due to its profound biblical connections. History, however, has its way of concealing truths in the most unsuspecting shadows. The esteemed Monsieur Charles Clermont-Ganneau, renowned for his reconstruction of Mesha’s stele, seemingly overlooked, or chose not to regard, the first-hand testimony of one who beheld the Mesha Stele in all its original splendor. It's high time the true narrative saw the light of day.

Horeb Press, 2020

The accounts compared in this worksheet, describing the meeting in Sheik Erekat’s home, the disco... more The accounts compared in this worksheet, describing the meeting in Sheik Erekat’s home, the discovery of the scroll fragments, and how Moses Shapira came to possess them, are presented in (1) a letter from M.W. Shapira to Hermann Strack, dated 9 May 1883, contained in “Papers Relating to Shapira’s Forged MS of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883-1884).” Additional Manuscript 41294 (London: British Library). (2) An account recorded in Hermann Guthe, Fragmente einer Lederhandscrift enthaltend Mose’s letzte Rede an die Kinder Israel (Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Breitkopf & Härtel, 1883). For an English translation, see Hermann Guthe, Fragments of a Leather Manuscript Containing Moses’ Last Words to the Children of Israel (Saint Francisville: Horeb Press, 2021). (3) A written account given to Walter Besant and Claude Conder in July of 1883. Also see the account in Ross K. Nichols, The Moses Scroll (Saint Francisville: Horeb Press, 2021), 1-7.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

On 7 July 1880, Albert Socin published an article informing the readers of the Journal of the Ger... more On 7 July 1880, Albert Socin published an article informing the readers of the Journal of the German Palestine Association of a new discovery in Jerusalem. That discovery would become known as the Siloam Inscription. The following article is an English translation of Albert Socin‘s, “Eine neue Entdeckung in Jerusalem,” Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palaestina-Vereins, (Leipzig: 1880), 54-55.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

Moses Shapira, “My reasons for doubting the Genuineness of this M.s. for a long time have been as... more Moses Shapira, “My reasons for doubting the Genuineness of this M.s. for a long time have been as follows,” in, “Papers Relative to M.W. Shapira’s Forged MS. of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883 – 1884).” Add. MS. 41294 (London: British Library). My transcription is produced as accurately as possible from photos of Shapira’s handwriting. No attempt has been made to correct spelling and grammar. I added lines between each numbered point (Against it and For it) to make the table more legible.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This is a chart containing the Ten Words, side by side with their corresponding blessings and cur... more This is a chart containing the Ten Words, side by side with their corresponding blessings and curses as they appear in the Shapira MSS. It is part of a larger project and is based upon my previously published transcriptions. [Brackets] indicate reconstructed texts; footnotes identify the source. Variations are footnoted. Underlined letters/words and * indicate uncertain letters.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This paper compares my Hebrew transcriptions of eight fragments of Moses W. Shapira's leather str... more This paper compares my Hebrew transcriptions of eight fragments of Moses W. Shapira's leather strips (designated A-H). It includes the 19th-century transcriptions of Moses W. Shapira, Hermann Guthe, Eduard Meyer, and Christian D. Ginsburg. Also attached are scans of the 19th-century transcriptions.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

The meaning, cause, and remedy of the biblical ‫צרעת‬ have been the source of much debate. Tradit... more The meaning, cause, and remedy of the biblical ‫צרעת‬ have been the source of much debate. Traditional translations have rendered the word as leprosy, usually with the somewhat confusing caveat that despite the retention of leprosy, it does not mean leprosy. The root צרע‬ yields our problematic ‫צרעת‬ , proper names, and three occurrences of a stinging insect capable of chasing out Hivites, Canaanites, Hittites, and two Amorite kings! Shapira's MSS sensibly suggests a more dangerous fiend to the Canaanites than a hornet-the dreaded ‫צרעת‬ .

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In 1956, a scholar set out on an investigative tour to seek out and record opinions about the sig... more In 1956, a scholar set out on an investigative tour to seek out and record opinions about the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Along the way he heard by chance of another scroll discovery - 70 years before Qumran. His investigation led him to call for a reassessment of a manuscript long deemed a forgery. This note is about Professor Menahem Mansoor - the man who disturbed the scholarly calm.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In one of those strange coincidences of history, one date, the 8th of March, proved to be signifi... more In one of those strange coincidences of history, one date, the 8th of March, proved to be significant in the Shapira story – a date of death and disappearance. As the 9th of Av has become a date on which calamities occur again and again in Jewish history, the 8th of March is a date that stands for death and disappearance regarding the Shapira saga.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This is a transcription of handwritten notes by Moses Shapira about his "Deuteronomy" manuscript ... more This is a transcription of handwritten notes by Moses Shapira about his "Deuteronomy" manuscript strips. The original is preserved in "Papers Relative to M.W. Shapira's Forged MS. of Deuteronomy (A.D. 1883-1884)," Add. MS. 41294 (London: British Library).

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

10 February marks eighty-eight years since a reporter, writing about the British Museum's recent ... more 10 February marks eighty-eight years since a reporter, writing about the British Museum's recent purchase of the Codex Sinaiticus, recalled a famous "fraud." The first reaction to manuscript discoveries seems always to be a fear of fraud - can you guess which "fraud" has everyone so afraid?

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In 1870, Anton Scholz was shown a manuscript of Jeremiah in the shop of Jerusalem bookseller, Mos... more In 1870, Anton Scholz was shown a manuscript of Jeremiah in the shop of Jerusalem bookseller, Moses Shapira. He called it a "magnificent manuscript of Jeremiah, written without vowels or accents," saying further that it corresponded to "the LXX translation." A new article by Hermann-Josef Stipp, suggests that this story might "cast additional light on the elusive manuscript known as the 'Valediction of Moses.'" I agree, but not fully.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

In this paper, I present a few thoughts on the idea that Shapira's fragments are a 19th-century J... more In this paper, I present a few thoughts on the idea that Shapira's fragments are a 19th-century Jewish Christian work. This idea has been presented before, but most recently appeared in Dead Sea Discoveries in a Review Essay by Professor Jonathan Klawans titled, "Shapira's Deuteronomy, Its Decalogue, and Dead Sea Scrolls Authentic and Forged."

Horeb Press, 2021

An oft-repeated error is a statement that Shapira's manuscript strips contained eleven commandmen... more An oft-repeated error is a statement that Shapira's manuscript strips contained eleven commandments. Is this true or not? And if not, how did this rumor get started? How many "commandments" are in the Ten Commandments of Shapira's MSS, and how can we be sure?

Horeb Press, 2022

When the Qumran Scrolls first came to light, scholars were skeptical. Part of that skepticism was... more When the Qumran Scrolls first came to light, scholars were skeptical. Part of that skepticism was due to fear and humiliation should these discoveries prove to be fakes. More specifically, the greatest cause of this early academic caution was because the story sounded very similar to the story told by Moses Shapira - a man long labeled a forger and a charlatan. Are today's skeptics of Shapira's manuscripts still choosing caution over courage?

Horeb Press, 2021

This is a transcription of the Shapira MSS by fragment, column, line, and word. It is intended to... more This is a transcription of the Shapira MSS by fragment, column, line, and word. It is intended to provide an accurate representation of the content of the leather strips. I have included the transcriptions of Shapira, Guthe/Meyer, Ginsburg, and Idan Dershowitz for side by side comparison.

As July 1883 came to its close, potentially the world's most important manuscript discovery was i... more As July 1883 came to its close, potentially the world's most important manuscript discovery was in the custody of Semitic scholar Christian David Ginsburg. It would be his responsibility to determine if it dated to 800 BC or AD 1880. This is what led to his most important assignment. For more information and a more detailed account, see chapter 6 in The Moses Scroll.

In 1883, the use of word dividers, and the breaking of words between lines were known only from l... more In 1883, the use of word dividers, and the breaking of words between lines were known only from lapidary examples. Six decades later, discoveries at Qumran provided examples of Paleo Hebrew manuscripts written on leather strips, with words broken between lines, and separated by interpuncts, but Moses Shapira's leather strips were the earliest example.

Horeb Press, 2022

Learning Biblical Hebrew requires the acquisition of a vocabulary. This book is designed with thi... more Learning Biblical Hebrew requires the acquisition of a vocabulary. This book is designed with this sole task in mind. As the title suggests, these are the words, i.e., the Hebrew Bible's most common words. Within these pages, the learner will encounter more than 1,000 words arranged in eighteen essential vocabularies presented in descending frequency according to the number of occurrences in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible (TaNaKh, Old Testament).

This work contains approximately 1,000 of the most frequent vocabulary words used in the Hebrew B... more This work contains approximately 1,000 of the most frequent vocabulary words used in the Hebrew Bible.

A Revised Edition is Available - https://rossknichols.com/these-are-the-words/

Title - These Are The Words: Essential Biblical Hebrew Vocabularies

Learning Biblical Hebrew requires the acquisition of a vocabulary. This book is designed with this sole task in mind. As the title suggests, these are the words, i.e., the Hebrew Bible’s most common words. Within these pages, the learner will encounter more than 1,000 words arranged in eighteen essential vocabularies presented in descending frequency according to the number of occurrences in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible (TaNaKh, Old Testament). It is ideal for beginners and well suited for classroom or personal use.

The Essential Hebrew Bible Vocabularies:
Nouns and verbs occurring 5,500 to 25 times
Personal and demonstrative pronouns
Inseparable prefixes
The Bible’s most common proper names
Particles occurring 11,000 to 200 times
An alphabetic index containing 1,064 entries coded according to frequency ranking and Strong’s number

The printed book’s compact size (4 x 8 inches) makes it convenient to carry in a pocket, purse, or bookbag, and with the Kindle version, students of Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary can now carry this learning tool on their phone or iPad, making it easier than ever to study on-the-go.

Study these words when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise. In doing so, you will soon memorize and master the Hebrew Bible’s most common words.

This chart is an adaptation of the work of Jacob Mann. The chart contains the entire Torah accord... more This chart is an adaptation of the work of Jacob Mann. The chart contains the entire Torah according to the ancient triennial reading schedule. The Torah reading columns are based upon seven ancient sources, and the haftaroth are based upon eight ancient sources.

Horeb Press

This is a teaching tool, a brief note discussing the ancient sedarim divisions.

This is my review of my favorite edition of the Hebrew Bible.

This paper discusses a variant reading found within a Jewish polemical document containing a vers... more This paper discusses a variant reading found within a Jewish polemical document containing a version of Matthew's Gospel.

United Israel Bulletin, 2022

This document is part of a larger study on the Ten Words. It presents the Hebrew texts of Exodus ... more This document is part of a larger study on the Ten Words. It presents the Hebrew texts of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy side by side. Bold type represents agreement and highlights present differences.

United Israel Bulletin, 2020

This paper was published as a companion study document for a series on the Ten Words. The documen... more This paper was published as a companion study document for a series on the Ten Words. The document compares my English translation of the versions of the Ten Words presented in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5. The series is posted on the web at https://unitedisrael.org/category/the-ten-words/.

Horeb Press, The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

This is a preliminary "key" for the "Jerusalem Stone Tablet" inscription announced by Professor G... more This is a preliminary "key" for the "Jerusalem Stone Tablet" inscription announced by Professor Gershon Galil on 7 July 2022. It is based on the drawing and transcription published by Profesor Galil. It includes Galil's Hebrew transcription, counts of words, letters, and a Key to the Proto-Canaanite letterforms in the inscription.

Horeb Press - The Moses Scroll Author's Blog, 2022

On 7 July 2022, Professor Gershon Galil announced that he had "deciphered the Jerusalem stone tab... more On 7 July 2022, Professor Gershon Galil announced that he had "deciphered the Jerusalem stone tablet." Several leading scholars in the field have expressed skepticism over Galil's readings and interpretations, partly because a good photo of the Jerusalem Stone Tablet Inscription has yet to be released. Some experts have struggled to find a resemblance between Galil's drawing and the markings on the tablet. Daniel M. Wright has now created an image that superimposes Galil's drawing on a photo of the stone tablet.This work was carried out under the Fair Use provision and is only intended to facilitate further discussion on the Jerusalem Stone Tablet Inscription.