Review of Pratico, Gary and Miles VanPelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew, 3rd ed. Zondervan, 2019. . (original) (raw)
Related papers
Hebrew Higher Education, 2014
With the seemingly endless number of new introductory Biblical Hebrew (BH) grammars being generated, the market has become awash in a veritable sea of choices for any professor seeking an approachable and pedagogically sound textbook for the classroom. This production of new works reflects a general dissatisfaction in the field with grammars characterized, not only by outmoded understandings of the verbal system found in the classic grammars, overly technical approaches, antiquated pedagogical methods of the past; but also in the requirements placed upon students. In the vast majority of cases, when comparing the proficiency and acquisition goals of many BH grammars with any other first year university language course, the requirements placed upon beginning Biblical Hebrew students are lacking. It is in answer to this overall dissatisfaction that Cook and Holmstedt's %HJLQQLQJ %LEOLFDO +HEUHZ has been produced.
Review of Eric Reymond, Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Grammar
Review of Biblical Literature, October, 2018
When students first learn Biblical Hebrew, they are often introduced to matters of phonology and morphology in a rather rudimentary fashion: enough detail is given them in order to aid learning paradigms and identifying forms. However, students are seldom introduced to the intricacies of Hebrew phonology and morphology, and even somewhat frequent morphological features are often overlooked. For instance, the paragogic nun that frequently occurs on yiqtol verbs following a vowel morpheme (i.e., 2fs, 3mp, 2mp) is rather frequently encountered in the Hebrew text but often goes unmentioned in many basic grammars. Less frequent are qal passive verb forms that have been reanalyzed as pual or hophal forms in the Masoretic tradition. If basic grammars mention qal passive at all, it is usually to introduce the qātūl form as a qal passive participle. Students who want to know more are left with few resources that can help them advance their knowledge of ancient Hebrew phonology and morphology, and most resources that are available are quite technical and often inaccessible to those without extensive training in Semitic linguistics.
A Modern Grammar for Biblical Hebrew (2009 excerpt)
B & H Academic, 2009
A first-year resource to guide introductory Hebrew courses, A MODERN GRAMMAR FOR BIBLICAL HEBREW is a complete revision of Duane Garrett's previous textbook A MODERN GRAMMAR FOR CLASSICAL HEBREW. Written with the student in mind, this new textbook provides an innovative overview of the essentials of grammar while moving the learning into the original text as early as lesson eight, providing first-hand experience in God's word. Some of the distinct features are as follows: -Completes all essential first-year material in 26 lessons. -Clarifies the rules for accent shift and vowel change very early. -Overviews the verbs within the first weeks of study. -Enables early mastery of weak verbs. -Initially introduces weak roots and derived stems first through principal parts. -Includes intermediate topics in the final chapters and appendixes. A MODERN GRAMMAR FOR BIBLICAL HEBREW includes tables, charts, and "blackboards" for further emphasis and features a CD containing additional helps for the student and teacher. Flexible teaching plans guide the learner through the essentials, whether the goal is an understanding of only the rudiments of traditional first-year biblical Hebrew or an appreciation of intermediate issues like Masoretic cantillation, textual criticism, lexicography, or discourse grammar and literary structure in prose and poetry. Appendixes include introductions to the standard Hebrew text and use of a lexicon, as well as a glossary, vocabulary lists, and verb paradigms.
Review of Biblical Literature, 2021
I have long been aware of the existence of the Biblical language teaching and learning materials that Miles Van Pelt has written or co-written for Zondervan. From the introductory Biblical Hebrew textbook to vocabulary cards, charts, a graded reader (co-written with Gary D. Pratico), and a comparative textbook of English and Hebrew grammar to a similar push into Biblical Aramaic, the Zondervan Language Basics series that Van Pelt has helped to create is impressive in both scope and presentation quality. Through the multiple editions, the works have achieved a pleasing aesthetic: the balance of the English and Hebrew fonts is attractive and easy on the eyes; the materials, binding, and sizes of the various volumes just seems right to the hand. I suspect that the authors are tempted, with some justification, to look at their fruits and say, "it is good." I applaud the clear commitment to teaching biblical languages, mastery of which remains the first step in serious biblical interpretation.
Originally, the authors had composed their own individual grammars during the course of teaching Biblical Hebrew on the seminary level. It was a pleasant surprise to find that each had adhered to the same basic philosophy of teaching Hebrew grammar. There were some areas that had been developed differently, but the general design was harmonious. A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew represents a combining of those two grammars. It is our hope and prayer that the use of this grammar will prove to be a joyful exercise resulting in an understanding of the Hebrew Old Testament. Special thanks is offered to Dr. Michael Grisanti who has read and commented on this grammar as it has been (and is being) developed and to William Vaughan who prepared the glossaries. Thanks are also due to all those students who have patiently endured (and who are enduring) the process of developing and testing this volume in the classroom. Doubtless, our students have experienced the scriptural warning, “… beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless” (Ecclesiastes 12:12a, NASB). Be assured that the authors have experienced the fact that “excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (12:12b). As exhausting as the process might prove to be, however, we are not to be “weary of doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
Review of Jo Ann Hackett, A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew, language pedagogy, textbook, verb paradigm, classroom instruction teachniques, weak verb, inflection, syntax, grammar, perfect, imperfect, terminology, converted imperfect, prefix form, suffix form, consecutive preterite, pedagogy of the verb, ve-qatal, volitive forms, transliteration.