A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar, 2nd ed.
Overview
This new and fully revised edition of the A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar serves as a user-friendly and up-to-date source of information on the morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics of Biblical Hebrew verbs, nouns and other word classes (prepositions, conjunctions, adverbs, modal words, negatives, focus particles, discourse markers, interrogatives and interjections). It also contains one of the most elaborate treatments of Biblical Hebrew word order yet published in a grammar.
Compiled by authors with extensive experience in the teaching of Hebrew, the text is rendered both easily accessible and a fascinating examination of the language, building upon the initial publication by incorporating up-to-date developments in the study of the Hebrew Bible. This grammar will be of service both to students who have completed an introductory or intermediate course in Biblical Hebrew, and also to more advanced scholars seeking to take advantage of traditional and recent descriptions of the language that go beyond the basic morphology of Biblical Hebrew.
Key Features
- Updates and expands one of the most advanced Hebrew reference grammars available today
- Conversant with contemporary grammatical discussion and theory
- Integrates perspectives on discourse structure and word order to a degree never before seen in a Hebrew grammar
Contents
Introduction
- Biblical Hebrew as a Semitic Language
- Unity and Diversity in the Development of Hebrew
- Overview of the Grammatical Treatment of Biblical Hebrew
Writing System
- Consonants
- Vowels
- Diphthongs
- Syllables and Accents
- Masoretic Signs with a Double Function
- Additional Masoretic Signs
Key Terms and Concepts
- Aspects of Language Structure
- Word Categories in Biblical Hebrew
- Sentences in Biblical Hebrew
- Beyond the Sentence
Verbs
- Overview
- Morphology of the Basic Paradigm
- Stem Formation
- Pronominal Suffixes Added to Verbs
- Suffixes Added to Yiqtōl/Imperfect Forms
- Morphology of Irregular (Weak) Verbs
- Syntax and Semantics of Finite Verbs
- Syntax and Semantics of Non-finite Verbs
- Verb Chains and Sequences
- Valency of Verbs
Nouns
- Introduction
- Congruency of Features of Nouns
- Declension of the Noun
- Nouns with Pronominal Suffixes
- Other Modifications of Nouns
- Nouns in Appositional Relationships
- Modification of the Noun by the Adjective
- Coordination of Nouns
- Nouns as Complements of Prepositions
- Nouns as Complements and Adjuncts of Verbs
- Nouns as Subjects, Predicates and Vocatives
- Congruence between Subject and Predicate
- Pronouns
- Numerals
Other Word Classes
- Introduction
- Prepositions
- Conjunctions, Adverbs and Discourse Markers
- Negatives
- Interrogatives
- Predicators of Existence
- Interjections
- Oaths
Word Order
- Syntax of Word Order
- Semantic-Pragmatic Functions of Word Order
- Left Dislocation
Glossary
Top Highlights
“(c) Opens the presentation of background information or a flashback.” (Page 507)
“From the perspective of all its uses, it is clear that the infinitive absolute is an adverbial specifier par excellence.” (Page 178)
“The Hip̄ʿîl stem formation mostly indicates the causative sense of verbs occurring in the Qal.” (Page 88)
“In Biblical Hebrew the yiqtōl/imperfect is used with לֹא (#b–c) to express an (absolute) prohibition (‘you must not …’). By contrast, אַל is typically used with the jussive to express the nuance of a temporally binding prohibition (‘you should not …’) (§19.5.1.3).” (Page 163)
“The infinitive construct usually has the same form as the masculine singular imperative.” (Page 71)
One can state firmly that this latest edition is the most up-to-date Hebrew grammar on the market and will be one of the most important reference works for Hebrew in the next decade.
Dr. Oliver Glanz, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Andrews University, Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)
Product Details
- Title: A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar, Second Edition
- Authors: Christo H. J. van der Merwe and Jacobus A. Naudé
- Edition: 2nd
- Publisher: T&T Clark
- Publication Date: 2017
- Pages: 640
- Language: Hebrew
- Resource Type: Grammar
- Topic: Linguistics and Philology
About the Authors
Christo van der Merwe is a professor in Biblical Hebrew and Bible Translation in the Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Jacobus A. Naudé is is a senior professor in the Department of Hebrew at the University of the Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa) specialising in translation studies and Bible translation as well as the linguistics of Classical Hebrew.
Sample Pages from the Print Edition
Reviews
3 ratings
David C. Hacker
2/26/2022
It would be nice if the Lexham Hebrew Interlinear was linked to the right places in the 2nd edition. All references to it are for the first edition so when you click you go to the wrong place at times.
Paul Freese
3/18/2021
Adam Olean
5/13/2019
Robert Griffin
9/29/2018
Go Yong Li Samuel: Believe it or not my study routine is to sit in front of my Logos books once a week for about 4 hours. I have been doing this for 12 years. I can read chunks of Hebrew but if it gets difficult or if I haven't studied it before I need help with the vocabulary. The most important thing is that somebody else comes around to my house and we study together. This keeps the discipline up and the moral. I worked towards getting a GCSE exam in Biblical Hebrew in England. It was a hard exam even though it is for 16 year olds. I passed that. We now continue to study together. I am now finding that that the best way to study languages is to read material in it as soon as you have learnt enough basics. I keep rereading the same material until it feels like I am reading English. I found out that there is no filter to make you forget things if you hear, see or smell things. Hearing or this case seeing means that it must seem like English to you. In the early days I was trying to learn list of vocabulary. If I used the method I am using in the last few months I am sure that my Hebrew would be much better than it is today. My methods of learning have slowly got better over the 12 years that I have studied it.I am finding that learning lists just goes into your short term memory. Your mind filters it out and rejects it as unnecessary so you forget it quickly. You don't remember meaningless lists of things. You do remember conversations you had with other people. You will remember the Bible stories. That is probably why the Bible is written as lots of stories. You remember them easier than just lists of facts. I also have various Hebrew Bibles and Hebrew Lexicons on a Kindle which I use when I travel etc. I have also put some Hebrew into a Word Document and then converted it to PDF. I have then copied the PDF onto the Kindle. I have noticed that I had to change all my Hebrew and English notes on Word into Arial font. It would not work properly until I changed it into Arial font. This is not as good as working on a PC but it does help. I learned the basics from Page H Kelley's "Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar" which s under development by Logos. Get yourself a paper copy. It is very good. Study every little detail in this book. Don't take any shortcuts. If you take shortcuts you will find that you will have to go back to learn those details again. On Logos I have got the Hebrew text Westmonasteriensis 4.18. I have loads of lexicons. We have learned most of our Hebrew from the lexicons in Logos. The Lexham Lexicon is very good as well as the more famous ones. it is also a bargain. I have also found that AKOT (Analytical Key to the Old Testament). is excellent to have. It gives a quick overview of the whole verse by parsing every single Hebrew word in the whole Old Testament. It cost a lot but it is worth it. We take notes on each verse as we read it. We start by using AKOT as a template before we add extra notes from all the lexicons. As we have gone on in time the notes are less necessary. They were most necessary in the earlier times. They are still useful now though. I hope this helps.
Anne Garber Kompaore
8/9/2018
I look forward to getting this book myself, I already have the first edition both digital and hardcover. I like the functional linguistics approach they take to present the material, and I assume the same approach will be used in this edition - I hope!
Larry Craig
5/30/2018
The sample pages don't deal with anything that would show why this particular book is so important. At least the sample pages are not from the very beginning of the book, but they don't show enough effort on the part of Logos to really try to sell the book. I'll pass on this.
