99917 - Hebrew 1 (LM)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students possess the linguistic tools necessary to understand written sources in the Hebrew language; they acquire a first level of competence in Hebrew and they are able to update and deepen their knowledge and develop independent analytical perspectives on the basis of the most recent scholarly debate and relevant bibliography.

Course contents

The course begins on 19th September 2022 and is structured in two parts. The first one focuses on the primes of Classical Hebrew: the alphabet, the begadkepat consonants, the article, the noun (in its genres, numbers and states), personal suffixes, personal and demonstrative pronouns, adjectives, nominal sentences, the vowels, the verbal system (perfect, imperfect, imperative, infinitive and participle in qal, niphal, piel, pual, hiphil, hophal and hitpael stems).

In the second part of the course selected passages of the Hebrew bible are translated while in-depth study of grammatical issues is carried out. As far as biblical readings are concerned, due attention will be devoted to Genesis 1, 2, 22, 28 and 41. The grammatical aspects further analyzed will concern weak verbs such as tertiae he, primae nun, mediae vocalis, stative verbs, jussive and cohortative forms, prohibitions, syllables, segholate nouns, monosillable nouns, numerals, interrogative pronouns and adverbs, relative clauses.

Readings/Bibliography

- Students who will regularly attend classes will receive handouts with the Hebrew grammar and exercises. Students can also refer to the following textbooks:

G. Deiana – A. Spreafico, Guida allo studio dell’ebraico biblico, Torino, Claudiana, 2018

T.O. Lambdin, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, London, Darton - Longman - Todd, 1973

J. Weingreen, A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew, Oxford, Clarendon, 1959

- Students attending classes will also receive copies of the Hebrew text of the biblical passages under translation, with a glossary. For full reference, the following resources are especially recomended:

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, Editio quinta, Stuttgart, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1997 (available online at https://www.bibelwissenschaft.de/online-bibeln/biblia-hebraica-stuttgartensia-bhs/lesen-im-bibeltext/)

K. Feyerabend, Pocket Hebrew Dictionary. Hebrew-English, Berlin, Langenscheidt, 1995

L. Kohler - W. Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Leiden, Brill, 2001

- Both class-attending and non-attending students are required to read an introduction to the Pentateuch in its historical-religious context, i.e.

J.J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Third Edition, Minneapolis, Fortress, 2018, pp. 1-188

- Students who do not attend classes are required to learn the contents of the grammar and to do all the exercises in either Deaiana - Spreafico's or Weingreen's method (lessons 1-28 or §§ 1-64, respectively). Special attention should be devoted to the biblical passages therein presented.

Teaching methods

- Traditional in person classes

- Corrections of grammar exercises

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Oral exam: students will be asked to discuss some major features of the Pentateuch in its historical-religious context, to translate selected biblical passages from Hebrew and to parse some grammatical constructs.

The exam candidates will receive a note falling into one of four assessment ranges: 1) excellent (28-30 cum laude); 2) good (24-27); 3) sufficient (18-23); insufficient (fail), according to their ability to translate correctly some biblical passages, to articulate their knowledge with the appropriate terminology and to locate a specific issue in an overall competent understanding of the whole subject.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides will facilitate both the discussion of Hebrew grammar and the analysis of biblical texts.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Settembrini