Lesson 1 | Letters
Aim of This Course
The goal of our Hebrew I-III courses is to get you reading and understanding the Hebrew Bible with a basic grasp of the grammar.
Let’s be clear—this course is not to make you an expert in Biblical Hebrew, even if you completely master the material. But, on the other hand, any student who diligently and persistently presses through the lessons and assignments of Hebrew I-III can expect to go away from these courses able to read his/her תנ״ך (Old Testament) with genuine comprehension.
תנ״ך
Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (abbr.)
Warning
This is a language course.
Now some who read that sentence have never studied a language as an adult and have no idea what they are getting into. From the get-go, I am telling you that you are going to feel lost, dumb and overwhelmed. There is no way around it. Languages are really hard, but it is worth it. (See the next section below.) I am telling you this for the same reason that my wife and I tell couples about to become new parents that the first month is going to be horrible beyond their imagination. Knowing this fact does not make the first month less difficult, but it does reassure the new parents that what they are going through is normal and something that will not last forever. Same goes for you as you begin learning Hebrew. It may feel horrible for a time and you will feel like you will never get it, but with God’s help you can…and it is worth it.
The good news is that we haven’t overpacked each lesson with too much information. We’re trying to keep you from feeling like we’re putting a firehose to your mouth! So even though learning a language isn’t a walk in the park (especially one with a completely different alphabet and with unfamiliar characteristics), we’ll do our best to keep you from burning out.
Also, don’t be discouraged if you do not understand or remember everything we cover. Take in as much as you can and keep practicing. You can always return and review lessons, and the more you use your new skills in your studying, the more solidified they will become.
Remind me…why should I study the biblical languages?
If you are still reading, then you likely have already concluded that learning Hebrew is worth the effort. Still, you are going to need encouragement along the way, and even now as we get started.
The video below communicates the worth of learning the biblical languages in a very compelling way. Here is a reworded summary of Dr. Starner’s seven reasons:
- God chose Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to communicate his eternal Word.
- A text simply cannot mean what the grammar of that text (in its original language) does not support.
- The biblical languages unveil the interpretive options of a passage.
- Knowing the biblical languages enables us to effectively use exegetical tools and understand scholarly resources.
- Study of the original languages reinforces a careful and detailed approach to interpretation.
- The original language of a text often identifies the author's emphases through untranslatable rhetorical features.
- Learning biblical languages keeps you from unfounded certainty or preformed conclusions.