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HA2110 BIBLICAL HEBREW, A (A.Y. 2025/2026)
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Accademic Unit
Faculty of Ancient Near Eastern Studies
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Course
Licenza Orientalistica
Description
These courses are aimed at increasing knowledge of some advanced features of phonology, morphology and especially syntax of Biblical Hebrew. The development of Hebrew vowels and diphthongs and the development of the use of matres lectionis will be discussed. Particular attention will be given to the syntax of nouns (nominal functions, determination/indetermination, agreement), adjectives and phrases. The syntax of dependent and independent clauses, nominal clauses, and phenomena such as word order and emphasis will be systematically treated in class. Special attention will be paid to the Hebrew verbal system, especially in terms of tense, aspect and modality, i.e., those linguistic properties which directly affect the understanding and interpretation of biblical texts. Students will arrive at a comprehension of the overall “discourse grammar”, understanding how finite verbal forms (qatal, wayyiqtol, yiqtol and weqatalti) are normally distributed in narrative discourse.
These topics will be observed and learned especially through the individual and collaborative analysis of continuous medium difficulty texts selected from classical biblical narratives, poetic compositions and prophetic writings. Text-critical matters as well as the main formal features of biblical poetry will also be occasionally considered and discussed. Critical analysis of texts will cover, more or less, two thirds of the classes and of individual study.
Objectives
- Increasing mastery in Hebrew grammar (phonology, morphology and syntax).
- Expanding vocabulary.
- Understanding basic issues of the historical grammar of Hebrew.
- Acquiring advanced skills in reading and translating medium difficulty texts.
Method
- Lectures on grammatical topics.
- Interactive reading, analysis and discussion of texts.
- Individual and collaborative exercises.
Assigned texts:
- First semester (course A): Ruth; 2Sam 9–20.
- Second semester (course B): Gen 1–4; 24; 39–40; 2Kgs 4–6; Psalms 1; 8; 15; 29; 42–43; 125; Amos 1–6
Evaluation
For each semester there will be two midterm written tests during a lecture hour, and the final written examination at the end of the course. The final examination will additionally include a short unseen passage.
Information
- Semester: 1° Semestre
- ECTS: 5
Teachers
Paola MOLLO
Lesson schedule/Room
Lessons schedule not available
Bibliography
Required
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.
Brown , F. – Driver , S. R. – Briggs , C. A., Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907).
Joüon , P. – Muraoka , T., A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew , rev. ed. (Subsidia Biblica 27; Roma: PIB, 2006).
Koehler , L. – Baumgartner , W. – Stamm , J., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (= HALOT ), I-II. Study Edition (Leiden: Brill, 2001)
Waltke , B. K. – O’Connor , M., An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990).
Complementary
Alonso Schökel , L., Dizionario di ebraico biblico (Milano: San Paolo, 2013).
Clines , D. J. A. – al. , The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew . 9 vols (Sheffield: Phoenix Press, 1993-2016).
Cook, J., Time and the Biblical Hebrew Verb. The Expression of Tense, Aspect, and Modality in Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2012).
Gianto , A., «Mood and Modality in Classical Hebrew», in Israel and Oriental Studies XVIII (edd. Izre’el , S. – Singer , I. – Zadok , R.) (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1998).
Joosten , J., The Verbal System of Biblical Hebrew. A New Synthesis Elaborated on the Basis of Classical Prose (Jerusalem: Simor, 2012).
Longacre , R. E. – Bowling , A. C., Understanding Biblical Hebrew Verb Forms . Distribution and Function across Genres (SIL International publications in linguistics 151; Dallas, TX 2015).
Miller , C. (ed.), The Verbless Clause in Biblical Hebrew. Linguistic Approaches (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1998)
Muraoka , T., Emphatic Words and Structures in Biblical Hebrew (Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, 1985).