THEL500 - Biblical Hebrew A

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total number of hours includes structured online learning activities, including activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning (including group work), video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve individual reading of texts, memorizing paradigms and increasingly complex vocabulary, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit is designed to introduce students to Biblical Hebrew, and to begin to open up a world of biblical texts and theological scholarship which is essential to the study of ancient history and theology. Hebrew is also the language of inscriptions and papyri of people and cultures within the Mediterranean world. Learning classical Hebrew therefore enables students to read foundational texts, access the works of central figures in the historic tradition in the original language, and engage in detailed research and interpretive study in theology and biblical studies.

This unit involves a study of Hebrew through reading and translating texts from the Hebrew Bible. Students are introduced to Hebrew pronunciation and orthography from the first week. They are then guided through topics in basic grammar, syntax, and morphology. This builds to the main focus of the unit, which is developing understanding of these topics through translation activities.

Each week of semester there will be an opportunity to apply Hebrew knowledge, even after the first hour of study, to translating and investigating a genuine historical object from the ancient world which will demonstrate the value of learning (and continuing to learn) Hebrew. The purpose of this approach is to illuminate the way in which the Hebrew that is being learnt has real-world application to interpretive issues or resolving ambiguities in the biblical text. It is often the case that English translations of the Hebrew obscure the clarity of the Hebrew text or make explicit elements of translation that are not in the original. These historical objects will include, but are not limited to a) ancient coins, b) epigraphic inscriptions, c) papyri, d) ostraca, and even e) ancient signage. Exposure to these artefacts provides experience with real historical data which serves to reinforce the learning of the Biblical language. It will also enthuse the student amid the more difficult weeks of learning paradigms and vocabulary by encouraging application of learning to genuine historical material.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Demonstrate introductory knowledge of Biblical Hebrew morphology, grammar, and syntax working in a fully online environment (GA5; GA10);

LO2 - Read and translate simple original Hebrew texts into English (GA4; GA5; GA8; GA9);

LO3 - Translate simple English constructions into Hebrew (GA4; GA5; GA8);

LO4 - Identify methods relevant to biblical studies and engage in more detailed study and interpretation of Biblical scriptures and traditions from a linguistic perspective (GA4; GA5; GA8).

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

• The relationship between Biblical Hebrew and other Semitic languages;
• The alphabet, morphology and syntax of Biblical Hebrew (roughly equivalent to Martin 1996, lessons 1-12);
• An introduction to the most frequently used words (frequency of 100 or above = 429 forms) and idioms in the Hebrew Bible;
• A study of selected texts from the Hebrew Bible (for example Gen 1-3);
• An introduction to various lexical tools for Hebrew exegesis.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total number of hours includes structured online learning activities, including activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning (including group work), video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve individual reading of texts, memorizing paradigms and increasingly complex vocabulary, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.

The unit is normally offered in a fully online mode. Students interact with each other and with academic staff through formally structured and sequenced online learning activities that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. Students are asked to demonstrate understanding of basic vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, integrating new information with existing knowledge. They then apply what they have learned in simple translation exercises. Collaborative and peer learning is also emphasized, as students collaborate and support each other in raising and responding to questions of grammar, syntax, and translation.

THEL500 recognises students as adult learners who engage best when learning outcomes are clear and they are given the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. In many ways, the student is the one who drives the learning forward, and their active participation in this unit is essential. Formative and summative assessment tasks assist the students to chart and maintain progress throughout the unit. Particularly, informal assessment by instructors and through peer-review in the online environment is designed to give students clear feedback about progress and support them to learn throughout the unit, and staged summative assessment also provides important feedback opportunities. Learning and assessment is thus designed to be a collaborative, engaging and supportive experience, which helps students to develop relevant knowledge, skills, and graduate attributes. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to pass this unit, students are required to attempt all assessment tasks and achieve an overall grade of Pass (50% or higher).

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. 

The unit’s main focus is on building students’ understanding of grammar and syntax, and their capacities in translation. It thus prepares students for more advanced topics covered in THEL625 Hebrew B. The first assessment task aims to embed and test knowledge of basic grammar and syntax. Quizzes are staged to enable students to chart progress and embed knowledge required for the translation-focused assessments. 

The second assessment is a Hebrew Translation forum which focuses on the application of developing knowledge to specific technical ability in translation at a level appropriate for beginning students (including the application of principles of grammar and syntax). It also builds expertise required for the final examination.

The third assessment task is a Hebrew Composition Forum which places stronger weight on translation ability and seeks to develop confidence through the consistent opportunity to compose a short passage in ancient Hebrew using the vocabulary and grammatical concepts covered in that week. It simultaneously enables students to apply their knowledge of features of basic Hebrew grammar and syntax, as well as have an opportunity to translate other students’ compositions.

The fourth assessment task is a final examination and consists of a range of translational and grammatical questions based on the alphabet, morphology and syntax of Biblical Hebrew, vocabulary words of a frequency of 100 or above and idioms in the Hebrew Bible. As the final piece of assessment in the unit, it is the most complex, enabling students to reflect on their work across the unit and demonstrate skills at the appropriate level in translation, linguistic analysis, critical thinking, and communication.

Classes include similar informal tasks (both for individual students and small groups), preparing students for assessment tasks related to translation and grammar and syntax knowledge. The assessment strategy is concerned to provide appropriate scaffolding to enable students to build on their previous knowledge and apply it to new situations. Assessment tasks are therefore closely related to classroom activities, and are clearly related to learning outcomes and associated graduate attributes.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Brown, F. S., R. Driver, R. and C. A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Corrected Impression. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1952.

Holladay, W. L., A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: Brill, 1989.

Joüon, P. and T. Muraoka. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Rev. ed. Rome: Editrice Pontificio Instituto Biblico, 2006.

Kittel, R., ed. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Württemberg Bible Society, 1990.

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

Martin, J. D. Davidson’s Introductory Hebrew Grammar. 27th.ed. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1966.

Practico, G.D. and M. V. Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar: Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

Practico, G.D. and M. V. Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew Workbook: Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

Waltke, B. K. and M. P. O'Connor. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990.