Course Meetings

Mondays & Fridays, 2:00-3:15 pm
Gibson 287

Course Description

In this course, which continues and builds upon HEBR/RELJ 2410, students will develop facility in the reading and translation of biblical Hebrew. Students will review basic grammar, learn to analyze syntax, and build their working vocabulary. As a secondary objective of the course, students will learn to interpret biblical poetry. To this end, students will learn repetition, acrostic, inclusio, refrain, metaphor, correspondence, elision, compensation, and other poetic devices. By the end of the course, students will grasp the complex phenomenon of poetic parallelism.

Course Goals

• Achieve intermediate proficiency in basic Hebrew grammar and syntax.
• Master Hebrew vocabulary down to words appearing approximately 50 times.
• Identify elements of Hebrew poetic composition.
• Apply principles of Hebrew poetic composition to the analysis of Hebrew poetry.
• Develop accuracy and speed in the pronunciation of classical Hebrew.
• Translate with the aid of a dictionary poetic passages from Hebrew to English.
• Memorize and recite a short passage of Hebrew poetry.
• Discover how much fun it is read Hebrew poetry!