Biblical Hebrew: Learning a Sacred Language

Overview

Course No. 2256

The Hebrew Bible has been translated many times—but by learning to read it in its original language, you can reach your own conclusions about what it really means. You can also enhance your appreciation of its untranslatable literary artistry and gain new understanding of the roots of the three great Abrahamic traditions.

These 36 lessons on Biblical Hebrew are your authoritative primer on everything from the Hebrew alphabet and punctuation marks to essential vocabulary words to advanced grammatical rules. Whether you’re just starting out in your study of Hebrew or you already know the basics, these lectures are a helpful resource that will equip you to read the Bible in its original language on your own.

Using a methodical, holistic approach, Professor Carasik covers all the fundamentals of the language in a cumulative learning experience that rewards following the lectures in order, so that as you progress, your understanding of Biblical Hebrew not only broadens but deepens. As you go, you’ll exercise your knowledge through “Biblical Hebrew calisthenics”: close readings of lines, passages, and eventually an entire chapter from the Bible in Hebrew.

These lessons are designed to be your companion wherever your explorations of Biblical Hebrew and the Bible may take you. Whether your interests are linguistic, literary, religious, or historical, they are lessons you can—and should—return to again and again.

Video Lessons

1. Studying Biblical Hebrew (30 min)

Use the word “hallelujah” as a gateway to exploring the three different components of the Biblical Hebrew writing system: letters, vowels, and diacriticals.

2. Learning the Aleph Bet (30 min)

Get to know the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and how Biblical Hebrew is pronounced.

• The Tiberian Vowel System (33 min)

Discover the signs that mark short and long vowels in Hebrew.

• Roots of Semitic Verbs (35 min)

Learn how to recognize the roots of verbs in Biblical Hebrew.

• Hebrew Verb Forms and the Definite Article (36 min)

Introduction to the five Hebrew verb forms and ways to identify definite nouns.

• Hebrew’s Attached Prepositions (31 min)

Explore Hebrew letters that attach to other words to create new meanings.

• Adjective Forms and Agreement in Hebrew (33 min)

Learn the four forms of Hebrew adjectives and how they agree with nouns.

• Irregular Hebrew Nouns and Adjectives (33 min)

Examine common irregular nouns and demonstrative adjectives.

• Hebrew Pronouns and Pronominal Suffixes (32 min)

Introduction to Hebrew pronouns and pronominal suffixes.

• How Hebrew Letters Behave (35 min)

Decipher unfamiliar Hebrew words by understanding letter behaviors.  

• Perfect and Imperfect Hebrew Verbs (38 min)

Focus on the perfect and imperfect verb forms in Hebrew.  

• Segholate Nouns and Pausal Forms (35 min)

Learn about segholate nouns and their grammatical patterns.  

• The Construct Form: Hebrew’s Trailer Hitch (31 min)

Understand how nouns connect in Hebrew using the construct form.  

14. Forming Hebrew Construct Chains (32 min)

Continue studying construct forms with prepositions and irregular nouns.  

• Hebrew Verb Classifications: Binyanim (33 min)

Learn how binyanim (verb conjugations) affect meaning.  

• Question Words in Hebrew (36 min)

Recognize question words in Biblical Hebrew.  

• Hebrew Participles (36 min)

Explore the participle verb form in Hebrew.  

18. Counting in Hebrew (31 min)

Learn numbers, ordinals, and counting shortcuts.  

19. Hebrew Roots with Guttural Letters (33 min)

Study roots containing guttural letters (hey, het, ayin).  

20. Hebrew’s Lamed-Hey Roots (34 min)

Master common verbs where the third radical is a hey.  

• Hebrew’s Roots Beginning with Yud (35 min)

Examine frequent first-yud verbs like *yada* ("know").  

22. Irregular Hebrew Verbs (35 min)

Learn how irregular verbs function differently.  

23. Hebrew’s Hollow Verbs (36 min)

Study two-consonant verb roots.  

• The Infinitive in Hebrew (32 min)

Understand infinitive verb forms and their uses.  

• Jussives, Cohortatives, and “Hava Nagila” (38 min)

Explore expressions of intention in Hebrew.  

26. The Imperative Form in Hebrew (35 min)

Learn how to form and use imperatives.  

27. Verbs of the Hiphil Binyan (34 min)

Study the causative Hiphil binyan.  

28. Piel Verbs and Passive Binyanim (37 min)

Examine the Piel, Pu’al, and Hophal binyanim.  

• Reflexive Binyanim: Niphal and Hitpa’el (35 min)

Conclude with reflexive verb patterns.  

• Reading the Bible in Hebrew: Joshua 1 (36 min)

Translate and analyze Joshua 1:1-9.  

• Geminate Verbs and Reading Numbers 22 (38 min)

Study geminate verbs and begin Numbers 22.  

• Hebrew’s Object Suffixes (34 min)

Focus on verb-object suffix combinations.  

• Hebrew Oaths and Other Idioms (35 min)

Learn common Biblical Hebrew idioms.  

34. Understanding Hebrew Punctuation Marks (40 min)

Decode accent marks and word grouping in the text.  

• Choosing a Hebrew Bible (35 min)

Compare printed and digital Hebrew Bibles.  

36. Helpful Hebrew Reference Books (37 min)

Explore essential grammars and dictionaries.