Course Description
Readings in the Bible, in Hebrew, with an emphasis on fluidity, vocabulary development, and understanding how to capture nuance in translation.
Athena Title
Bible in Hebrew
Prerequisite
HEBR 2003 or HEBR 4000 or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Developing both fluency and vocabulary, the course emphasizes readings in Hebrew, expounded by students in class in order to encourage immersion in the corpus of Biblical Hebrew and the tools and scholarship available for contextual understanding—in the culture of the time of composition (the contemporary corpus and authorial context) and in its integration into larger corpora, such as the canon (the receiving context). The aim is to allow students to progress toward independent but contextually sensitive translation. This course integrates study of the Hebrew language with that of culture and history. It will be taught in an integrated format. Assignments, discussions, and student oral and written work follow guidelines proposed in the proposal for Integrating Languages Across the Curriculum: 1. About 70% of the course readings is in Hebrew; 2. Written work will include composition specifically in the target language and of the period under study; 3. Students will have opportunities to present research results to the class in the target language, especially about semantics in the course of vocabulary development; 4. A significant amount of time will be devoted to discussion in the target language, in break-out sessions, especially via electronic exchange. Students will be encouraged to access secondary (i.e., modern scholarly) readings in modern Hebrew.
Topical Outline
As an example: I. Classic Prose Narrative A. The Ehud Story (Judges 3:12-30) B. The Deborah Story C. The Rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13) D. The Designation of Solomon (1 Kings 1-2) II. Classic Expository Prose A. The Introduction to Judges (Judges 2:6-3:5) B. The introduction to the laws of Deuteronomy (Deut 5-6) C. The polemic against icons (Deuteronomy 4; Jeremiah 10; Isaiah 44) III. Poetic Themes A. Antique processionals (Judges 5; Deuteronomy 33; Genesis 49) B. Classic Processionals (Psalms 15; 24; 29; 68; 132) C. Oracles against foreign nations (Amos 1-2; Isaiah 15-16; Jeremiah 45; Ezekiel 25) D. Extended oracles against foreign nations (Isaiah 12-14; Ezekiel 26-28)