Classical Hebrew

(offered by the Department of Old Testament and

Ancient Near Eastern Studies)

Telephone number 012 429 6812/4711

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General Information

 No previous knowledge of Hebrew is required.

 Students must choose between Classical Hebrew (Biblical/Old Testament Hebrew), which is intended for Bible translators, researchers and students who wish to read the literature of ancient Israel especially Biblical texts, and Modern Hebrew, which is intended for students who are interested in the modern language and literature.

 Credit for a degree is granted for study units in either Classical Hebrew or Modern Hebrew but not both, and a pass in Classical Hebrew does not qualify a student for admission to Modern Hebrew or vice versa.

 Credit for a degree is granted for: (i) either CLH101 and 102 or KHE100 (ii) either CLH101 or CLH103 (iii) either CLH102 or CLH104 (iv) either CLH201 or CLH206 (v) either CLH203 and CLH204 or CLH207 (vi) either CLH205 or 202 or 306 (vii) either CLH801 or CLH304

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Admission Requirements

See also A9 in Part 5 of the Calendar FIRST-LEVEL MODULES None

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Classical Hebrew as a Major Subject

Compulsory modules for a major subject

combination:

NB

Students who have already registered for a major in Classical Hebrew have until the end of 2008 to complete the major.

First level: CLH101, 102 Second level: CLH201, 203, 204, 205 Third level: CLH301, 304, 305

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Transitional Arrangements

Study unit

passed Modules which may not be taken Outstanding modules

KHE100 CLH101, 102 – KHE201 CLH201, 205 CLH203, 204 KHE202 CLH203, 204 CLH201, 205 KHE301 – CLH301, 304, 305 KHE302 CLH304 CLH301, 305 KHE303 CLH305 CLH301, 304 CLH101 CLH103 – CLH102 CLH104 – CLH201 CLH206 – CLH203, 204 CLH207 –

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Syllabus

This module may be taken on first, second or third level.

CLH801H Treasures from the caves: the Dead Sea scrolls (S1 and S2)*

Syllabus: A study of current views concerning the origin and history of the scrolls and their significance for Second Temple Judaism and the birth of Christianity. Texts may be studied in Hebrew or English.

FIRST-LEVEL MODULES NB

Students who registered for CLH103T and CLH104U on first level, must continue on second level with CLH2063 and CLH2074. Since these modules progressively increase the knowledge of the language, the modules should be taken in the sequence in which they are listed, e.g. CLH104U should not be a�empted before passing CLH103T.

CLH103T Galeh Ivrit Tanakhit (S1 and S2)

Purpose: to enable students to read an adjusted Old Testament text; answer questions in English concerning linguistic and literary issues and answer questions in wri�en and spoken Hebrew concerning the context of the Biblical text.

CLH104U Hamshekh be’Ivrit Tanakhit (S1 and S2)

Purpose: to enable students to read an adjusted Old Testament text and to answer questions in English and Hebrew (wri�en and spoken) concerning linguistic and literary issues pertaining to the Biblical text.

SECOND-LEVEL MODULES NB

Only students already registered for the major, will be allowed to register for CHL201, 203, 204 and 205.

Prerequisite: CLH101, 102 or KHE100

Advice: Students are advised to register for CLH201 and 205 in S1 and CLH203 and 204 in S2 as a knowledge of CLH201 and 205 is assumed when registering for the other two modules.

CLH201U Knowing the language: advanced grammar (S1 and S2)*

Purpose: to enable students to compose, translate and analyse Classical Hebrew sentences that contain strong and weak verbs.

CLH203W Knowing the authors: translating structure and style in Hebrew narratives (S1 and S2)*

Co-requisite: CLH201, 205

Purpose: to enable students to identify and reflect in translation, the structure of Hebrew narratives and the style of the author.

CLH204X Knowing the poets: translating form and meaning in Hebrew poetry (S1 and S2)*

Co-requisite: CLH201, 205

Purpose: to enable students to understand the structure of Hebrew poetry and to retain the source text form in the process of translation.

CLH205Y Knowing the transmitters and interpreters: a study of the scribal and translation processes (S1 and S2)

Purpose: to determine the text-critical value of a source in the light of the copying or translating processes which produced it.

CLH2063 Hinneh haTanakh (S1 and S2)

Advice: The study will necessitate an increased vocabulary and knowledge of Hebrew grammar.

Purpose: to enable students to read an adjusted Old Testament text and to answer questions in English and Hebrew (wri�en and spoken) concerning linguistic and literary issues pertaining to the Biblical text.

CLH2074 Hinneh ha’Arets (S1 and S2)

Advice: The study will necessitate a thorough knowledge of basic Hebrew grammar and an introductory knowledge of translation theory.

Purpose: to enable students to read directly from the Masoretic text and to evaluate linguistic and literary issues in existing translations of Hebrew narratives and poetry.

The new language modules described above will be direct of relevance to the following modules in Biblical Studies / Scripture Studies:

SCR111X Forms of the Bible: traditions, texts and translations SCR112Y Biblical interpretation and hermeneutics

BBS103F Old Testament texts and their ancient contexts BBS302L Interpreting the Bible today

BBA309D Understanding the Old Testament through archaeology

HBS401V Problems of understanding pertaining to the Bible HBS404Y Old Testament historiography

HBS4064/HOT404E Old Testament exegesis HBS4086 Biblical exposition

THIRD-LEVEL MODULES NB

Only students already registered for the major, will be allowed to regsiter for CHL301, 304 and 305.

CLH301X Semantics and lexicography in Bible translation (S1 and S2)*

Prerequisite: CLH201, 203–205

Syllabus: A practical and theoretical knowledge of Hebrew lexicography and the use of semantic domains in Bible translation

CLH3044 Treasures from the cave: the Dead Sea scrolls (S1 and S2)*

Prerequisite: CLH201, 203–205

Syllabus: A study of current views on the origin and history of the scrolls and their possible significance for Second Temple Judaism and the birth of Christianity. Texts are studied in their Hebrew original

CLH3055 Cognate studies: the history of texts of another Semitic language (S1 and S2)*

Prerequisite: TWO first-level modules in this subject or any FOUR first-level modules

Advice: It is recommended that students should have a fairly good grounding in the basic grammar of Biblical Hebrew. This module serves as a foundation to the study of the chosen language at the level of the MA degree.

Syllabus: A study of the literature of a cognate Semitic language