| Unit name | Advanced Biblical Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRSM0095 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. D'Costa |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
L22001 Elementary Biblical Hebrew or L44001 Biblical Hebrew and Exegesis |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
College Unit Director: Revd Dr Knut Heim
The unit develops good knowledge of biblical Hebrew into a tool for exegetical analysis of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at postgraduate level.
The unit aims to:
1. provide a broad training in the skills and techniques of contemporary biblical research through a close reading of relatively difficult Hebrew texts (poetry and prose) from different literary genres, such as psalms, wisdom literature, narratives and laws;
2. equip students to apply an advanced knowledge of Hebrew in scholarly interpretations of biblical texts at the level of postgraduate research.
On completion of the unit students should:
1. be able to translate complex prose and poetic texts from the entire spread of biblical genres from Hebrew into English, using standard tools such as Lexica and Grammars.
2. be able to interpret biblical texts using the techniques, methods and resources of contemporary and traditional biblical research
3. be able to produce technical, original and imaginative exegeses of any biblical text, based on their own observations and using technical commentaries and other specialist literature treating the Hebrew text.
Seminar-style classroom discussions based on the students’ own translations of the texts, interspersed with interactive use of advanced exegetical tools, such as dictionaries, grammars, computer programmes and group review of required reading.
Formative assessment will be through seminar-style classroom discussions based on the students’ own translations of the texts, interspersed with interactive use of advanced exegetical tools, such as dictionaries, grammars, computer programmes and group review of required reading
Summative assessment will be through a 6,000 word exegetical essay on a poetic or narrative text agreed with the unit director.
1. Wegner, Paul D., A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible : [Its History, Methods & Results]. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic/InterVarsity Press, 2006.
2. Alonso Schökel, Luis, A Manual of Hebrew Poetics. Vol. 11, Subsidia Biblica. Rome: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1988.
3. Joüon, Paul and Takamitsu Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. 4th reprint of 1st ed. Roma: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2003.
4. Alter, Robert, The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basic Books, 1981.
5. Alter, Robert, The Art of Biblical Poetry. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1985.
6. Bar-Efrat, Shimon, Narrative Art in the Bible. Vol. 17, Bible and Literature Series. Sheffield: Almond Press, 1989.
