Biblical Hebrew for All
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Biblical Hebrew for All

"Translating Hebrew into another language, is like kissing your bride through her veil."

This quote, most often attributed to Hayim Nahman Bialik (1873 – 1934), one of the greatest Hebrew poets of the 20th century, has been the genesis for including Volume 5 into this series.

The statement by Bialik is in answer to the often asked question as to what difference does it make to read the original Hebrew Bible as apposed to reading any number of translations.

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Site  Objectives

The main purpose in compiling the series of five textbooks entitled Biblical Hebrew for All
Prof. J.C. (John) Lübbe

Department of Semitic Languages and Ancient Near Eastern Studies University of South Africa (UNISA)

Prof Lubbe served in the above Department from 1974 to 2010.

He acted as Head of the Department from 1995 until his retirement in 2010.

" I warmly encourage the work of Tian Hattingh in making available to non-academics the basics of biblical Hebrew. His presentation is sound and will provide a firm basis for any who wish to build thereon, either as they study the Masoretic text for themselves, or as they proceed along more formal channels of study."
and in the process improve their understanding and appreciation of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).

This site functions as a source of additional material to the textbooks of the series with particular focus on Volume 5.
Prof. J.C. (John) Lübbe

Department of Semitic Languages and Ancient Near Eastern Studies University of South Africa (UNISA)

Prof Lubbe served in the above Department rom 1974 to 2010.

He acted as Head of the Department from 1995 until his retirement in 2010.

" I warmly encourage the work of Tian Hattingh in making available to non-academics the basics of biblical Hebrew. His presentation is sound and will provide a firm basis for any who wish to build thereon, either as they study the Masoretic text for themselves, or as they proceed along more formal channels of study."

Advantages of 5 Volumes
Beginners do not need more advanced material when starting out.
The grammar is divided into three parts (Volumes 1-3), which form three logical levels namely: Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate.
More complicated issues are dealt with more fully in the later volumes.
Students are able to buy only what they need at any particular time.
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Now available

Biblical Hebrew for All.

Volume 1.

Beginners

Electronic version. Suitable for all devices
Preview Download for free
Chapter 47-64

Volume 3

Doubly-Weak Verbs
Chapter 65-79

Volume 4

Textual Criticism
Chapter 80-87

Volume 5

Lifting the Veil
Dealing with Volume 5, this website will present:
further information relevant to a number of the texts selected in
 Volume 5, and
present additional texts where modern English translations are deemed to be noteworthy and/or inadequate in English.

Does a basic knowledge of Biblical Hebrew help when reading the Old Testament?

In an attempt to answer this question, Volume 5 of the series contains notes on 400 texts from the Hebrew Bible. These texts were selected as examples of where modern English translations 
changed the Masoretic Text (MT) to suit there particular purposes, and/or
failed to completely present all the nuances found in the MT, and/or 
choose a less desirable option where multiple alternatives are possible, and/or
made a mistake, and translated the MT incorrectly. 

The books are now available at:

The 188 Names of God 

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Jesus and the Old Testament

The New Testament (NT) is all about Jesus. By reading the NT we can get to know Jesus and his Gospel. For those who accept his message, Jesus then becomes their Savior.

The Old Testament (OT) is all about God the Father working with his people before he sent his Son to us. The OT lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the NT.

The Bible is a progressive revelation. The New Testament is better understood when we see its foundation in the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the OT.

The objective of this section is to show how closely the life and work of Jesus is connected to the Old Testament.
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Online Classes

The author does present online classes to people using the textbooks, in order to:
  • Assist those who feel they need some more input.
  • Assist in reviewing and clarifying problems.
  • Assist them in memorizing vocabulary.
  • Provide more information on study resources.
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