This page includes various kinds of biblical language helps for those who wish to increase their skills in the biblical languages, especially Hebrew. These resources are free to download and distribute but not for resale, and are intended for the building up of the global Church. If you download them, please use them accordingly. And if you feel that these resources are helpful to you (and would be to others as well), would you please consider making a donation to help continue the work of producing free online language tools such as these? The need for these kinds of linguistic tools is very great, especially in developing countries where economic limitations hinder Christian workers toward their goals of learning and utilizing the biblical languages for the edification of the Church in their own cultural contexts.
unfoldingWord Hebrew Grammar (version 1.0)
For intermediate students of Biblical Hebrew, below are posted some 1-2 page quick reference guides for various aspects of the language that are especially difficult to master. These are not teaching tools, nor do they reflect a comprehensive treatment of the material. They are merely reference tools to assist the reader toward increased speed and skill in understanding the Hebrew text.
A Brief Overview of the Verbal System in BH
Quick Guide: Diagnostics of Verbal Forms in BH
Quick Guide: Verb Stem Formations in BH
Quick Guide: Verb Conjugations in BH
For readers of Biblical Hebrew, below are links to audio recordings of Hebrew reading classes for select texts in the Old Testament. You can also download a pdf file of the text for each lecture. All Hebrew texts are from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, and all English translations are from the New Revised Standard Version (courtesy of Biblegateway.com). These classes are recorded from the OT postgraduate seminar series at Stellenbosch University and are intended for participants already able to read Biblical Hebrew on a basic-to-intermediate level.
The best way to use this material is to download the pdf first, reading through the text and parsing all the verbal forms. Then listen to the class discussion while looking at the Hebrew text.
Reading Class: Genesis 2 [pdf] (recorded on 29 Aug 2018)
General Topic –– Miscellaneous Hebrew grammatical issues in Genesis 2
Reading Class: Genesis 12 [pdf] (recorded on 25 Jul 2018)
General Topic –– Nuances of imperatives and the exhortation particle
Reading Class: Genesis 34 [pdf] (recorded on 13 Feb 2019)
General Topic –– Nuances of characterization and style in Gen 34
Reading Class: Exodus 20 [pdf] (recorded on 19 Sept 2018)
Reading Class: Leviticus 19 [pdf] (recorded on 21 Feb 2018)
Reading Class: Numbers 6 [pdf] (recorded on 11 Apr 2018)
Reading Class: Number 16 [pdf] (recorded on 10 Apr 2019)
Reading Class: Deuteronomy 23 [pdf] (recorded on 9 Oct 2019)
Reading Class: Joshua 6 [pdf] (recorded on 10 Oct 2018)
General Topic –– The concept of חֶרֶם, and the discourse particle רַק
Reading Class: Judges 19 [pdf] (recorded on 17 Apr 2019)
Reading Class: 1 Samuel 23 [pdf] (recorded on 28 Feb 2018)
Reading Class: 2 Kings 9 [pdf] (recorded on 18 Apr 2018)
Reading Class: 2 Kings 17 [pdf] (recorded on 7 Aug 2019)
Reading Class: 2 Kings 23 [pdf] (recorded on 25 Apr 2018)
Reading Class: Isaiah 5 [pdf] (recorded on 22 Aug 2018)
Reading Class: Isaiah 6 [pdf] (recorded on 20 Mar 2019)
Reading Class: Isaiah 36 [pdf] (recorded on 28 Aug 2019)
Reading Class: Isaiah 53 [pdf] [DSS] (recorded on 23 Oct 2019)
General Topic –– OT text criticism and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Reading Class: Jeremiah 6 [pdf] (recorded on 20 Feb 2019)
Reading Class: Jeremiah 29 [pdf] (recorded on 1 Aug 2018)
General Topic –– Miscellaneous issues in Hebrew narrative and syntax
Reading Class: Jeremiah 34 [pdf] (recorded on 7 Mar 2018)
General Topic –– Semantic value of verbal conjugations
Reading Class: Jeremiah 38 [pdf] (recorded on ?? ??? ????)
Reading Class: Psalm 67 [pdf] (recorded on 24 Oct 2018)
Reading Class: Psalm 80 [pdf] (recorded on 14 Mar 2018)
Reading Class: Psalm 84 [pdf] (recorded on 8 Aug 2018)
General Topic –– Miscellaneous issues in Hebrew poetry and cantillation
Reading Class: Proverbs 22-23 [pdf] (recorded on 28 Mar 2018)
Reading Class: Ezra 4 [pdf] (recorded on 14 Aug 2019)
Reading Class: Ezra 10 [pdf] (recorded on 17 Oct 2018)
Reading Class: Nehemiah 9 [pdf] (recorded on 26 Sept 2018)
Reading Class: 1 Chronicles 7 [pdf] (recorded on 3 Oct 2018)
Reading Class: 2 Chronicles 13 [pdf] (recorded on 14 Feb 2018)
ReadingClass: 2 Chronicles 19 [pdf] (recorded on 16 Oct 2019)
Reading Class: 2 Chronicles 30 [pdf] (recorded on 24 Apr 2019)
Reading the Old Testament 