Introducing Biblical Hebrew (review)

Hebrew Studies 44 (2003) 238 Reviews •After' in the Teaching of Hebrew Grammar," which originally appeared in this journal (HS 23 [1982]: 127-144). M.O·Connor The Catholic University ofAmerica Washington. D. C. 20064 oconnorm@cua.edu INTRODUCING BIBLICAL HEBREW. By Allen P. Ross. Pp. 565. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2001. Cloth, $39.99. In light of the current deluge of new textbooks introducing Biblical Hebrew, one could be excused for dismissing this book prematurely. It would be easy (and perhaps justifiable) to find nothing positive to say about the appearance of yet another introduction to Biblical Hebrew without genuinely considering its contributions. But this would be a mistake, at least in this case, and at least in a few particulars. The author himself claims his volume is "much more than a beginning Hebrew grammar" (p. 9), and I have to agree, although some teachers will see this as both a strength and a weakness. The material is presented in four parts. Part I ("Signs and Sounds") contains six chapters introducing phonology. This portion is standard fare for the genre, although the first chapter offers a much more detailed explanation of elementary phonology than most beginning grammars. Part 2 ("Forms and Meanings") presents the fundamentals of Biblical Hebrew in thirty-four chapters. Features of the language are usually explained in a clear and straightforward manner, although occasionally one could have wished for more frequent cross-referencing, which would have been especially useful for beginners. So, for example, when explaining the adjectival use of demonstratives (par. 11.3, p. 95), a simple reference to the syntax of the attributive adjective learned earlier would have been useful (par. 9.2.1, pp. 81-82); likewise the discussion of suffixes on segholate nouns (par. 15.4, p. 121) could have referred to the introduction of the noun class (par. 8.2, p. 77). The inclusion of a thorough subject index has made it possible for the reader to find the connections, but more numerous embedded cross-references would have been better pedagogically. Vocabulary seems about right, and the exercises are useful. Regarding the verbal system, the author uses "perfect tense" and "imperfect tense" to introduce the conjugations while appearing to accept the majority opinion of a verbal aspectual system in Biblical Hebrew, which has become the majority opinion over the past century or so. While his terminology simplifies things for the beginning student, it may actually complicate Hebrew Studies 44 (2003) 239 Reviews matters for intermediate and advanced classes when the student begins to explore the conjugations further. Part 3 ("Texts and Contexts") contains fourteen chapters intended to introduce the student to the mysteries of BHS, while at the same time building on the elementary grammar of part 2 by explaining various syntactical features . Each chapter here contains (I) new material pertaining to the critical apparatus and textual criticism, the Masorah, or syntax, (2) selections from Genesis illustrating the features of these (all taken from Genesis 2-4 or 12-15), and (3) a brief review of the new material of the chapter with numerous cross-references to parts 1 and 2. Part 4 ("Study Aids") includes standard "end matter" for this genre, such as glossaries, paradigms, and indexes. It does, however, include yet another opportunity for review by listing brief, one-page summaries of the content of all fifty-four chapters in parts 1-3. In light of the reviews in part 3, one wonders if this is really a wise use of space (fifty-three pages), especially since nothing new is covered here. This volume contains three features generally unique to beginning grammars, which will certainly win favor among some teachers of Biblical Hebrew. First, the volume includes an introductory chapter on Semitic languages including graphics illustrating the various writing systems. While some beginners will be dumbfounded by the discussion, it will no doubt be popular with teachers and useful to serious students. Second, part 2 includes two excursuses on the author's "mechanical parsing method" (pages 222-225 and 302-307). This feature of the book impressed me as one of those idiosyncmtic methods that may be effective for a particular professor in her own classroom, but which...