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Hebrew for Life

Strategies for Learning, Retaining, and Reviving Biblical Hebrew

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About

Three experienced biblical language professors inspire students and pastors to learn, retain, and use Hebrew for ministry, setting them on a lifelong journey of reading and loving the Hebrew Bible. Written in a conversational style, Hebrew for Life offers practical guidance, inspiration, and motivation. It provides effective strategies to help readers learn biblical Hebrew, maintain current knowledge, and enjoy reading the Old Testament in its original language.

This companion volume to the successful Greek for Life incorporates research-tested strategies for learning, presents methods not usually covered in other textbooks, and surveys helpful resources for recovering Hebrew after a long period of disuse. It will benefit anyone who is taking (or has taken) a year of Hebrew.

Contents
Foreword by Miles V. Van Pelt
1. The Goal of the Harvest
2. Weighed in the Balances and Found Wanting
3. Review the Fundamentals Often
4. Develop a Next-Level Memory
5. Strategically Leverage Your Breaks
6. Read, Read, Read
7. The Wisdom of Resources
8. Hebrew's Close Cousin--Aramaic
9. Getting Back in Shape
Sources of Featured Quotations
Indexes


Endorsements

"Hebrew for Life will benefit you if you are just beginning your Hebrew journey, if you have forgotten most of your Hebrew, or if you find yourself somewhere in between. I will be using this volume with my students."

Mark Futato, Robert L. Maclellan Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando

"Hebrew for Life addresses conclusively the most common questions my students pose about learning biblical languages and provides important resources, approaches, and concrete study habits. The chapter on vocabulary memorization alone is an incredibly valuable resource that I expect to make required reading in my courses. The true value of the book, though, extends beyond its mastery of the mechanics of language acquisition; the authors encourage students to consider the more fundamental issues of the learning process, like setting realistic goals, valuing imagination, and living a life of diligence. Hebrew for Life is the kind of resource that helps to form students into faithful stewards of the unique privilege of reading the Hebrew text."

Michelle Knight, assistant professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Howell, Merkle, and Plummer have put together a resource that provides nitty-gritty, real help to both encourage and guide pastors and students to engage the biblical text in the original languages as a lifelong discipline. I heartily recommend it."

Peter J. Gentry, professor of Old Testament interpretation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"Every Hebrew professor knows the challenge of getting students to retain their knowledge of Hebrew once the course is finished. Ideally, they should progress in the biblical languages, but many regress and lose most of what they gained. I am always looking for ways to encourage students to see the value and necessity of keeping up their knowledge of Hebrew and for ways to help them in this endeavor. This book offers strong and encouraging arguments for the continuous use of Hebrew, and it gives many practical suggestions for how to do this. It will definitely be a resource that I recommend to students and a requirement in many of my classes."

Michael G. McKelvey, associate professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson


The Authors

  1. Adam J. Howell
    Emil Handke

    Adam J. Howell

    Adam J. Howell (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of Old Testament interpretation at Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky.  He also serves as a book review editor for the Journal of Biblical and Theological...

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  2. Benjamin L. Merkle
    Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

    Benjamin L. Merkle

    Benjamin L. Merkle (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and research professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North...

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  3. Robert L. Plummer

    Robert L. Plummer

    Robert L. Plummer (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Collin and Evelyn Aikman Professor of Biblical Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the coauthor, with Benjamin L. Merkle and Andreas J....

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Reviews

"An excellent text that will undoubtedly aid students. . . . Its primary uses will likely be any serious Hebrew student alongside, one hopes, the studious pastor and the invested layperson. Highly recommended!"

Dustin Burlet,

Canadian-Americna Theological Review


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