25
November

The Accordance Experience

Last week, scholars around the world descended upon San Francisco to partake in the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. It was time for scholars to engage in formal presentations, build relationships, and network with their peers. Another great benefit of the meeting is the presence of various publishers and Bible Software developers. Accordance Bible Software was present, and I was asked to come along and work the booth. It was a very beneficial experience for me, and I cannot thank Accordance enough for bringing me along. My main responsibility was to give demonstrations of Accordance to any interested visitor to our booth. As I’ve now had time to ruminate on my experience, I’ve again realized the power and intuitive nature of Accordance Bible Software. Allow me to elaborate:

It seemed as though most visitors to the Accordance Booth were using some sort of Bible Software. I would often ask whether they were happy with their product. Some would say yes, but a great deal expressed disappointment for various reasons. Some would say their current software setup was slow, while others would say it was too hard to learn and convoluted in its format. After they expressed their frustration, I would then invite them to experience Accordance Bible Software. The demo was not a rhetorically driven demo—that is, I wouldn’t go to the most advanced features of Accordance. Rather, I would ask what area of research is important, and begin with the rudimentary elements of Accordance. For example, if the visitor stated that the Hebrew Bible is their area of research, I would open the BHS-W4 text, and run some simple searches and open an analysis display. Once the analysis display was open, I would show how could they could manipulate the data, whether it be a concordance, a pie chart, a bar chart, or even smart search back out of the analysis display for particular information about our initial search. The response was priceless! Then, the questions would flow: can I find examples of three nouns or adjectives, where the third noun or adjective is connected with a waw? Or can I find occurrences where other biblical books allude to or quote Leviticus 13? One particular scholar adamantly protested that she is not a Mac user, and very pleased with her current software arrangement. Nevertheless, she wanted a demo. She was asking some very particular questions (e.g., can I find all the middle weak verbs in Accordance). Each time I would create the search, and run it. Each time she would look at me and respond, “Wow! I just might have to get a Mac!” I would respond by saying that Accordance is limited only insofar as your exegetical imagination is limited. Accordance can accompany the most curious of questions, and the results are displayed immediately for your analysis!

24 comments

10
November

Accordance© Bible Software: Search Symbols & Commands

For you Accordance Folk, I’ve created a supplemental search handout of the various search symbols and commands in Accordance© Bible Software. Enjoy!

Accordance Search

317 comments

7
September

Noun Formation and Exceptions

I blogged about this before, but I again was pressed with the importance learning how to produce Biblical Hebrew (to the degree to which we are able). In my Hebrew compositions class, we had a lengthy discussion on the shift of the /a/ class vowel to the /i/ class vowel in certain words and certain forms. For example, the Biblical Hebrew word דָּבָר, when in a construct form is added, becomes דִּבְרֵי. By understanding the morphology of Hebrew and noun formation, we know that closed unaccented syllables require short vowels. We also know that near open syllables, the pretonic, syllable will often lengthen within its vowel class (a comparative note: Aramaic reduces pretonic syllables). Any distant open syllable will reduce. Of course, we cannot work from the vowels we see in Biblical Hebrew but must think in regards to Proto-Semitic. That is to say, דָּבָר should be understood to have the following underlying vowels: דַּבַר. Thus, when we desire to produce the construct of this word, we would expect, according to the above rules, to have a form of like this: דְּבָרֵי־. However, we don’t find this in the biblical text. Why? It’s primarily due to another phenomenon that occurred in Biblical Hebrew. Namely, words whose vowel pattern is CvCv̄C shifted the initial /a/ class vowel to an /i/ class vowel.1

There you have it. You now understand why in certain forms of דָּבָר and other similar nouns the /a/ class vowel shifts to /i/. Of course, this is a generalization and you shouldn’t be surprised to find exceptions to the rule—hence the importance of knowledge by acquaintance.

  1. We also see this in various verbal patterns, specifically the prefix conjugation. However, take note that certain weak verbs, like the first radical gutturals, preserve the old /a/ class vowel. ↩

64 comments

25
August

The Powerhouse of Bible Software pt. II

I mentioned previously that there are several reasons why Accordance Bible Software out performs other Bible Software Applications. One reason in particular is the host of search features Accordance offers its users. For my interest in demonstrating the power of the MT-LXX module, I will use the MERGE command frequently. Before I dive right in, there are two fundamental elements to master in understanding Accordance’s search features: the user interface and the commands. Let me address these two elements before I turn to the MT-LXX Module.
The Workspace is “the largest working unit in Accordance.” It’s where a majority of your study will begin.
The Search Tab is the location whereby you can build your search. It’s very intuitive and flexible. For example, let’s say you wanted to search for a single word or a phrase. You can simply key in the word or phrase, hit return (enter), and results are immediate. You could also search for a Scripture verse, a pericope, a list of verses, or a range of verses, and so on. For mastering the MT-LXX module, it is necessary to gain proficiency in the search commands.1 The Search Commands2 are of two types: Connecting commands and Stand-alone commands.
The upper portion of the list are Connecting commands. In order for these commands to run properly, information must be on both sides of the command. For example, this is a valid use of the Connecting command:
The brackets can serve as handy reminders that info must be on both sides for a valid search to run. If I attempted to run this search: heavens <OR>
We get an error informing me that the search was not constructed accordingly.

The second type of Search Commands is the Stand-alone type. These commands are often the more complex, but the Accordance developers have done us a great service in intuitively explaining the syntax to us. For example, if I were to run Range Command search, upon selecting the menu option “Search” and then “Enter Command” and select “Range” the search argument box populates with our selected command. I could also type this command in, or even use the handy keyboard stroke ⇧⌘R. Upon populating the search tab, the [Range ?] command is asking for an additional piece of information. Since the Range command is for delimiting a portion of Scripture, I could type in something like Genesis, or Gen, or Gen-Deut. Most of the Stand-alone commands can be coupled with other search commands. For example, say I wanted to find everywhere the word “beginning” is used *within* the first seven words of sentence, only in the Book of Genesis. Care to take a stab at how this search might look? It’s rather easy, to be honest. Don’t allow yourself to get overloaded with the question—don’t let it become overwhelming. Let’s clearly state the question as: I want to know if the word beginning is used within the first 7 words of the ESVS translation of Genesis. Let’s parse this question out:

  • I want to search for a word, namely, “beginning”.
  • I am curious as to whether this word ever occurs in Genesis.
  • If it occurs in Genesis, how many of those occurrences are within the first 7 words of sentence.

Our search would follow be as follows:
As each of these Stand-alone Search Commands are for particular uses and for getting particular results, they each have additional elements of syntax to master. The above demonstrates that the [FIELD ?] command requires a connecting command. You can also see how the connecting command joins the questionable-word with the Stand-alone command [RANGE Gen]. Thus, the example demonstrates that commands are very intuitive and easy to learn.

The Merge Command is thus a Stand-alone command. It is specific to the “Tools tab,” and as such makes the MT-LXX Accordance Module a work horse! The [MERGE ?]3 has two different functions.4 It can be used to search two different fields of the same tool, or it can import the contents of a Bible text as well as the search argument used in aforesaid Bible.

As you can see, Accordance Bible Software presents a very powerful gamut of search options. They are laid out in a very intuitive fashion. We don’t need to spend needless hours learning some arcane, overly complex and fragmented User Interface. With the click of mouse, we can find answers to our questions. Accordance keeps it simple, but its search capabilities are far from being simplistic.

My next post will hone in on the second function of the Merge command. I will take several of McLay’s findings and put them to the mettle, but I will also address a very practical question: is the cost of MT-LXX worth it?

Meanwhile, try this search on for size. Find the answer of this question:

If and how many times does the word “beginning” occur in the ESV within the first 7 words of a verse, excluding Genesis? And how would you compare these results with the same search in another Translation?5

Hint: it’s the negation, or probably better stated as complement, of the above search.

  1. Should you want to learn more about the Workspace, User Interface, or the Search Tab, please visit the Accordance Bible Software Help, which is accessible via Window/Window Help on your menu bar. You can also view Dr. Timothy Jenney’s helpful podcasts at the iTunes store. ↩
  2. Follow: Biblical Research and Analyses > Search Criteria > Search Commands > Search Commands in the Accordance Help files. ↩
  3. You will never actually see the “?” in the search argument box. This is primarily due to the fact that the question mark is a variable. In my example of “beginning,” I replaced the “?” with the word under question. When you build a search with the Merge command, it will default to an user input window containing all the Windows your currently have open. Upon selecting which window you want to merge, it will automatically import its name into the slot of the ?. ↩
  4. I am loosly quoting the Accordance Help in this explanation. ↩
  5. Answer will be posted in comments in one weeks time. ↩

50 comments

22
August

R. Timothy McLay: On Memory and the Septuagint

This summer has been very productive thus far. My attention has been centralized on three broad areas of interest: Family, Work, and Studies. Currently, both in my work and in my studies, I’ve been researching the Septuagint (LXX). Various other subjects have occupied my studies as well, but the LXX has piqued my interest for years, and is one of the reasons why I sought an undergraduate degree in Hellenistic Greek. It’s safe to say that my interest continues to increase in this area of research, and I sense there remains a great deal of research to come in the years ahead as Septuagintalist scholars begin and continue to integrate their research with the discoveries of Judean Desert.

This past week, I’ve been reading through R. Timothy McLay’s monograph The Use of the Septuagint in NT Research. McLay does an extremely good job laying out the various related issues of NT authors using the Septuagint, especially as it relates to an extant Hebrew reading or vorlage. His example par excellence is Acts 15:16–18, which “uses” Amos 9:11–12. His argument and demonstration are excellent for those who are just beginning to wade through the issues of how to juggle comparative philology, Hebrew Syntax, textual transmission, a proto-text or vorlage, Greek Syntax, OG as compared to LXX, just to name a few. There are times, however, when I scratch my head in attempting to understand McLay’s arguments. For example, McLay argues,

The next question is, How did the authors cite Scripture? Did they quote their sources directly or quote from memory? Quoting from memory could be one way to explain the way in which the NT authors sometimes blended several Scriptures together. For example, it might explain the use of ἀνορθώσω in Acts 15:16. The verb is not that common in the LXX (only 16x), but it does occur in 2 Reigns (Samuel) 7:13, 16 where the prophet Nathan tells King David that he is not to build the temple, but where the Lord says that David will οἰκοδομήσει build it through his seed and “I will ἀνορθώσω establish his throne.” The similar themes and vocabulary regarding the kingdom of David are probably responsible for the author’s choice of vocabulary, particularly since 2 Reigns 7:13–14 was a very important messianic text. Memory might also account for the different introduction After these things I will return and, perhaps, for the omission of the second reference to the fallen parts. However, it is noticeable that while Acts 15:16 departs quite significantly from Amos 9:11, the next verse in Acts is almost identical to that of Amos. It would be difficult to believe that one could make mistakes in one verse and then be so accurate in the next. Thus, it seems unlikely that lack of memory could account for the differences in this particular case.

McLay begins this section with a question, “Did they [the NT authors] quote their sources directly or quote from memory?,” to which his response (read: conclusion) is: “. . . it seems unlikely that lack of memory could account for the differences in this particular case.” How does he get to his conclusion; what is his argument? In order to understand we must observe the phenomenon to which he is discussing. Acts 15:16 reads, “μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν . . . “ The issue surfaces in the LXX reading of Amos, the supposed source (καθὼς γέγραπται) of which is Amos, which reads: ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀναστήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυιδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὰ πεπτωκότα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀναστήσω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ αἰῶνος . . . ” The LXX text is quoted from Rahlfs and accordingly the two texts show affinities, but do differ—most notably is the NT use which interpolates the verb ἀνορθώσω. McLay draws our attention to this omission—all is good and well. Thus, we need an explanation of how this verb came to be added (assuming we have no valid reason to suggest an emendation to the Masoretic Text). It’s in this context that McLay raises the question regarding memory.

So, let’s track his argument. Greek teachers might get it wrong when they say find the verb first, but Logic teachers are spot on when they tell us to find the conclusion first. What exactly is McLay’s conclusion? In this case, we have a handy keyword, “thus,” signaling the conclusion, which is, “Thus, it seems unlikely that lack of memory could account for the differences in this particular case.” Just what exactly is McLay saying here? We could probably better state his conclusion as, “It is improbable that memory failure adequately explains the additional verb (ἀνορθώσω) of the NT quotation.” Coming to this conclusion is based on the premise that memory failure has explanatory power for textual variants, as well as another premise, namely, “It would be difficult to believe that one could make mistakes in one verse and then be so accurate in the next.” The last premise is itself a conclusion of embedded argument by example. Assuming that word frequency has a direct relationship on memory, McLay overcomes the low frequency of ἀνορθώσω (16x) objection by arguing that 2 Reigns 7:13, 16 are more likely to be memorized due to its messianic interpretation. While this certainly could be the case, McLay doesn’t seek to substantiate it. Rather, he moves to verse 17, and finds a conundrum, insofar as he is perplexed as to how one verse (v. 17) can be so accurate, whereas another immediately contextual verse departs from its source.

Albeit convoluted, McLay’s argument is great for students to encounter. Firstly, why should we be persuaded over his conclusion? Doesn’t memory fail in that sort of manner? That is to say, we could memorize large portions of Scripture, recite this Scripture, and make errors. Will our errors perpetuate throughout our recitation? Will they be sparse? Could we have merged two readings of similar text in our recitation without being cognizant of the matter? Could we intentionally shift or move syntactically significant clauses, phrases, or vocabulary, according to our interpretation of a verse, so as to flush out and make plain our point? All of the above seem rationally plausible for understanding errors or misquotations in memory recital. Yet, there is another large assumption in McLay’s argument: can textual support be found for the Acts reading? In other words, we assume their is a failure in memory for we don’t have an extant text with such a reading. The Göttingen LXX lists 764 Athos, Λαύρα 169, a thirteenth – fifteenth manuscipt as supporting the reading of ἀνορθώσω, but it is most likely a quotation of Acts. Nevertheless, based upon what we can know of memory, I am unsure as to why McLay gives more weight to the premise that memory failure occurs systematically and frequently. It seems to me the converse is the case.

49 comments

12
August

Hebrew University Bible Project

The controversy of faith and critical scholarship silently tip toes around in Sebastian Scheiner’s recent article, “Scholars seek to correct ‘mistakes’ in Bible.” While the issue is never explicitly stated, the perlocutionary message is clear: a text with divergent readings is controversial at the least, and its contents are dubious at most. Such a dichotomy surfaces in several places throughout the article. For example, Scheiner states, “For Orthodox Jews, the accuracy is considered so inviolable that if a synagogue’s Torah scroll is found to have a minute error in a single letter, the entire scroll is unusable.” Another example is the conclusion in which it states, “Considering that the nature of their work would be considered controversial, if not offensive, by many religious people, it is perhaps surprising that most of the project’s scholars are themselves Orthodox Jews.” Even the title of the piece itself, with the definite article missing, could be adduced as support.

Christian Askeland, over at Evangelical Textual Criticism, shares the following thought regarding the article: “I wonder what educated group of religious people finds textual criticism ‘offensive.’ Probably, he means to suggest that the results of their work are offensive.” I wonder the same. I suspect what we have here is a reporter who is imperceptible to the field of Old Testament Textual Criticism, and its ongoing research in light of Qumran. I have to agree with Christian on this one, and I seriously doubt any Old Testament Scholar is offended by the current project. We stand to gain and learn a great deal from the Hebrew University Bible Project, as well as the Biblia Hebraica Quinta project.

While the article is rather weak on many points, I think the final paragraph sums up the issue rather succinctly:

‘A believing Jew claims that the source of the Bible is prophecy,’ said the project’s bearded academic secretary, Rafael Zer. ‘But as soon as the words are given to human beings — with God’s agreement, and at his initiative — the holiness of the biblical text remains, even if mistakes are made when the text is passed on.

Scheiner’s article is an emotive appeal that does little to demostrate the role and value of textual criticism. Yet, I suspect the article will mesh well with those who live on the slippery slope.

If you would like to know more about the Hebew University Bible Project, then please consult these more informative sources:

Michael V. Fox, “Proverbs: The Challenge of the Oxford Hebrew Bible,” Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 32 (2006) 1–22.

Ronald Hendel, “The Oxford Hebrew Bible: Prologue to a New Critical Edition,” Vetus Testamentum 58 (2008) 324-51.

James A. Sanders, “The Hebrew University Bible and Biblia Hebraica Quinta” Journal of Biblical Literature v. 118 no 3, Autumn, 1999, 518–527. (email me if you would like a pdf of this article)

148 comments

10
August

The Powerhouse of Bible Software

I was in Dr. Rex Koivisto‘s speed reading Greek course when I first encountered Accordance Bible Software. I wasn’t even a Mac user at the time, and had for the most part been a Logos Bible Software user. When I observed the power of Accordance for Bible Study—its speed, flexibility, and intuitiveness—I was convinced that Accordance must be an essential part of my Bible Study. Thus, I purchased a BlackBook and soon as the money was available, I purchased Accordance Bible Software Scholars Package.

My switch was complete! I was and still am amazed at the power Accordance offers its users. Undoubtedly, someone will respond by claiming I am biased, but such an assertion misunderstands my story: I was a Logos user, and once I observed and compared the two applications, I decided Accordance was the better of the two options. Thus, it’s best to say that I’ve become unbiased.

There are reasons and good ones why I found Accordance to out perform Logos on many levels. I would like to demonstrate some of these reasons in the next few posts. I’ve been working on one post (which has morphed into three) in particular that has indeed confirmed my initial thoughts of Accordance: It’s truly the power house of Bible Software.

Within the next several days, I intend to post several articles on Accordance’s powerful, intuitive module, MT-LXX. The first post reviews some of Accordance’s search terms and syntax, with special attention on the Merge command. The second post will survey the MT-LXX module itself, reviewing its development and usefulness for various and sundry issues (i.e., Textual Criticism, New Testament Use of Old Testament, Greek linguistics, etc.). My last post will demonstrate how MT-LXX can be used for tracking exegetical arguments and thus building your understanding of the significance of the Septuagint for New Testament studies.

Stay tuned . . .

19 comments

9
August

Words of Advise and Advising Words Pt. II

Learning a language is a short term commitment; mastering a language, however, is a life-long adventure. To say that language learning is “life-long” is to say that you must understand that mastery takes daily discipline. To say that it’s an “adventure” is to say that that learning a language has its nadirs and zeniths. Without determination and perseverance, your are bound to be buried in a nadir and never reach the next zenith. The challenges and victories are what makes language learning worth the effort. Of course, such determination and perseverance speak beyond the act of studying a language or any subject for that matter—it speaks of the character of the individual. I believe it was Steve Jobs who once said that discipline isn’t saying, “Yes!”, it’s saying, “No!”. Of course, yes and no are referential responses thereby transforming a modal to a negative or affirmative proposition, and are thus relative. So what exactly is Steve Jobs getting at in his aphorism? It’s this: know your goals and don’t get sidetracked—don’t let peripheral, tangent issues become essential and primary.

My last post shared three tips for mastering biblical languages. I first said that you must master vocabulary—to the extent that you can translate into Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Thus, mastering vocabulary is a prerequisite for mastery of syntax. Therefore, I suggested that you attempt to translate English phrases into Hebrew or Greek, provoking questions of syntax so as to aid in its mastery (e.g., what Hebrew particle would I use for a comparative idea? Or, what Greek syntactical construction—an articular infinitive or genitive absolute—could be used to modify my independent clause?). My last piece of advise was to move beyond the artificial measures used in the classroom—studying flashcards—to studying the text. Allow your vocabulary to grow by encountering the text! If you don’t know a word, don’t run to the dictionary. Keep reading! Keep wrestling! Are there any clues from the context that help you formulate an understanding the word? Is the unknown word in parallelism either lexically or syntactically? Are there adjuncts that modify your word, so as to aid you in formulating an understanding of it? All in all, the dictionary must be your last resort!

In this post, I would like to build on the previous three and add three more. Following these methods isn’t the only way to master a language. I am just sharing with you how I’ve come to study a particular language.

1. Keep a translation journal. I use the large moleskine. I write out the Greek and/or Hebrew text on one page, and read it and read it and read it. Using the faculties of writing aids a great deal in mastering a language. I allow for one empty space between the biblical text. After I have read the text numerous times, I begin a pedantic translation. I reserve the adjacent pages for syntactical and semantic ambiguities. It’s also a place for questions concerning syntax and further study. Any question you raise in your translation, seek to answer it by resourcing the research grammars (i.e., BDF, Jouon & Muraoka, etc.). Jot down your findings. Why is it important to take the time to write all this out? Simple. You are creating your very own commentary on the book you are translating. Of course, it’s far from polished prose, but why loose the precious thoughts you had on a certain text. Use a translation journal!

2. Begin to read Hebrew as Hebrew, Aramaic as Aramaic, and Greek as Greek. For Hebrew, read the sentence quickly in Hebrew, close your Bible, then translate. Don’t read Hebrew characters in English—read Hebrew characters in Hebrew! This takes some time, but with a focused attention given to this practice, you will gain proficiency in reading Hebrew as Hebrew. A word here is in order for you Greek students: lose the idea of finding the verb first! I understand why Greek teachers tell their students this, but it’s not Greek! Mastery over syntax is predicated upon how well you can manage morphology. Read the sentence in Greek, allowing the text to remain Greek. Greek is a hypotactical language, and syntax variation can be implemented for rhetorical and literary purposes. Don’t deflate the text! Learn how to “hang” the syntactical elements, suspending judgment, until you’ve encountered the entire sentence.

3. Have the text read out loud to you! For Hebrew students, produce an unpointed version of the book you are studying. When the text is being read to you, read a word or two ahead, attempting to pronounce it. If you mispronounced it, learn why? The advantages of this are huge, and not to mention it brings in another sense—hearing—for mastering your desired language. I would recommend that you find a friend and read to one another, but if you prefer recordings you can access audio files for both the Greek Bible and Hebrew Bible at Academy of Ancient Languages.

These are just a few more of the habits that I’ve formed in my language study over the years. You may not go to the extent that I have, but whatever the practices you adopt, remember that the time spent returns an investment.

711 comments

6
August

Words of Advice and Advising Words

With the month of September fast approaching, it’s time you had better start brushing up on your Hebrew and Greek vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Of course, I should also say shame on you for not keeping polished—but this is an entirely different post. The time you spend refreshing your facility in Hebrew, Greek, and/or Aramaic will not only ward off any trepidation of an over ambitious professor who puts you on the sight-reading-spot day one, but it will also launch you ahead in the semester since a great deal of language study progresses on a hierarchy. Thus a question arises: how best can I refresh my language skills, yet enjoy the remaining weeks of summer? To be honest, I am amazed at how many students don’t take advantage of current technological gadgetry to master languages. Thus, allow me to share a few bits of wisdom I’ve learned over the years:

1. Vocabulary! Vocabulary! Vocabulary! If you’ve completed a year of biblical language study, the chances are you’ve got a vocabulary competency of roughly 600-700 words with a frequency of about 50. This is not nearly enough to sit and read your Greek New Testament or Hebrew Bible with delight. A key here is “with delight,” as many of us tire quickly of looking at flash cards—after all, it’s the canon of Scripture we want to master, not the canon of Visual Education. There is a huge reason we tire of flipping flash cards: it’s a disconnected methodology which doesn’t take into consideration the phenomena of language acquisition. Nevertheless, you need a base with which to begin reading. Instead of the traditional flash cards, let me suggest an alternative. If you have an iPod or iPhone, you have some very powerful vocabulary tools at hand. I use Mental Case for all my vocabulary management. To build my vocabulary database, I use Accordance Bible Software. Digital flash card programs takes into account user input. There is no need to waste time on words you’ve already mastered. A program such as Mental Case will remove or reduce the frequency of the card in the deck. Let me make a very important caveat: use a flash card program to get a solid base of vocabulary. Once you have a good base, then begin to learn vocabulary by reading the text. I find it odd that on most Original Language Seminary Exams, there isn’t an accompanying sentence with the word under question in use. No wonder we loose interest in the languages when we exit Seminary.

Another important caveat is needed here. Mastery of language takes a great deal of effort and time. Make the effort and take the time to master your vocabulary. Let me give you an example of why its important to master vocabulary. As a second year student, your study of Hebrew, Greek, and/or Aramaic will focus on Syntax and Theory. If you are stuck on deciphering the vocabulary, you’re thus incapable of digesting the meaty issues of Syntax and Semantics. Do this too much, you will loose sight of the many exegetical nuggets that mastery of syntax bears to offer.

2. Begin to translate simple english phrases and clauses into Hebrew and Greek. Not only will this raise questions about semantics (what target vocabulary sufficiently encompasses my desired meaning?) but it will also grant you mastery over language performance (how else could this be stated?), as much as this is possible with an ancient language. I would do this often while attending church. I would translate hymns in Greek or Hebrew while we would sing. My wife would always give me a strange look, but I cannot stress enough the benefits of this practice. For example, the more you ponder the aspects of performance, the more capable you are to address issues of competence. This is particularly helpful to those who will partake in exegetical strategies and translational issues of the Septuagint. Take for example Psalm 1. The Septuagint has three pluses in its translation (v. 4a οὐχ οὕτως; v. 4b ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς; and v. 5a ἐν βουλῇ). These variants could either be (1) based on a Vorlage whose source is different than the MT, or (2) an exegetical interpolation by the LXX translator. To begin your analysis of these variants, you should first ask (seeking to answer 1) whether these phrases in a reconstructed form are grammatically acceptable according to the principles and parameters of Biblical Hebrew. Of course this is a more advanced example of the benefits. There are many others, such as, this practice enforces my first tidbit of advice: mastery over vocabulary isn’t knowing how to decode one word of language A into another word of language B. You would not say in German Ich bin Kalt as if to state you are cold temperature wise. To state that you are temperature cold, you would say Mir ist Kalt or Mir ist es Kalt.

3. Stop memorizing Scripture! Sounds heretical doesn’t it. Let me finish my thought: stop memorizing scripture in English, and begin to memorize Scripture in Greek and Hebrew. This is excellent habit to form for many, many reasons. For example, in my second year speed reading Greek course, we had to memorize verses of scripture for quizzes. One day it escaped my notice that we had a quiz. The professor, recognizing that I wasn’t writing anything, asked if I was done already. I informed the professor that I had overlooked the quiz, and would thus have to take a zero—unless he would allow me to cite another verse, which hadn’t been previously required, in place of the current verse. He agreed. I thus cited Philippians 2:5–11 for an A grade. There are many added benefits of original language scripture memory, of course, that extend beyond academic performance.

I could share more, and may do so in future posts, but I hope this short blurb has prompted you to consider preparing early for this next year in the classroom. And to answer the second part of my question, “how to enjoy the remainder of the summer,” I simply say: by studying Greek and Hebrew.

62 comments

20
July

The Great Isaiah Scroll

Jim Davila mentions that The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa) is now available for online-viewing. The Dorot Foundation Dead Sea Scrolls Information and Study Center are responsible for providing this fantastic resource. When accessing the scroll, the user is informed, “The two thousand year old scroll may take several minutes to download on a fast connection.” A rather ironical statement to say the least (see header).

Incase you are interested, Accordance Bible Software offers the Dead Sea Scroll images in a module. Here is a comparison between the Dorot Foundation photos and John C. Trever, whose images Accordance has implemented.

 

As you can see, both of the images are beneficial for reference. Of course, the Accordance images are not reliant upon an internet connection and are thus readily available for examination. Either way, it’s magnificent to have these resources in the comfort of your own study!

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