T&T Clark Hebrew Primer

Learning Biblical Hebrew can be extremely difficult. Here at last is a book designed to work in conjunction with the many Hebrew Grammars available in order to break this complex language down into bite-size chunks for revision and consolidation of key aspects of grammar, as well as vocabulary. A.A. Macintosh and C.L. Engle combine insights from teaching Hebrew in both the United States and Europe, and between them bring some fifty years of experience of teaching Hebrew to undergraduate students to this clearly structured book.

The T&T Clark Hebrew Primer For Revision and Consolidation by A.A. Macintosh with C.L. Engle is a very welcome addition to the corpus of works which seek to instruct English speakers who already have a basic or rudimentary knowledge of Hebrew. It has been designed as a supplementary aid to solidify the intricacies of Hebrew grammar in the minds of students no matter what instructional Hebrew Grammar they have been using, and/or to resurrect Hebrew for those who have learned it in the past and who need help to bring it back again. The Primer is equally useful for English speakers on both sides of the Atlantic; for example, it gives correct Hebrew vowel pronunciations using both British English and American English examples. The Primer is clearly set out in a logical manner, moving from vowels to nouns and adjectives to strong and weak verbs, and includes a vocabulary of the most commonly occurring words in the Hebrew Bible. I heartily recommend this book for anyone who is interested in brushing up on their biblical Hebrew., or the beginning student this primer provides an excellent didactic aid with the central principles of Hebrew grammar and the basic biblical vocabulary and for the more advanced student it serves as an effective tool in rehearsing these areas. It is a pleasure to use the book, even to read it in one breath, as it includes modern parallels, helpful tables, memory aids, and mnemonics and is written in a attractive style. The two experienced University teachers who wrote this book have placed students of Hebrew in their debt., How quickly Hebrew, once learnt, can be forgotten; and how often do students regret it later on when they realize how valuable it is for understanding the Bible. Now at last we have a concise but clear Primer to trace the pathway back to a working knowledge of the language. And all this from the hands of experienced teachers who know how to spice the text with enlivening features which they have discovered help the difficult bits to 'stick'. The approach has been successfully tested privately over many years; how fortunate we are that now they have put it into the hands of every willing student., There are many students and teachers of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible who should welcome this Primer by Macintosh and Engle. It summarizes the basic features of Biblical Hebrew grammar in convenient form, adding simple explanations, occasional mnemonics, and sidelights that will connect with information that the user already possesses (e.g., Hebrew [or sometimes Arabic] names; well-known terms in modern Hebrew). This compact presentation will prove ideal as a DIY refresher course for all those whose grasp of the basics needs strengthening.

The Revd Dr A A Macintosh is Dean Emeritus of St John's College, Cambridge, UK.C.L. Engle is Affiliate Associate Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, Houston, Texas, USA.