Description
An accessible guide to help students understand weak verb patterns in biblical Hebrew.
One of the obstacles to success in learning biblical Hebrew is understanding the various ways weak verbs inflect. Weak Verb Morphology by Adam J. Howell addresses the features and characteristics of the various weak verb patterns. With plenty of examples and thoughtful discussion, Howell's book helps to equip students to identify weak verbs and translate the biblical text with ease.
Advancing Biblical Hebrew, edited by Miles V. Van Pelt, is an accessible book series intended for students wanting to press deeper in their Hebrew language acquisition. Each volume provides focused instruction in a specific linguistic category in order to better understand, translate, and interpret the Hebrew Bible. Individual volumes contain an introduction to the topic, a brief history of the topic, detailed descriptions of the topic with numerous examples, and suggested resources for further study.
Praise for Weak Verb Morphology
“Howell has done a remarkable job of assisting students in building a foundation that is solid for a lifetime of exegesis in the Old Testament. Based on solid, up-to-date scholarship, I heartily recommend this work.”
—PETER J. GENTRY, Senior Professor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“This book fills a strategic gap in many introductory grammars, outlining a reliable process for approaching weak verbs. Rather than expecting students to memorize endless pages of paradigms, the methodology presented in this book gives students a systematic framework to parse and recognize weak verbs in context. Beyond this, Howell’s aptitude as a teacher comes through in his accessible writing style and clear explanations. The abundant examples and exercises provide ample opportunity to practice applying the method. For anyone who has struggled to grasp the formation of weak verbs, this is the book for you!
—ANDREW M. KING, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary & Spurgeon College
“Adam Howell’s Weak Verb Morphology is poised to become one of the most significant contributions to Hebrew pedagogy in the 21st century. Weak verbs are notoriously challenging for students, but Howell’s method to demystify verbs will bring order out of chaos for those learning Hebrew. Drawing on both modern insight and rabbinic tradition, Howell enables students not merely to memorize paradigms, but to truly understand the structure and beauty of the Hebrew verb. This volume will benefit beginners and advanced students alike—and promises to reshape how Hebrew is taught and learned.”
—MICHAEL C. LYONS, Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Columbia International University
“Emphasizing consistencies and regularities in the patterns of Biblical Hebrew verbs, Howell’s book helpfully breaks down for students how to identify weak verbal forms. The presentation is accessible, employing easy-to-read charts and diagrams, while at the same time not neglecting some of the more complex aspects of verb morphology. The book will be an asset to students wishing to bridge the gap between elementary grammars and more technical reference grammars.”
—ERIC D. REYMOND, Senior Lector II in Biblical Hebrew, Yale Divinity School
"For the intermediate student of biblical Hebrew, weak verbs can feel chaotic and unpredictable, and so pose a major obstacle to developing proficiency in reading. What if Adam Howell convinced you that weak verb spelling changes are not random or haphazard? What if he helped you to understand the consistent and predictable patterns they follow that make identification manageable? In this book—that is accessible to second year students and useful for seasoned readers of biblical Hebrew—Adam Howell serves as a gifted, wise guide who will not only lead readers to greater proficiency in reading Hebrew, but also greater delight in encountering God in his precious word."
—IAN J. VAILLANCOURT, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Heritage Theological Seminary
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part 1: A Strong Verb Methodology
- Chapter 1: A Strong Verb Methodology
Part 2: Weak Verb Morphology
- Chapter 2: Introduction to Weak Verbs
- Chapter 3: I-Guttural Verbs
- Chapter 4: I- י/ו Verbs
- Chapter 5: I- נ Verbs
- Chapter 6: II- Guttural Verbs
- Chapter 7: II- י/ו (Biconsonantal) Verbs
- Chapter 8: Geminate Verbs
- Chapter 9: III- ה Verbs (III- י Verbs)
- Chapter 10: III- ח, III- ע, and III- הּ Verbs
- Chapter 11: III- א Verbs
Part 3: Weak Verbs in Context
- Chapter 12: Weak Verbs in Context
About the Author
Adam J. Howell (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as associate professor of Old Testament interpretation at Boyce College, the undergraduate institution at Southern Seminary. He is co-author of Hebrew for Life and author of Ruth: A Guide to Reading Biblical Hebrew and Ruth: An Illustrated Reader’s Edition. He is the host of Daily Dose of Hebrew, a daily screencast to help students and pastors maintain their biblical Hebrew.
