Lecture 1: Hebrew Alphabet

Chapter Overview

Listen to Miles' Chapter Overview

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Overheads (PowerPoint | PDF)

Writing the Hebrew consonants

Chapter Material

1. Read pages 15-19 in English Grammar to Ace Biblical Hebrew

2. Read this chapter from beginning to end but don't study it carefully until you have listened to the lecture. In your first read through, don't try to memorize the consonants of the alphabet; just get a good sense of the various topics associated with the study of the alphabet.

3. Listen to Gary's full lecture

4. Read every section of the chapter carefully and begin to memorize the alphabet. Give attention to the sound of each consonant and the precise formation of each character. You must achieve immediate recognition of each consonant in terms of its name and sound.

Exercises

Please complete all of the exercises on pp. 1-4 in the Basics of Biblical Hebrew: Workbook. (The transliteration exercise on p. 5 is optional.)

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I distinguish similar looking letters?

• How do I distinguish similar sounding letters?

Helps

• Exercise Ten (on page 5)

• Exercise Twelve (on page 5)

• Exercise Fifteen (on page 5)

Correct your homework with the answer key

Review

1. What is a “final form?” Which letters of the Hebrew alphabet have final forms?

2. In the Hebrew alphabet, which letters are gutturals?

3. True or False: The presence of a Daghesh Lene in a begadkephat letter distinguishes whether the pronunciation is hard or soft.

4. Do you fully understand every summary point in section 1.10?

5. At a glance, do you know the name and sound of every consonant?

6. Do you know which consonants are the Begadkephat letters and how they are pronounced with and without Daghesh Lene?

7. Have you carefully studied section 1.7 (Easily Confused Letters)?

8. Read the study on the Hebrew acrostic in section 1.11. It's well done.

Assessment

Quiz (answers)