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  • From: "Heard, Christopher" <Christopher.Heard AT pepperdine.edu>
  • To: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Reading the Hebrew Bible.
  • Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:22:26 -0700

Emmanuel,

Personally, I would recommend that you start with the books of Jonah and Ruth. Both are written in straightforward, classical Hebrew prose (excepting, of course, the poetry embedded in Jonah 2). Plus, they are short (4 chapters each), and therefore you can get through them in just a few sessions, even reading slowly. Also, first chapter or so of Daniel, before it switches to Aramaic, though there is some obscure vocabulary there.

After that, I would suggest more prose: I think Genesis is fairly easy prose, though that may just be because I've read it so much more than the other books. Somebody else--Trevor, maybe?--suggested the Former Prophets (Joshua through Kings), which I think would be a good next step (but skip Joshua 13-21 the first time through it, unless you want to practice reading seemingly endless lists of toponyms). Both Genesis and, moreso, the Former Prophets have poetry embedded in them, so you'll be getting your feet wet there as well. After reading several narrative books, some with embedded poetry, you might want to take on a poetic book. I would suggest perhaps some of the shorter minor prophets, to get your "sea legs," then take on some of the longer books.

In any case, _don't get discouraged_. If you stumble into a book or section that seems too difficult to get through, lay it aside, move to a different book or section, and then come back to the more difficult stuff later.

Best wishes,

Chris

On Apr 20, 2005, at 11:49 PM, emmanuel.le4 wrote:

Hello everybody!

Having taken Hebrew for 2 years in seminary, I am now trying to keep it, and hoping to improve in my knowledge of the language. Some people on this list have already mentionned that the best way to learn and get familiar with the language is to read, read read. Now my question is this: Where should I start?
Should I take the books in order, from Genesis onwards?
Would anybody have any suggestion of a reading list, from the easiest book for example to the most difficult?

Thanks for any suggestion.

Emmanuel Durand
Ferney-Voltaire
France
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R. Christopher Heard
Assistant Professor of Religion
Pepperdine University
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http://faculty.pepperdine.edu/cheard
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