I have taken up a task that I set about to start some time ago, but for various reasons, did not start in earnest: reading through the Bible in the original languages. Though I have exegeted many passages from both testaments, I want to focus on reading through the text, vocalizing aloud as I go through in hopes of retaining more of the text in my memory. I am under no delusion that this will be an easy task, but I think it will be very rewarding.
The tools I will use in this endeavor are:
A Reader’s Greek New Testament: 2nd Edition by Richard J. Goodrich and Albert L. Lukaszewski
Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament by Warren C. Trenchard
A Reader’s Hebrew Bible by Philip A. Brown, II and Bryan W. Smith
Vocabulary Guide to Biblical Hebrew by Miles V. Van Pelt and Gary D. Pratico
I am much more nimble working through the Greek and have long needed to shore up my Hebrew, so hopefully I will accomplish this, as least as much as such an exercise could do so.
Has anyone else taken up this task?
Αυτω η δοξα,
Jason
Mark Stevens
/ August 24, 2009I received the Readers Greek NT for my birthday. My 2 year old is so in touch with my tastes it amazes me!
Good luck with the reading. i’d struggle in the english!
kisanri
/ August 25, 2009Are following some reading plan? If so I might follow along in NT. You know ‘Hebrew is all Greek to me’.
v02468
/ August 25, 2009I might try to follow in the Hebrew if you set up a reading plan. Greek is evil though, and I’d never be able to keep up!
Jason
/ August 25, 2009Mark: Good to know your son is so gifted as to know such an important tool for his dad to have!
Kisanri: I thought about mapping out my readings, but I figured I would just start with Matthew. I read chapter one last night and it only took a few minutes. Of course, the genealogy occupies most of that, so it was relatively easy reading.
Andrew: Same as with my NT readings, I started in at the beginning. I thought about mapping a plan from easier to more difficult readings, but, again, I just started at the beginning. I got a good idea of how weak my Hebrew is–it took me just as long to read the first nine verses of Genesis 1 as it did all of Matthew 1! I think it would be cool to have others read along and I am open to any course you might have in mind. I am really going to try and stick with this–I tend to not finish these kinds of exercises!
Iris Godfrey
/ August 25, 2009Good for you! I have yet to tackle Hebrew but do have enough Greek to work there a bit. There is a web site that breaks the NT Greek into daily readings. I enjoy using it, and although it is my habit to read the English Bible through each year, I have yet to have the time to do the Greek. The web site is: http://www.misselbroook.org.uk/
Jeremy
/ August 25, 2009I’d suggest using audio recordings to make sure you don’t get bogged down in translating the words in your head.
I’ve got a link to free audio recordings of the Hebrew Bible here (down toward the bottom) – http://www.freeoldtestamentaudio.com/OldTestamentHebrewAudio/FreeOldTestamentHebrewAudio.html
Greek … I don’t know. Not my gig, but you might find some free recordings. But, I used this – http://www.amazon.com/Koine-Greek-Testament-Spiros-Zodhiates/dp/0899571492/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251214186&sr=1-3
Jason
/ August 25, 2009Iris: Thanks for the link! I have a reading plan that Dan Wallace arranged that has you read from easier to more-difficult sections, but, as I mentioned, I will probably just read straight through. Hebrew is a bit tougher (in my opinion) to learn, but well worth the effort! It’s ironic that when I started seminary, I preferred Hebrew over Greek!
Jeremy: Thanks for the OT link–I bookmarked it for future reference. Looks like you have been busy–how long have you been in doctoral studies?
Jeremy
/ August 25, 2009Forever … No, just kidding. I was doing full-time school until it became imperative that I take a full-time job. I’ve been at the doctoral degree for 4 years. I’m trying to push through. I’m on editing now, but it is slow going. I thought the summer would help, but that was just me being stupid.
Jason
/ August 25, 2009Jeremy: I assume you’re editing your dissertation? I thought all this time you were in the states. How’s life abroad?
Jeremy
/ August 25, 2009Yes, dissertation editing. Actually, I’m not abroad. I’m in Hammond, LA. I’m doing doctoral work through the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. It is a European type system, so it is dissertation only. I have not had to travel abroad. My supervisor is Prof. Christo van der Merwe. He comes over once a year for SBL, and we meet then. Otherwise we communicate via e-mail. This year he is coming and is going to stay with us after the conference for a couple of days.
Jason
/ August 25, 2009Jeremy: I see. Well, that’s cool that you got to do all that from home. How long do you think it will take you to finish? Hope all is well.
Jeremy
/ August 25, 2009I hope to finish by November, so I can hand my professor a finished draft. But, the more likely answer is forever … Kidding again. Not sure why I’m so negative.
All the best to you.
TC Robinson
/ August 25, 2009Jason, those are some great tools. Let me suggest adding Wallace for the NT.
Jason
/ August 25, 2009TC: Worry not–Wallace is always nearby! Which work did you have in mind? I have both the abridged and full-length grammars.
TC Robinson
/ August 25, 2009Full-length Greek Grammar. The abridged keeps referencing the larger work on too many important discussions.
I tend to use grammars to see how a particular genitive and so on, are treated. I’ve found it to be a fruitful practice.