Fulbright College Offers Intensive Biblical Hebrew Course, Summer Session II

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Isaiah scroll

The religious studies program in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce that an intensive course in Biblical Hebrew will be offered during the second summer session: HUMN 425V 022, WLLC 398V 012, WLLC 575V 012. The class will meet M-F 12:45-4 p.m. June 30-Aug. 1. This six-hour intensive course will count toward the minor in religious studies.

Biblical Hebrew will be offered by a faculty member in the department of philosophy, professor Jacob Adler, who previously taught Hebrew at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in suburban Philadelphia. 

When interviewed for this Newswire piece, Adler had the following to say about the special benefits of reading scripture in the original languages: 

"If you read the story of David and Goliath in the King James Bible, it looks as though David killed Goliath twice. Some people even went so far as to suggest that two distinct stories were awkwardly put together. Translators have learned a lot since then. If you take Intensive Biblical Hebrew this summer, you will learn why Goliath was killed only once."

Aside from the ability to read the original without relying on some translator's interpretations, students will discover new developments in understanding ancient Hebrew. Although many people think that there is nothing new to be learned about a dead language, they are wrong. Archaeology, linguistics, and careful attention have taught translators a lot. For example, what's a pim? The King James translators thought it meant "file," but archaeologists later dug up merchants' weights marked pim. The term actually means two-thirds of a shekel!

Fortunately for learners, Biblical Hebrew has a limited vocabulary. In a short time, students will find themselves able to read simple Biblical passages.

For more information about the Intensive Biblical Hebrew course, please contact Adler at jadler@uark.edu or 479-200-1397. For more about the religious studies program at the University of Arkansas, visit the religious studies website.