Beyond Babel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages (Resources for Biblical Study) [Paperback]

John L. Kaltner (Author), Steven L. McKenzie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2002 | ISBN-10: 1589830350 | ISBN-13: 978-1589830356

This book provides an introduction to the languages that are important for the study of the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel. It contains articles on Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Egyptian, biblical and epigraphic Hebrew, post-biblical Hebrew, Hittite, Phoenician, the Northwest Semitic dialects (Ammonite, Edomite and Moabite) and Ugaritic. The contributors are Peggy L. Day, Frederick E. Greenspahn, Jo Ann Hackett, Harry A. Hoffner, Jr., John Kaltner, Charles R. Krahmalkov, Baruch A. Levine, David Marcus, Simon B. Parker and Donald B. Redford. A general introduction by John Huehnergard discusses the importance of the study of Near Eastern languages for biblical scholarship, helping us to make the volume an ideal resource for persons beginning an in-depth study of the Hebrew Bible.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Kaltner, Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible (1993), Drew University, is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Steven L McKenzie, Th.D. (1983), Harvard University, is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Rhodes College --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Society of Biblical Literature (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589830350
• ISBN-13: 978-1589830356
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,396,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book - wish there was more of it!, February 12, 2003

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bookology "bookology" (Studio City, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Babel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages (Resources for Biblical Study) (Paperback)

This book is not so much a handbook as it is a basic introduction to near eastern languages and literature. It is geared toward beginning/intermediate students of biblical hebrew who want to supplement their studies with comparative methods. This book will give you a small taste of the field without excess detail or jargon. Each chapter focuses on a particular language, providing a brief grammatical survey, an overview of the literature and suggestions for further study. Additional background material would have made the book much more useful-- things like historical timelines, comparison of grammatical paradigm's, more samples of literature, glossary of terms etc. In sum, beginners will find a user-friendly starting point, advanced students are advised to look elsewhere for more practical help.