The printed 5 volume set provides a fine supplementary lexicon for all students of the Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. The volumes are finely bound, printed on acid-free paper (though not ANSI certified). Each volume is smyth sewn.
Much more asthetic than using a computer screen, the printed version allows you to view all 5 volumes at the same time, even without electricity! Though it cannot compare with the search power of the CD version. The main text is in a two column format and all of the fonts are easy to read.
These volumes will become the standard Hebrew Bible lexicon. Unfortunately! However they should be supplemented with other works because:
(1) They do not show all of the needed etymologies, many entries display no etymological data. (Ernest Klein's work is recommended here). The data from North/West Semitics could be expanded, it is lacking in many entries. Hittite data seems deficient as well as some Sumerian data -- let's face it, they are early influences on the Semitic languages. The Koehler-Baum. work only skims the surface when it comes to etymologies.
(2) Many important works by evangelical scholars (such as S. P. Tregelles, Gleason, Archer, Kyle Yates, E. Young, Robert Dick Wilson, et al) were not even utilized. Too much emphasis was given to the popular works done by secular scholars.
(3) Ugaritic, Phoenician, Arabic and other fonts (scripts) are simply transliterated. They should have been printed out in their original script. Transliteration tables could have also been included for the scholars who are not familiar with these languages, but accuracy can be jeopardized when the original scripts are just transliterated, and it takes time and effort to "recompose" them. Perhaps they were transliterated so that the digital search engines could be simplified. Poor trade off!
(4) Some important definitions are missing for some entries! Thus other lexicons are needed. For example: sh-r-Ha (shin, resh, he) in volume 4, pages 1652f does not show the meaning as "to shine" (from a possible Arabic root) nor as "chains" or "bracelets" as in Isaiah 3:19.
(5) Textual variations are often not listed, and the Qumran literature and data could have been better utilized.
(6) Foreign word indexes could have been supplied, and an index of Biblical passages could have been added. Several hands worked on the 5 volumes, and a variety of abbreviations are used for the Biblical books, making Biblical book cross references difficult even on the CD version.
All in all, a very useful addition. The price is quite high and the folks at Brill often ask too much for their publications. The work NEEDS to be supplemented, and some entries are woefully deficient -- giving only a partial definition. Coupled with the poor etymological data -- this is not acceptable. Gary S. Dykes
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start over
- A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Eerdmans Language Resources (ELR))HardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Nov 10
- A Reader's Hebrew and Greek Bible: Second EditionA. Philip Brown IIHardcoverFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Nov 10
- Hendrickson The Interlinear Hebrew-Aramaic Old TesHendrickson PublishersHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Nov 10
- Jewish New Testament Commentary: A Companion Volume to the Jewish New Testament by David H. SternPaperback$3.99 shippingGet it Nov 20 - 25Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
