BIB 110 L00.A
Biblical Languages and Tools
Term: Spring 2016
Time: Thursday, 4:15pm-6:45pm
Room: E201
Credit: 3 Credit Hours
Instructors: Watson/Warstler
Watson Contact Info
Office: E306
Phone: 214.818.1314
Email: bwatson@criswell.edu
Warstler Contact Info
Office: E316
Phone: 214.818.1331
Email: kwarstler@criswell.edu
Course Description
This course will be a one-semester introduction to Classical Hebrew and Koine Greek with an emphasis on
equipping the student to use commentaries, lexica, Bible software, and other language resources. Introduces
students to the history, alphabet, grammatical terminology, and basic features of each Biblical language.
(Prerequisite Recommended: ENG 101)
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, the student should demonstrate the following:
1. The ability to recount a basic history of Classical Hebrew and Koine Greek.
2. The ability to recognize and pronounce biblical Hebrew and Greek words and sentences.
3. The ability to perform basic biblical word studies using Hebrew and Greek tools.
4. A basic knowledge of English grammar as preparation for understanding biblical Greek and Hebrew.
5. The ability to apply a basic knowledge of biblical Hebrew and Greek grammar for the purpose of
exegesis.
Required Course Texts*
1. Mounce, William. Greek for the Rest of Us: The Essentials of Biblical Greek. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2013. (ISBN: 978-0310277101)
2. Fields, Lee. Hebrew for the Rest of Us: Using Hebrew Tools without Mastering Biblical Hebrew. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2008. (ISBN: 978-0310277095)
3. Lamerson, Samuel. English Grammar to Ace New Testament Greek. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
(ISBN: 0310255341)
4. Additional handouts provided by the professor at no cost to the student.
*See list of additional suggested resources near the end of this syllabus.
Course Requirements
1. Weekly Quizzes (60%): There will be weekly quizzes covering assigned readings and vocabulary. The
lowest two quiz grades will be dropped at the end of the term. Quizzes will be administered at the
beginning of each class.
2. Greek and Hebrew Projects (40%): There will be a Greek project and a Hebrew project, they will count
individually for 20% of the student’s grade. These projects will integrate the use of biblical tools with a
basic knowledge of biblical Greek and Hebrew. Specific instructions and requirements for these
assignments will be distributed during the semester. Due dates are indicated in the course outline.
Late Work
Late submissions will be penalized ten points for each day the assignment is late.
BIB110 Syllabus
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Blackboard
This course will utilize Blackboard and each student must ensure he/she has access to the course Blackboard
site. If you are unable to access the course on Blackboard or have any login issues, please send an email to
blackboard@criswell.edu and provide a detailed description of your problem.
Attendance Policy
Absences: Since class participation is vital to learning, absences should be taken only when absolutely
necessary. More than three (3) absences will result in a grade of “F” for the courses. Students are responsible
for all absences due to illness or any other reason. Granting of excused absences is permitted at the discretion
of the professor.
Tardies: Missing more than fifteen (15) minutes at the beginning or end of a class period is considered one
absence. Three instances of tardiness of fifteen minutes or less equals one absence. The tardy student is
responsible for notifying the professor of his/her presence in writing at the end of class. Students who wish to
depart early should clear it with the professor.
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
97-100
93-96
91-92
88-90
86-87
83-85
80-82
78-79
75-77
72-74
70-71
0-69
4.0 grade points per semester hour
3.7 grade points per semester hour
3.3 grade points per semester hour
3.0 grade points per semester hour
2.7 grade points per semester hour
2.3 grade points per semester hour
2.0 grade points per semester hour
1.7 grade points per semester hour
1.3 grade points per semester hour
1.0 grade point per semester hour
0.7 grade points per semester hour
0.0 grade points per semester hour
Academic Honesty
Absolute truth is an essential belief and basis of behavior for those who believe in a God who cannot lie and
forbids falsehood. Academic honesty is the application of the principle of truth in the classroom setting.
Academic honesty includes the basic premise that all work submitted by students must be their own and any
ideas derived or copied from elsewhere must be carefully documented.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
• cheating of any kind,
• submitting, without proper approval, work originally prepared by the student for another course,
• plagiarism, which is the submitting of work prepared by someone else as if it were his own, and
• failing to credit sources properly in written work.
Learning Disabilities
In order to ensure full class participation, any student with a disabling condition requiring special
accommodations (e.g., tape recorders, special adaptive equipment, special note-taking or test-taking needs) is
strongly encouraged to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course or if a student has a learning
disability, please inform the professor so assistance can be provided.
BIB110 Syllabus
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Course Outline
Week
Date
In-Class Topic
Syllabus; Intro to Koine Greek; Alphabet;
Pronunciation
Alphabet; Pronunciation; Intro to Inflection
1
January 21
2
January 28
3
4
February 4
February 11
5
February 18
6
February 25
7
March 3
8
March 10
March 17
Text Criticism; Translations;
Commentaries/Library
Word Studies/Biblical Software
No classes – Spring Break
9
10
11
12
13
March 24
March 31
April 7
April 14
April 21
14
15
16
April 28
May 5
May 12
The Greek Noun; Adjective; Definite Article
The Greek Verb and Participle
Pronouns; Conjunctions; Prepositions;
Adverbs
Greek Review/Library
Reading Due
Mounce Preface and 1-3
Mounce 4-5; Lamerson 1-4
Assignment Due
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Mounce 7-9; Lamerson 6, 12, 15 Quiz 3
Mounce 6, 12, 13, 20; Lamerson
Quiz 4
5, 16, 17
Mounce 11, 15-18
Quiz 5
Mounce 31-33
Quiz 6
Word Studies/Biblical Software
Intro to Hebrew; Alphabet
Vowels; History of the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Roots; Waw; Prepositions
Hebrew Nominals
Mounce 10
Quiz 7
Greek Project
Quiz 8
Quiz 9
Quiz 10
Hebrew Verbals
Hebrew Review; Projects
NO CLASS; Hebrew Projects Due
Fields 9-12
Fields 13-15
Fields Preface and 1-2
Fields 3-4
Fields 5-8
Quiz 11
Quiz 12
Hebrew Project
Suggested Resources
Books
Goodrick, Edward W. Do It Yourself Hebrew and Greek: A Guide to the Language Tools. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1980. (978-0310417415)
Silzer, Peter James and Thomas John Finley. How Biblical Languages Work: A Student’s Guide to
Learning Hebrew and Greek. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004. (978-0825426445)
Internet Resources (free)
http://www.biblegateway.com – Offers numerous Bible translations in English, Greek, Hebrew, and others.
http://unbound.biola.edu – Biola University’s website, allows for four parallel Bible versions in English, Greek,
Hebrew, and others.
http://www.katabiblon.com – Online Greek and Hebrew interlinear.
http://www.stepbible.org – Online parallel interlinear in English, Greek, and Hebrew.
http://biblehub.com – An interactive website that offers multiple Bible versions and translations with
commentaries, dictionaries, lexicons, and additional resources.
http://www.academic-bible.com – Offers for free the entire text for Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), Novum
Testamentum Graece (NA 28), Greek New Testament (UBS GNT), and others. You must register with
the website to use (no obligation). This does not include textual notes.
https://www.logos.com/support/logos5/windows/keyboards – Biblical Greek and Hebrew keyboards for your
computer.
Recommended Bibliography
Greek Grammatical Aids
Black, David Alan. Learn to Read New Testament Greek. Third edition. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group,
2009.
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Dobson, John H. Learn New Testament Greek. Third edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.
Metzger, Bruce M. Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek. Third edition. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 1998.
Mounce, William D. Basis of Biblical Greek. Second edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Trenchard, Warren C. The Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament. Revised edition. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.
Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.
Hebrew Grammatical Aids
Beckman, John C. Williams’ Hebrew Syntax. Third edition. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007.
Dobson, John H. Learn Biblical Hebrew. Second edition. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005.
Fuller, Russell T., and Kyoungwon Choi. Invitation to Biblical Hebrew: A Beginning Grammar. Grand Rapids:
Kregel, 2006.
Futato, Mark David. Beginning Biblical Hebrew. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003.
Kautsch, E., ed. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar. 2d ed. Trans. A. E. Cowley. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910.
Mitchel, Larry A. Student's Vocabulary for Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.
Pratico, Gary D. and Miles V. Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar. Second edition. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2007.
Van Pelt, Miles V. and Gary D. Pratico, The Vocabulary Guide to Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2003.
Bornemann, Robert. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1998.
Cohn-Sherbok, Dan. Biblical Hebrew for Beginners. London: SPCK, 1996.
Biblical Texts
Aland, Kurt, Matthew Black, Carlo M. Martini, Bruce M. Metzger, and Allen Wikgren, eds. The Greek New
Testament [UBS or GNT]. 4th ed. London: United Bible Societies, 1983.
Elliger, K. and W. Rudolph, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia [BHS]. 5th ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1997.
Nestle, Eberhard, Erwin Nestle, Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and
Bruce M. Metzger, eds. Novum Testamentum Graece [NA27]. 27th ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1999.
Rahlfs, Alfred, ed. Septuaginta. Revised by Robert Hanhart [LXX] Rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 2006.
Lexicons
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament [BDAG], 3rd ed. Revised and Edited by
Frederick W. Danker, Translated and Edited by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich. Chicago, IL:
University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Holladay, William Lee. A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: Based on the Frist,
Second, and Third Editions of the Koehler-Baumgartner Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1972.
Koehler, Ludwig and Walter Baumgartner. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 5 vols.
Trans. M. E. J. Richardson. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2000.
Lust, Johan, Erik Eynikel, and Katrin Hauspie, eds. Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint. Rev. ed.
Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2003.
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Dictionaries
Botterweck, G J, Helmer Ringgren, John T. Willis, Heinz-Josef Fabry, David E. Green, and Douglas W. Stott.
Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974.
Brown, Colin, and David Townsley. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Grand
Rapids, Mich: Regency Reference Library, 1986.
Kittel, Gerhard, Geoffrey William Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich. Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament 10 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964.
VanGemeren, Willem. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan Pub. House, 1997.
Commentaries
Albright, William Foxwell and David Noel Freedman, Gen. Eds. Anchor Yale Bible Commentary Series, 86
vols. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1964-2009.
Clendenen, E. Ray, Gen. Ed. The New American Commentary Series, 38 vols. Nashville, TN: Broadman and
Holman Publishers, 1991-.
Gaebelein, Frank E. Gen Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 12 vols. Grand Rapids. MI: Zondervan.
Harrison, R. K. and Robert L. Hubbard, Gen Eds. New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 23
vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Hubbard, David A. and Glenn W. Barker, Gen. Eds. Word Biblical Commentary Series, 58 Vols. Nashville, TN:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982-.
Stonehouse, Ned B., F. F. Bruce, and Gordon D. Fee, Gen. Eds. New International Commentary on the New
Testament, 21 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Wiseman, Donald J. Gen. ed., Tyndale Commentary Series, 49 vols. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
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