Learn the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet and Language

Name: Learn the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet and Language
Rating: 4.8 (521 reviews)

Learn the cultural background of the Hebrew language and how to read and interpret ancient Hebrew texts and Inscriptions

Created byJeff Benner

Last updated 5/2021

English

What you'll learn

Know the different stages of the Hebrew alphabet from its ancient origins to its modern form.
Recognize the letters in ancient semitic and Hebrew inscriptions
Know the meanings of each Hebrew letter based on their original pictograph
Learn the different forms of Hebrew root words and how words are formed out of these roots.
Learn how the Ancient Hebrew culture and philosophy is closely related to the Hebrew language.

Course content

10 sections • 70 lectures • 3h 21m total length

Introduction to the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet2:03
An introduction to Ancient Semitic alphabets including the Hebrew alphabet.
The Hebrew and Samaritan Alphabet3:17
The historical evidence for the connection between the Hebrew and Samaritan alphabets.
The Hebrew and Phoenician Alphabets2:13
The historical evidence for the connection between the Hebrew and Phoenician alphabets.
The Hebrew and Greek Alphabets1:51
The historical evidence for the connection between the Hebrew and Greek alphabets.
The Hebrew and Aramaic Alphabets0:56
The historical evidence for the connection between the Hebrew and Aramaic alphabets.
Origins of the Hebrew Alphabet4:28
In the early 20th century scholars discovered ancient inscriptions that revealed the origins of the Hebrew alphabet.
Discovery of Inscriptions6:13
The date and location of the discovery of some Hebrew inscriptions and the date of many ancient inscriptions and texts.
History of the Hebrew Alphabet

Introduction to this section1:10
A quick overview of what you will learn in this section in regards to the history and evolution of each letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
Aleph (א)2:47
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter aleph (א)
Beyt (ב)4:12
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter beyt (ב)
Gimel (ג)2:56
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter gimel (ג)
Dalet (ד)2:57
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter dalet (ד)
Hey (ה)2:59
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter Hey (ה)
Vav (ו)3:07
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter Vav (ו).
Zayin (ז)4:14
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter Zayin (ז)
Hhet (ח)3:59
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter hhet (ח)
Tet (ט)6:04
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter tet (ט)
Yud (י)3:35
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter Yud (י)
Kaph (כ)4:15
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter kaph (ך / כ)
Lamed (ל)6:45
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter lamed (ל)
Mem (מ)5:02
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter mem (ם / מ)
Nun (נ)5:02
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter nun (ן / נ)
Samehh (ס)3:06
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter samehh (ס)
Ayin (ע)3:15
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter ayin (ע)
Pey (פ)3:06
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter pey (פ)
Tsade (צ)2:49
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter tsade (צ)
Quph (ק)3:16
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter quph (ק)
Resh (ר)3:11
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter resh (ר)
Shin (ש)5:10
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter shin (ש)
Tav (ת)3:16
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter tav (ת)
Ghayin (ע)3:58
The history and evolution of the Hebrew letter ghayin (ע)
The Ancient Hebrew Alphabet

An overview of the differences between Hebrew and Greek thought5:04
In this article you will learn about the differences between how the Ancient Hebrew thought and how we think in our Modern Greco-Roman culture.
Eastern and Western Thought2:20
In this demonstration we will learn that not everyone in the world thinks the same way we do.
Known verses Unknown2:12
While our Greek minds need to "know," the Hebrew mind is comfortable saying "I don't know."
The Past and the Future2:15
How we view time, the past and the future, is very different from how the Hebrews viewed time, which demonstrates that the Ancient Hebrews did not think the same way we do.
Hebrew Descriptions4:07
The way we would describe someone or something is very different from the descriptions of Ancient Hebrews.
Abstract verses Concrete Thought4:07
Using the word "believe," we will examine the different ways we and the Ancient Hebrews work with abstract and concrete words.
The culture of the Ancient Hebrews4:53
In this lecture we will understand the importance of knowing the Ancient Hebrew Culture.
Interpreting the Bible through the Hebrew Culture3:03
In this lecture we will learn a little about the Ancient Hebrew culture
and the importance of knowing this culture when interpreting the
Biblical text.
Ancient Hebrew Philosophy and Culture

Overview0:27
A short overview of this section on how to type in Ancient Hebrew.
Formating your computer to use Hebrew fonts2:16
In this article are the instructions for enabling the Hebrew keyboard on different operating systems.
Installing the Ancient Hebrew Font0:58
In this lecture you will learn how to install the ancheb.ttf font in order to view and type Ancient Hebrew.
If you are unable to install the Hebrew keyboard or the Ancient Hebrew Font...0:20
There is an alternative to setting up the keyboard for Hebrew and typing with the Ancient Hebrew font if you are unable to set this up on your computer.

Parent Roots1:42
The most basic Hebrew words are the two-letter, or parent, root words.
Pronunciation of Parent Roots and Syllables2:55
This lecture is an overview of the pronunciation of stops and spirants and vowels.
Words derived from Parent Roots2:03
Specific letters are added to root words to create new words that are closely related in meaning to the root word. By learning these related Hebrew words, it is easier to build ones vocabulary.
Parent Root Dictionary1:22
In this lecture you will be provided a dictionary of many of the Parent Roots used in the Hebrew Bible.
The Ancient Hebrew Vocabulary - Parent Roots

Child Roots3:13
We previously learned about the parent roots and now we will learn about the child roots, which are formed out of the parent roots.
Adopted Roots2:28
The Adopted Roots are formed by attaching another consonant to the two-letter Parent Root.
Words2:16
Hebrew nouns are formed by adding a specific letter to the child or adopted root.
Prefixes3:55
In this lecture we will look at the five common prefixes that are added to Hebrew words.
The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible0:39
In this lecture you will be introduced to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, which will be an invaluable tool for studying Ancient Hebrew Parent Roots, Child and Adopted Roots and Hebrew words.
The Ancient Hebrew Vocabulary - Child and Adopted Roots

Halleluyah6:07
While this Hebrew word is usually translated as "Praise the Lord," there is much more to this word when it is examined in its Hebrew setting.
Wisdom7:09
The Hebrew word for wisdom has a deep and rich meaning when it is viewed through the Hebrew culture.
Fringes2:03
In this lecture we will examine the Hebrew word tsiytsiyt, usually translated as "fringes," and define this word within its original Hebraic contextl

The Wadi El-Hhol Inscription2:58
In this lecture we will decipher and translate this almost 4,000 year old Hebrew inscription.
Inscription #1 (Exercise)0:20
I am going to show you a two-letter word in an ancient inscription and your objective is to determine this word.
Inscription #1 (Review)0:20
In this lecture we will reveal the letters in this inscription and what they mean.
Inscription #2 (Exercise)0:18
Here we will examine another two-letter word in an ancient inscription and your objective is to once again determine this word.
Inscription #2 (Review)0:20
In this lecture we will reveal the letters in this inscription and what they mean.
Inscription #3 (Alphabet Exercise)0:46
Review the inscription and attempt to identify each letter in the inscription.
Inscription #3 (Alphabet Review)0:35
In this lecture we will examine each letter in the inscription.
Inscription #3 (Root Word Exercise)0:18
Now that we have identified each of the letters in this inscription, you objective is identify the three parent roots in this inscription.
Inscription #3 (Root Word Review)1:49
Now that we have identified the parent roots in this inscription we will be translating it.
Inscription #4 (Exercise)1:29
In this lecture we will look at the "Temple Ostraca," which is written in the Paleo-Hebrew (or Middle Hebrew) alphabet. Your objective is to determine what each letter is.
Inscription #4 (Review)4:01
In this lecture we will review the letters in this inscription and then we will translate the text.
The Dead Sea Scrolls4:19
In this lecture we will take a look at the Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library and look at a scroll fragment and decipher the text using the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet Chart.
Reading Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions

Requirements

A basic understanding of the Hebrew alphabet is helpful, but not required
An open mind to see the Hebrew langauge in a new light.

Description

The Modern Hebrew alphabet is only about 2,000 years old, but the Hebrew alphabet has a very long and interesting history that goes back another two thousand years. Prior to this modern alphabet, the Hebrew language was written with a more pictographic script, similar to Egyptian hieroglyphs, where each letter was a picture. These pictures help to define the letter within its original Hebrew culture and thereby help to define the words that these letters are written with.

This course will examine the history and evolution of the Ancient Semitic/Hebrew alphabet from its early pictographic origins to its modern forms as well as its adoption into the Greek and Latin alphabets.

You will learn the origins of our numbering system in the Hebrew alphabet, the meanings of each Hebrew letter, how to recognize the letters in ancient inscriptions and writings and have a basic knowledge of Hebrew word structure.

You will also learn about the root system of Hebrew words, how to interpret them and how the Ancient Hebrew philosophy and culture influence their definition and meanings.

Who this course is for:

This course is for those who are interested in the history of the Hebrew alphabet and want to learn how to read the Ancient forms of the Hebrew alphabet, such as is seen in ancient inscriptions.
While this course will be helpful with Biblical Hebrew, it is not designed to teach you how to read the Bible in Hebrew.
This course is not for learning how to read or speak modern Hebrew.

Learn the Ancient Hebrew Alphabet and Language

What you'll learn

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Course content

The History of the Hebrew Alphabet7 lectures • 21min

The Evolution of the Hebrew Alphabet24 lectures • 1hr 30min

Ancient Hebrew Philosophy and Culture8 lectures • 28min

How to type in Ancient Hebrew4 lectures • 4min

The Ancient Hebrew Vocabulary - Parent Roots4 lectures • 8min

Ancient Hebrew Vocabulary - Child and Adopted Roots5 lectures • 13min

Hebrew Word Studies3 lectures • 15min

Genesis in Ancient Hebrew2 lectures • 4min

Reading Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions12 lectures • 18min

Congratulations!1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: