BBL 104: Syllabus

BBL 104 • OFFICIAL COURSE SYLLABUS

BBL 104: Core Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary & Nominals

Welcome to BBL 104: Core Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary & Nominals! Students acquire the highest-frequency vocabulary of the Hebrew Old Testament (words occurring 200+ times) while mastering Hebrew nouns (gender, number, absolute vs. construct state), the definite article, conjunction Waw, inseparable prepositions, adjectives, pronouns, and basic nominal clauses.

Interactive Biblical Languages Lab Tools

5-Chapter Curriculum Outline (31 Lessons & 31 Assessments)

Chapter 1: High-Frequency Theological Vocabulary of the Hebrew Bible

Mastering the most frequent nouns and theological terms in the Old Testament.

  • Lesson 1: Names and Titles of God: Elohim, YHWH (Adonai), El Shaddai, YHWH Tsevaot
  • Lesson 2: Covenant and Law Vocabulary: Berit, Torah, Hesed, Mishpat, Tsedeq/Tsedaqah
  • Lesson 3: Creation and Humanity Vocabulary: Shamayim, Erets, Adam, Nefesh, Ruach, Lev
  • Lesson 4: Worship and Sanctuary Vocabulary: Qodesh, Kohen, Mizbeach, Korban, Shalom
  • Lesson 5: Kinship and Kingdom Vocabulary: Av, Em, Ben, Bat, Melekh, Eved, Am, Goy
Chapter 2: Hebrew Nouns: Gender, Number, and the Construct Chain

Identifying masculine and feminine singular, plural, and dual endings and translating construct chains.

  • Lesson 1: Masculine and Feminine Singular Nouns in Biblical Hebrew
  • Lesson 2: Masculine Plural (-im), Feminine Plural (-ot), and Irregular Plural Nouns
  • Lesson 3: The Dual Ending (-ayim) for Paired Objects, Body Parts, and Time
  • Lesson 4: Absolute State vs. Construct State (Smikhut): Expressing ‘Of’ Relationships
  • Lesson 5: Vowel Changes and Definiteness Rules in Hebrew Construct Chains
Chapter 3: The Definite Article, Conjunction Waw, and Prepositions

How prefixes attach directly to Hebrew words and modify vocalization.

  • Lesson 1: The Hebrew Definite Article (Ha- + Dagesh Forte) and Compensatory Lengthening before Gutturals
  • Lesson 2: The Inseparable Prepositions (Be-, Le-, Ke-) and Their Attachment to Nouns
  • Lesson 3: Independent Prepositions (Min, El, Al, Ad, Im, Bein) and the Definite Direct Object Marker (Et)
  • Lesson 4: The Conjunction Waw (We-, U-, Wa-) and Its Vocalization Rules
  • Lesson 5: Directional He (He Locale) and the Interrogative He
Chapter 4: Hebrew Adjectives, Pronouns, and Pronominal Suffixes

Attributive, predicative, and substantival adjectives, personal pronouns, and pronominal suffixes.

  • Lesson 1: Independent Personal Pronouns (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Person Singular and Plural)
  • Lesson 2: Demonstrative Pronouns (‘This’, ‘That’, ‘These’, ‘Those’) and Relative Pronoun (Asher)
  • Lesson 3: Hebrew Adjectives: Attributive, Predicative, and Substantival Usage
  • Lesson 4: Comparative and Superlative Expressions in Biblical Hebrew
  • Lesson 5: Pronominal Suffixes Attached to Singular/Plural Nouns and Prepositions (‘My’, ‘Your’, ‘His’)
Chapter 5: Verbless Clauses and Introduction to Qal Verbs

Translating Hebrew nominal sentences and recognizing basic Qal Perfect and Imperfect verbs.

  • Lesson 1: Translating Verbless (Nominal) Clauses in Hebrew Prose and Poetry
  • Lesson 2: Particles of Existence and Non-Existence (Yesh and Ayin) and Negation (Lo and Al)
  • Lesson 3: Hebrew Numbers and Counting (Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers)
  • Lesson 4: Introduction to the Hebrew Verbal Root and the Qal Perfect (Qatal) Paradigm
  • Lesson 5: Guided Translation Lab: Reading Selected Clauses from Genesis 1 and Ruth 1