Recommended Basic Hebrew Grammar Text??

Now that I am developing some comfort and facilty with NT Greek (I carefully avoid the e=expertise word!), I am toying with the idea of putting my toe in the Hebrew pool.

I used Mounce's book for Greek, and found it (with the workbook which was essential for stand-alone learners) to be well thought out and enormously helpful.
The basic Hebrew book I've been looking at is "Basics of Biblical Hebrew: Grammar" by Gary D. Pratico - but I have no idea whether this is a good choice or not. Any advice or suggestions on a Beginners Hebrew Grammar Text (+Workbook) by the BW gurus of OT Hebrew?
I'm not sure I'll do more than get more than my toes wet in Hebrew, since I still have lots of work to do in Greek, but I know that, at the stage of choosing a text, it is very very helpful to hear from those who have gone before.
In His Service, Tom D.

I've taught out of Pratico once. It wasn't right for us, but it and the workbook would be good for self-study.
I don't have anything better to recommend for self-study, but a good place to start reading is Judges.

Grain/Brick/Quarry of Salt Disclaimer: I'm not a guru, nor have I taught any class, but I do continue to work at this language stuff in a self-study way. Here's what I can share from my limited experience ...

For self-study, I've liked Pratico. Anyone who seeks to cut down on the amount of memorization [Mounce-like] by teaching Diagnostic Patterns is a friend. I like all the study aides they they continue to put out.

Also for self-study, Ross is brilliant a putting complex things [especially when just starting-out] in clear, precise, simple terms. (I found Kelly to be similar.)

I haven't looked at John Parson's, but he isn't sloppy at anythying. Give Hebrew4Christians.com a looksee. Great place to get your "toes wet" while learning Greek.

For simplicity reasons, I do like the electronic books you can get with BW7 modules. Besides Futato another will be added soon. Check out the homepage for Weingreen.

JMHO.

I'm very grateful for the gurus and teachers, and also for the learners willing to share their own experience!! Together it makes for complete advice.

I have more time than money (much more!), have retired early to do just these studies in the Word of God, and I am a very focused and self-disciplined learner. Thus self-study works well for me - at least in the early stages. Thus, I couldn't agree more about Mounce and his contribution - and all those like him.

Of course, the more one develops some competence, the more one wants to communicate with those who know as much or more - and there are points where a word from the teacher can save a lot of time and frustration!!

Being brand new to BW, I must admit that part of what edges me on toward Hebrew is the sophistication and the power of BW7. It removes so much of the tedium from the old way of learning.

Thanks for the advice. I feel confident now to order a copy of Practico, and will also get Ross and follow up on the other suggestions.

In His Service,
Tom D.

I learned Hebrew in a classroom, not on my own. The textbook we used was Andrew Bartelt's Fundamental Biblical Hebrew. The advantage of it would be that you can go on to iTunes (or via http://itunes.csl.edu/) and download audio/video files of the class being taught and follow along in a mock-class environment rather than doing it alone.

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Originally Posted by Tom D

Now that I am developing some comfort and facilty with NT Greek (I carefully avoid the e=expertise word!), I am toying with the idea of putting my toe in the Hebrew pool.

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If you want a user-intensive participation approach, one that will probably have you reading the Hebrew Tanach very quickly (much more quickly than pure grammars), you might try either Learning Biblical Hebrew by John Dobson, or Biblical Hebrew by Kittel, Hoffer, Wright.

This could prove useful, just discovered it this morning.

Found it on the BBH site. There's a link on the left for an "Online Hebrew Course."

Biblical Hebrew From a Distance

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Originally Posted by SCSaunders

This could prove useful, just discovered it this morning.

Found it on the BBH site. There's a link on the left for an "Online Hebrew Course."

Biblical Hebrew From a Distance

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This does, indeed, look interesting, SC! I have already ordered Pratico's book, and workbook, along with Ross's text, and so I will follow up on this one with a phone call. I'm especially interested to find out about the credit/non-credit relationship. The price, for example is very modest on the non-credit. I am interested in the credit cost.

I spent my professional years as a university Registrar up here in the North country, and, over the years, I came to see the university operating more and more as an industry rather than as a house of wisdom - knowledge as a commodity. 'We will sell you x units of knowledge for y $'s'.

As I see the growing number of interesting and imaginative solutions being offered via the internet and other technologies I am most encouraged. Without question the knowledge monopoly of the post WWII higher education empire is being challenged - as many had predicted.

My one hesitation is this uneasy sense that I'm moving from "putting my toes in the Hebrew pool" to "last one in can't say YODA" :D

In His Service,
Tom D.

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Originally Posted by Tom D

My one hesitation is this uneasy sense that I'm moving from "putting my toes in the Hebrew pool" to "last one in can't say YODA" :D

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Good job. I say "Go For It!"

On last thing, you may find listening to the Hebrew Bible very helpful in your studies. Here's a site where you can: Hebrew Scriptures in MP3

Ears are like kids, they love it when you let them help-out.

Hi Tom,

I just saw your post.

I've taught from Ross for just over two years and it has been a love-hate relationship to say the least. Anyway, you can see my review here: http://www.see-j.net/Default.aspx?tabid=130

Part of the problem is the entrenchment through exercises of many inaccuracies (a lot of grammars have this problem, so it is not isolated to Ross). A grammar that presents for the most part actual biblical Hebrew text is to be much preferred in my opinion. Here is a good textbook with good pedagogy which I would like to recommend:

http://individual.utoronto.ca/holmstedt/Textbook.html

Currently free, so it's worth a look at that price!

Personally, I disagree regarding the grammaticalisation of verbal aspect, but then very few introductory textbooks really get this right apart from the one available from this site:

http://www.biblicalulpan.org/

I'm still yet to find an introductory textbook teaching a seven-vowel system rather than five, however...

One thing you'll notice after a while with the study of Hebrew is that most areas of the grammar of the language is hotly debated. But a knowledge of the language is very rewarding I find.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
David Kummerow.