A Reader's Hebrew Bible: Preview

[Philip Brown]

Hello All,

In May 2008 Zondervan will be releasing A Reader's Hebrew Bible, a companion volume to its Reader's Greek New Testament.

Key elements of this volume

• Text: Leningrad Codex minus masorah
• Words glossed: all words, excluding proper nouns, that occur less than 100x (Hebrew) or less than 25x (Aramaic).
• Glosses: Derived primarily from HALOT & BDB. Holladay, DCH, and others used
• Proper nouns: Occurrences <100x are screened in gray for ease of identification.
• Kethib/Qere: Kethib and Qere marked by raised K and Q respectively. Kethib are vowelless, Qere are pointed.

If you are interested in previewing the volume, I have posted a preview of it on my website here, which includes the TOC, Introduction, and parts of Genesis, Amos, and Ezra.

As noted in the introduction, BibleWorks was the workhorse for the production of this volume. I am very grateful for Michael Bushell's support for this project. Without BW and Mike's help, the project would never have made it to press.

If you have comments or questions about the volume, please direct them to readershebrew@gmail.com.

[Adelphos]

In May 2008 Zondervan will be releasing A Reader's Hebrew Bible, a companion volume to its Reader's Greek New Testament...

Thanks for posting this, Philip. I have their Reader's Greek New Testament which is bound in Italian Duo-Tone. Do you know if the Hebrew Reader will also be bound in this material?

In case anyone is interested, this material is very nice material. It actually feels good to touch it, and it is very flexible and nimble, and yet stiff enough to keep it from flopping all over the place.

I also found the typeface in the New Testament edition to be easy on the eyes, and the format is very friendly.

I hope the Old Testament edition will therefore be like it.

[Philip Brown]

Hi, Scot,

Yes, RHB will be bound in Italian duo-tone, and the format follows RGNT with at least one significant exception--I did not use an italic face for the text or glosses.

RHB is already "up" on Zondervan's website and on Amazon here (where it is wrongly listed as a paperback).

[Adelphos]

Yes, RHB will be bound in Italian duo-tone, and the format follows RGNT with at least one significant exception--I did not use an italic face for the text or glosses.

Then you can list me as a buyer. I don't think the italics for the glosses will make any difference whatsoever. In fact, it might be better without them. Can't wait to add it to my library.

[ingosorke]

Looking forward to the RHB! And glad they changed the font for the Greek 2nd edition. Not sure why publishers (UBS, Zondervan) go for italics in Greek; not my personal preference when such clear crisp clean fonts are available (like Bwgrkl!) . . .

I've made a suggestion to Zondervan: publish/bind the Hebrew and Greek Reader's editions together, with basic lexicons in the back (the Greek 2nd edition has one, but doesn't include all terms).

Ingo

[Adelphos]

Looking forward to the RHB! And glad they changed the font for the Greek 2nd edition. Not sure why publishers (UBS, Zondervan) go for italics in Greek; not my personal preference when such clear crisp clean fonts are available (like Bwgrkl!) . . .

I had no idea there was second edition of the RGNT, but I'm glad to hear they've done away with the italics. They are a bit much.

I won't be getting the second edition, however, for the only reason I bought the first one was because of the Italian Duo-Tone cover, plus it was on sale and I got it cheap. Probablly because there was a second edition by then and thus the first edition was significantly discounted.

In any case, I don't really need the reader, and I've read my Greek TR so many times that the variants and the rough Greek in the RGNT critical text jump out at me like roaring lions, and I'm so totally comfortable with my Greek TR that I 'spect I'll continue to dance with what brung me on that score.

On the other hand, the Hebrew might be a bit more intersting, even though I would rather not see another rendition of the Leningrad Codex, but since it's also in Italian Duo-Tone, count me in. FWIW, I wouldn't buy it otherwise. Shallow of me, I know.

Anyway, I think your suggestion about a combined reader is a great idea (as long as it's also in Italian Duo-Tone ), and one I imagine they will implement at some point and time, especially if the two readers do well individually in the market place.

Also, I think those who need the reader would benefit a great deal from a basic lexicon at the back because I think the frequency cut-off still leaves many people having to go to a dictionary/lexicon anyway. Having it in the back of the reader would save a little time and effort.

[Ben Spackman]

Thanks much for posting this! I saw the UBS equivalent of the Greek Reader's edition at SBL, and hoped someone was doing a Hebrew version.

The preview is very useful. I will definitely be buying this and recommending it to others.

[SCSaunders]

This looks REALLY REALLY good! Thanks for the heads up.

[SCSaunders]

RHB is already "up" on Zondervan's website and on Amazon here (where it is wrongly listed as a paperback).

Wow! That is a very good price. May '08 seems like a loooooooooooong ways away.

[SCSaunders]

Just got done pre-ordering RHB off Amazon. I'm looking forward to this. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a "slam dunk" decision. The $ is too good.


Went ahead and ordered the 2nd Edition RGNT as well.