An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew

by Thomas O. Lambdin

The choice of vocabulary and grammar, in this book, is essentially an introduction to the prose, not the poetical language. Generous use of transliteration is meant to serve three purposes: it enables the reader to perceive Hebrew as a language and not an exercise in decipherment, it removes the obstacles to mastering innumerable pages of abstract phonological and orthographic details, and facilitate the memorization of the paradigms.

Genres: Language, Linguistics, Old Testament, Reference, Textbooks, Theology, Biblical

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Colin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this for my undergrad in University, and have gone back to it more than once for revision. I have looked at other grammars, but I still rate Lambdin's as the best out there. Be sure to look for H.G.M. Williamson's ANNOTATED KEY (originally published by JSOT Press, Sheffield) if you are self-studying.

[mr.smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

No fun
I'm crying... it hurts

[Dougald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started this a while back, just didn't track it here because it was infrequent. Finally finished.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you finish this book you will feel like you have truly accomplished something in your life.

[Rosycross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a great and abiding love for this book, that I don't entirely understand. Biblical Hebrew is such a painful slog, and Lambdin is such a stickler for the last jot and tittle, that, well... if you do indeed make it through the whole damned business, then you'll wind up with this Goodbye Mr. Chips feeling for the man, for Lambdin, as if he had been your very own flesh and blood Ivy League teacher.

[Dougald · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information in this book is very good. It is the presentation that warrants the 3 stars. But otherwise, it is a great reference grammar.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little esoteric for an introduction but usefully concise and definitive.

[Martha Wright]

O Lambdin! my Lambdin!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent intermediate reference grammar, which excels where other often fail such as giving an accurate definition of hinneh and its use rather than the simplistic translation "behold", and there are useful practice translations at the end of each section, so you don't have to buy a grammar and a workbook. The appendix has useful paradigm charts for weak verbs that are a useful reference for pastors and Bible students studying Biblical Hebrew. You don't want to be without this grammar as a reference to brush up on your Hebrew or to reference some useful concise yet thorough discussions of Biblical Hebrew grammar.

[Kevin de Ataíde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Hebrew primer and the best so far, the fruit of an obvious great labour. I've seen one cause of complaint only and that is the size of the Hebrew text font, which is very, very small. The cover text celebrates the use of a special paper in the printing process that could better take the delicate vowel-pointing on the text, but the pointing would have been clearer with a LARGER FONT. That's it, the book is excellent, with bite-sized chapters that advance a patient student slowly through the grammar. Four stars for not increasing the font size.

[Peter Twele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lambdin was my textbook when I first studied Hebrew ... still refer to it.