Jehon Grist: Reading Biblical Hebrew: A Betrothal Story—Isaac and Rebekah (Virtual on Zoom)

Genesis 24 is a classic tale about finding a wife and also a revealing presentation of the protocols and practices that lead to marriage in the ancient Near East. Isaac has just lost his mother Sarah and his father, Abraham, must begin the process of building the next generation, sending his trusty servant to find a wife for Isaac in the land of the clan’s origin. Our class will travel with him, beginning with a rich visual overview of the lifeways of Patriarchs and Matriarchs in the Biblical period. Then we will read and translate the Hebrew text, drawing on the insights of both modern scholarship and ancient commentators. Students will also receive extensive notes to assist with translation.

While basic knowledge of Biblical (or modern) Hebrew is helpful, all students will be able to share the learning: both Hebrew text and English translation will be on screen for every verse.

8 sessions

Videos:

1. Session 1: 1/30/22: https://youtu.be/tyNQVK-7iNs
2. Session 2: 2/6/22: https://youtu.be/0b0Z7yVoNOE
3. Session 3: 2/13/22: https://youtu.be/K6EWtCERZ5o
4. Session 4: 2/27/22: https://youtu.be/u6R2NuAvc78
5. Session 5: 3/6/22: https://youtu.be/OAJYaeMxdFE
6. Session 6: 3/13/22: https://youtu.be/l8hApanOiZI
7. Session 7: 3/20/22: https://youtu.be/xam3twO3J90
8. Session 8: 3/27/22: https://youtu.be/_4fgNkNPHxQ