WSOLC – Western Seminary Online Campus
Course Number: OTS 509E – Fall 2014
Course Title: Hebrew Reading and Syntax
Instructor: Dr. Jan Verbruggen
Credit Hours: 3
COURSE SCHEDULE
This course is only offered in a 16 week schedule. You can see a “Course Schedule by Week” in this syllabus. After enrollment in the course you can see a course schedule with specific dates in the learning center for your assignments.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A short systematic review and presentation of the grammar and syntax will be given, and then building on the foundation of grammar and vocabulary, the grammar of the weak verb is covered in synthesized manner. This knowledge will further strengthened by reading various selected passages, with special attention to different points of syntax. An in depth instruction is given in the use of various computer tools, which will helps us in our quest for the meaning of the text. The instructor will explain the different steps of the exegetical process, and demonstrate that in class.3 credit hours.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Increase your facility in the reading and translating of Hebrew Scripture. The foundational Hebrew class focused on acquiring a beginning knowledge of Hebrew grammar and vocabulary. In this class, we will finish this foundation and make use of this knowledge in the reading of a number of Hebrew texts.
- Demonstrate a greater understanding of Hebrew syntax, through the analysis and translation of texts.
- Demonstrate a mastery of assigned vocabulary
- Use the lexicon extensively and/or electronic tools.
- Translate and interact theologically with the original text
- Build an appreciation for the Hebrew language, and the beauty of the words of Scripture, through the reading of various texts
- Develop a deeper love and devotion for our Maker: the direct way that Hebrew describes devotion to God should touch your heart, and result in a greater devotion to God.
TEXTBOOKS
Required:
- Jan Verbruggen, Workbook for Beginning Hebrew, 2008. This Workbook is contained on your course disk, in the “Notes” files for each lesson.
A Reader’s Hebrew Bible (already bought for OTS 508). ISBN 13: 978-0310269748. MSRP: $49.99.
Brown, Driver, Briggs, Hebrew and English LexiconISBN13: 978-1565632066. MSRP: $34.95.
Chisholm, R.B. From Exegesis to Exposition, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999) ISBN 13: 978-0801021718. MSRP: $28.00.
Paul Wegner, A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods and Results, IVP, 2006.ISBN 13: 978-0830827312. MSRP: $25.00.
Strongly Recommended
Bible Works (preferred by the teacher)ASIN: B000EGHMKG/ or Logos
Important Note:Required and recommended course texts are subject to change at any time. You are encouraged to purchase these titles through the Amazon.com associate program; you may use the links provided above, or the search option found on the Western website under “Students/Online”:
Course Format
- Course Audio/Video Materials.
Shortly after your course registration, you will receive instructions about how to download your course using the Integr@te program (not earlier than three weeks from your start date).
- Learning Center.
You will also be given access to a web-based learning center which functions as your classroom for the course. There you will find:
- The course syllabus. PleaseNote: The syllabus in your learning center is the governing course syllabus. Syllabi downloaded from the seminary website, or received from any other source, are for informational purposes only.
- A week-by-week schedule to help you successfully complete the course on time with the least amount of stress. To discuss changing the assignment due dates within the schedule, please contact Jon Raibley:
- A progress report for each lesson, by which you will indicate whether you completed your lesson requirements. While still allowing great scheduling flexibility, progress reports help us help you should you begin to fall behind.
- Assignment summaries and links for uploading assignments.
- Links to discussion forums, your course instructor and other students, the distance learning support team, as well as links to other helpful communication and instructional resources.
- Responsibilities.
Before the end of the first week of the session, you need to log onto the online learning center to complete and upload the course affirmation file. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in courses for the full length of the course. So failure to complete the course affirmation on-time will result in a loss of course points and may impact your financial aid eligibility.
Students will receive on-time completion points for finishing their course work according to the schedule. This means students in the 8 week sessions are required to have all their course work into their course instructor by the end of week 7. Students in the 16 week sessions are required to have all their work into their course instructor by the end of week 15. If you have not been granted an extension, graded assignments turned in after 8:00 a.m. on Monday of the final week may be subject to a late penalty of up to 10% per day. No online completion points will be granted after that time.
- Course Instructor.
You will be assigned a course instructor who will participate as appropriate in classroom activities; review, grade, and provide feedback on course assignments; and interact with you on any questions you have about the course. When you receive your course materials, you will also receive contact information for your course instructor. Please contact your course instructor within two weeks of your course start date and maintain regular contact throughout the course.
Assignments
Note regarding course format: The first 12 lessons of the course are lectures which complete the material in the course workbook. The second half of the course are readings in the Hebrew scriptures, examined in dialog between Jan and his graduate assistant, Ben Johnson. Read and mediate on each assigned passage before viewing the video for that passage.
The key in learning Biblical Hebrew, and actually any language, is discipline. Do not allow yourself to get behind. If you are behind, work twice as hard to get back on track as quickly as possible.
- Participation Requirements. For each lesson, complete the items as instructed in your learning center, and submit the progress report verifying that you’ve done so. These progress reports are our primary means of verifying your attendance, and each is worth up to one point toward your final grade. If the progress report is submitted by the due date on your course schedule, you’ll receive 100% of the report grade. If you submit the progress report late, but within two weeks of the due date, you will receive 80%. If you submit the progress report more than two weeks late, you will receive 50%. And, of course, if you fail to submit a progress report at all, you will receive 0%. Certain changes are allowed within the course schedule, to allow for flexibility. You may contact Jon Raibley for details: .
In addition, you are to complete three activities that will allow us to verify your participation at key points within the course, in compliance with federal regulations. Failure to complete these activities within the designated times may impact the amount or timing of federal financial aid you receive.
- First week participation: Within the first week of the posted course dates, complete and upload the affirmation file.
- On-time verification. By the date listed in the schedule, submit your final assignments and complete the verification assignment, to confirm that you finished the course work on time.
- Course evaluation and reflection. Within the final week of the posted course dates, complete the course evaluation and reflection assignment; a link will be emailed to you at that time.
View all of the course media provided on the course disk. Learning Center progress reports for each lesson will allow you to report your completion of this requirement. In addition, read the following texts per the course schedule:
Jan Verbruggen, Workbook for Beginning Hebrew, chapters 23-34.
R.B. Chisholm, From Exegesis to Exposition, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), pp. 13-28, 33-54, 187-278 (15 hours);
Paul Wegner, A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods and Results.23-36; 44-78; 89-201
Points:38 points possible (26 for progress reports, 2 for affirmation file, 10 for on-time verification
Time:25 estimated hours media, 25 estimated hours reading
- Lesson Exercises
For lessons 1-12 you will complete the assigned exercises and review them with the key given.
Time:24 estimated hours
Points:12 points possible (1 point per lesson, reported in progress reports)
- Vocabulary and Grammar Quizzes
For lessons 1-12you will have a quiz on all the vocabulary covered up that point in the semester, the grammar from previous class session (you need to able to apply what you have learned in parsing the weak verbs you encounter; you are not required to memorize the weak verb paradigm) and the strong verb paradigm. To prepare, review the grammar from the previous lesson, review your vocabulary, and complete the assigned exercises. You will complete the quiz (closed-book), then review the answer key given. These quizzes are for your own learning; you will receive a progress report grade for completing the quiz, but your score on the quiz will not affect your grade.
Time:24 estimated hours
Points:12 points possible (1 point per lesson, reported in progress reports)
- Hebrew Reading Phone Calls
Schedule 7 bi-weekly 15-minute phone calls with your course instructor. In these calls, you’ll practice your Hebrew reading, and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Time:3 estimated hours
Points:25 points possible (5 points per phone call)
- Lesson Reviews and Exam
You will complete and return 3 lesson reviews, according to the course schedule. You will also complete a midterm exam to cover the vocabulary and last part of the Hebrew Grammar. You may scan and email the reviews to your grader, or mail or fax them to the Online Campus office.
Time:9 estimated hours (2 per review, 3 for the exam)
Points:160 points possible (20 points per review, 100 points for the exam)
- Translation
During the reading half of the course, you will translate 12 sections of scripture. For each section, submit (via mail, email or fax) a written translation of the section, with all verbal forms parsed, before viewing the video of Jan and Ben reading the passage. Keep a copy of your translation, and make any needed corrections as you view the session.
Time:60 estimated hours
Points:120 points possible (10 points per passage)
- Word Study
Based on the procedure and materials given in the course materials, complete a word study on yrev.a; (Psalm 1:1). Due by Lesson 26.
Time:3 estimated hours
Points:25points possible
- Meditation and forum posting
In order to fully appreciate God’s Word, time needs to be taken to meditate on it (Psalm 1). Before each scripture reading session in the second half of the course, meditate and pray over the assigned passage for approximately 30 minutes. Record your completion of the meditation in the progress reports for each lesson. By the end of course, post at least one lesson you’ve learned from these passages on the course discussion forum (100 words minimum)
Time:7 estimated hours
Points:30points possible (2 points per passage (reported in progress reports), 6 points for posting)
Note:The instructor will work through the workbook. Do not allow yourself to get behind. If you are behind, work twice as hard to get back on track as quickly as possible.All late exams must be taken within a week of the scheduled exam date.
GRADING SCALE:
A+ / A / A- / B+ / B / B-99-100% / 95-98% / 93-94% / 91-92% / 88-90% / 86-87%
C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D-
84-85% / 81-83% / 79-80% / 77-78% / 74-76% / 70-73%
ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY:
Assignment / Approx. hours / Points possible1. Participation Requirements / 50 / 26
Course Lectures &
Policy Affirmation, On Time Verification, Course Evaluation / 12
2. Lesson Exercises / 24 / 12
3. Vocabulary and Grammar Quizzes / 24 / 12
4. Hebrew Reading Phone Calls / 3 / 25
5. Lesson Reviews and Exam / 9 / 160
6. Translation / 60 / 120
7. Word Study / 3 / 25
8. Meditation and forum posting / 7 / 30
Totals / 180 / 422
Course Sequence
Important: See the course schedule in the learning center for the due dates of your assignments.
Week / Lessons / Assignments & Notes1 / 1.Overview of Weak Verbs :Chapter 23
2.First Nun Weak Verbs: Chapter 24 / Complete the progress report for each lesson.
Read Workbook chapters 23, 24
Read Chisholm, pages 13-28
2 / 3.First Guttural Verbs: Chapter 25
4.Second Guttural Verbs: Chapter 26 / Read: Workbook chapters 25, 26
Read: Chisholm, pages 33-54
3 / 5.Third Guttural Verbs: Chapter 27
6.Third Aleph Verbs: Chapter 28 / Read: Workbook chapters 27, 28
Read: Chisholm, pages 187-220
Complete phone call #1
Complete Review #1: lessons 1-4
4 / 7.Third ‘He’ Verbs: Chapter 29
8.First Vav/Yod Verbs: Chapter 30 / Read: Workbook chapters 29, 30
Read: Chisholm, pages 221-278
5 / 9.Second Vav/Yod Verbs: Chapter 31
10.Numbers: Chapter 32 / Read: Workbook chapters 31, 32
Read: Wegner pp. 23-36
Complete phone call #2
Complete Review #2: lessons 5-8
6 / 11.The Jussive Mood: Chapter 33
12.Geminate Verbs: Chapter 34 / Read: Workbook chapters 33, 34
Read: Wegner pp. 44-78
7 / 13.Jonah 1
14.Textual Criticism / Read: Wegner pp. 89-145
Submit translation/parsing sheet
Complete meditation assignment
Complete phone call #3
Complete Review #3: lessons 9-12
Complete Midterm exam
8 / 15.Jonah 2
16.The Exegetical Process / Read: Wegner pp. 146-202
Submit translation/parsing sheet
Complete meditation assignment
9 / 17.Jonah 3
18.Jonah 4 / Submit translation/parsing sheet
Complete meditation assignment
10 / 19.1 Samuel 1
20.2 Kings 14:23-29 / Submit translation/parsing sheets
Complete meditation assignments
Complete phone call #4
11 / 21.Deut. 24:14-22
22.Exodus 21:38-36 / Submit translation/parsing sheets
Complete meditation assignments
12 / 23.Deuteronomy 34
24.Proverbs 3:13-25 / Submit translation/parsing sheets
Complete meditation assignments
13 / 25.Psalm 1:1-6
26.Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 / Submit translation/parsing sheets
Complete meditation assignments
Complete phone call #5
14 / Submit any last translation/parsing sheets
Complete any last meditation assignments
Post meditation reflection on forum due
15 / On-time Verification Due
16 / Course Evaluation and Reflection.If you have not been granted an extension, graded assignments turned in after 8:00 a.m. on Monday of the final week may be subject to a late penalty of up to 10% per day.
Course PolicieS
Attendance and Late Assignments: Student will receive on-time completion points for finishing their course according to the schedule. Students in the 8 week sessions are required to have all their course work into their course instructor by end of week 7. Students in the 16 week sessions are required to have all their work into their course instructor by end of week 15. If you have not been granted an extension, graded assignments turned in after 8:00 a.m. on Monday of the final week may be subject to a late penalty of up to 10% per day. No online completion points will be granted after that time.
Copyright Violation and Plagiarism: Research in secondary sources for the written project is permitted and welcomed. However, any appropriation of either ideas or wording taken from other sources, whether print or electronic, must be properly footnoted. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism which can result in substantial grade reduction or failure. Any unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can result in criminal charges and fines. For a fuller explanation of these issues or WS's copyright policy, see the Copyright Issues and Cheating" section of the Student Handbook:
Incompletes/Extensions:
In the case of serious illness, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, students may request one course extension of no more than 4 weeks. Registration for a distance education course is conditional upon the successful completion of any current course you are taking. If you have received an extension for your current course, you are expected to finish your current courses before your next Online Campus course start date to stay registered.
If students face a personal emergency that requires requesting an extension going beyond the end of the semester, it may affect their ability to receive financial aid in the next semester, and they may face the possibility that their next semester’s course registrations will be cancelled. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.
Audit/Enrichment Students: Enrichment students are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in assignments and class discussions. Professors are not obligated to grade participation for these students, but may opt to do so depending on class size.
The Availability of Disability Services at Western Seminary: Western Seminary is committed to responding to the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Western students are assisted individually as their needs dictate. It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves and the nature of the disability. Any student who has a disability should contact the seminary’s Disability (Section 504) Coordinator, Ashley Mitchell, at 503-517-1819/1-877-517-1800, ext. 1819. Her office is at the Portland campus. Students at the northern California campuses may contact Student Services Coordinator – San Jose or Director of Student Services – Sacramento, or they may contact Ms Mitchell directly. Appropriate forms will be provided and must be submitted to the Disability Coordinator’s office.
Questions regarding this course or its materials should be directed to:
Western Seminary Online Campus
5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR, 97215
Attn: Jon Raibley
Email:
1-800-893-8567 - In Portland: 503-517-1899