11. Philology and Grammar

Clines, David J.A. (ed.), The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. VII. ‭צ–ר‬ (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2010), pp. 679. £150.00/$320.00/€225.00. ISBN 978-1-906055-52-3.

In the gap since volume VI of this magnificent dictionary was published (see B.L. 2009, p. 230), a foretaste of the final two volumes has been available in the very useful Concise Dictionary of Classical Hebrew (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2009). Now it is a pleasure to welcome volume VII, in anticipation of the publication of the final volume in 2012. The most distinctive contribution of DCH to Hebrew lexicography is the systematic inclusion of many words, marked with an asterisk, that are not in the Hebrew Bible. These include modern scholars' creations like G.R. Driver's ⋅anaḥ, ‘break wind’ (e.g. Judg. 1.14, Neb), but also a number of well-known Hebrew words like ⋅arik, ‘necessary’, qayyam, ‘established’, and rabbi, ‘rabbi’, not in the Bible but already attested in the ancient non-biblical sources. Another valuable feature of DCH is the word-frequency statistics at the beginning of each volume. These are always interesting, not for what they tell us about the Hebrew mind, but for what they tell us about the nature of the corpus, which now includes 30 per cent non-biblical material. Thus, for example, by far the most frequent words beginning with ⋅ade are words for ‘command’ and ‘host’, with ‘righteousness’, ‘flock’ and ‘Zion’ a long way behind. As ever the bibliographies at the end of the volume are as complete and up-to-date as one could wish, while the English-to-Hebrew index is a very valuable additional tool.

J.F.A. Sawyer

Conklin, Blane, Oath Formulas in Biblical Hebrew (Linguistic Studies in Ancient West Semitic, 5; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2011), pp. xii + 106. 8 tables. $34.50. ISBN 978-1-57506-203-7.

This tightly focused study examines the morphosyntax of Hebrew oath formulas, with an appendix on oath formulas in other Semitic languages. After a brief introduction, the remainder of the book analyses the two elements of Hebrew oaths. The first, the ‘authenticating element’, has five different types: ‘raising of a hand, invocation of one or more witnesses, explicitly using the verb for swearing, the phrase “thus will X do to Y,” and the phrase “(By) the life of X”’ (p. 13). The second element, the content of the oath, is almost always introduced in one of two ways: either by a conditional protasis, with ellipsis of the apodosis, or by the ‘complementizer’ kí (‘that’), with, or more often without, the verb ‘swear’ (šb'). The protasis of such oath formulas, prefaced either with im or ‘im lō, broadly matches the protasis of conditionals found in 1 Samuel. Beyond the gathering of many examples and presenting the first book-length study of the morphosyntax of Hebrew oath formulas, notable contributions include identifying the ‘bipartite structure’ of Hebrew oaths, the independence of the two elements, and the questioning of the existence of the so-called ‘asseverative’ kí.

J.E. Robson

Eng, Milton, The Days of our Years: A Lexical Semantic Study of the Life Cycle in Biblical Israel (LHBOTS, 464; New York/London: T & T Clark, 2011), pp. xvi + 176. £60.00. ISBN 978-0-567-02503-6.

This is a lexical study of primarily male terms for the young, mature and elderly. Female terms are subordinated within an androcentric book structure. It focuses on the range of potential meanings for particular terms such as ‘boy’, ‘child’, ‘young man’, ‘man’ and ‘old man’, set within the context of other semantically related terms. Terms are considered only when the context is age-related. The first chapter deals with lexicography and semantics (‘the meaning of words’). Chapter 2 briefly sets the life cycle (including life expectancy) in the context of the ancient Near East, and less understandably Greece. Chapter 3 studies terms for the young, by which is meant prematurity, focusing particularly on na ‘ar, yeled and taph. Chapter 4 concentrates on terms for mature men, with semantic studies of ‘ish, ‘adam and geber. Chapter 5, on the aged, covers zaqen and a range of related terms and phrases. E.'s general conclusions support the use in textual study of modern linguistics, in particular of semantic profiles and semantic domains, calling for these to be included in the methodologies of new lexicons. There is much of interest in the detail of this book; but I would have liked to see a better gender balance, and less of the superficial comparisons with other unconnected socio-historical contexts and periods, from the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution.

S.F. Bigger

Geiger, Gregor (ed.), En pāsē grammatikē kai sophiā. Saggi di linguistica ebraica in onore di Alviero Niccacci, OFM (Collana Analecta, 78; Milan: Edizioni Terra Santa, 2011), pp. 450. €37.00. ISBN 978-88-6240-129-6.

Those who are not too put off by an Italian book with a Greek title will find here an interesting collection of essays offered to Alviero Niccacci on his seventieth birthday (and may be relieved also to find that the volume includes both English and Italian abstracts, as well as author and citation indexes). The essays follow a brief biography and bibliography of Niccacci by G. Claudio Bottini, and are as follows: Krzysztof J. Baranowski, ‘The Article in the Book of Qoheleth’; Rüdiger Bartelmus, ‘‭היה (הוה)‬: Sein oder werden? Sein und werden! Ein hebräisches (aramäisches) Allerweltswort und das Phänomen des lebenslangen Lernens’; Bruno Chiesa, ‘Divagazioni tiberiensi’; Matteo Crimella, ‘Il Signore vede il cuore! Fra analisi sintattica e narratologia: Il caso di 1 Sam 16,1–13’; Mats Eskhult, ‘Thoughts on Phrases and Clauses Expressing Circumstance in Biblical Hebrew Narration’; Steven E. Fassberg, ‘The Shift from qal to piel in the Book of Qoheleth’; Gregor Geiger, ‘Erzählte Welt und wayyiqtol’; Walter Gross, ‘wa =yiqtol für Anknüpfung/Wiederaufnahme: Stilmittel und redaktionelles Verfahren’; Bo Isaksson, ‘The Textlinguistics of the Suffering Servant: Subordinate Structures in Isaiah 52,13–53,12’; Jan Joosten, ‘A Neglected Rule and its Exceptions: On Non-Volitive yiqtol in Clause-Initial Position’; Paolo Messina, ‘Il sistema verbale dell’ Aramaico Biblico: Un approccio linguistico-testuale'; Tania Notarius, ‘Text, Discourse and Tenses in the Victory Song in 2 Sam 22,33–46: In Search of the Underlying Literary Convention’; Massimo Pazzini, ‘The Peshi⃛ta of the Twelve Prophets and the Texts of the Dead Sea’; Rosario Pierri, ‘Perifrasi verbali con γίνoμαι ed έστηκα nei LXX’; Eep Talstra, ‘Sinners and Syntax: Poetry and Discourse in Jeremiah 5’; David Volgger, ‘Die Bestattung Jakobs (Gen 50,1–14)—oder: Die Tora Israels auf dem Weg von ägypten nach Kanaan’; Wilfred G.E. Watson, ‘Alcuni brani dell’ Antico Testamento e testi dal Vicino Oriente antico'; Wojciech Wegrzyniak, ‘La problematica temporale dei verbi nei salmi 14 e 53’; Ziony Zevit, ‘Syntagms in Biblical Hebrew: Four Short Studies’; Tamar Zewi, ‘On ‭יב האר‬ and ‭הנהו האר‬ in Biblical Hebrew’.

S.D.E. Weeks

Hackett, Jo Ann, A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2010), pp. xxvi + 302 + CD. $39.95/£26.99. ISBN 978-1-59856-028-2. [Distributed in the UK by Alban Books.]

The publication of a new Hebrew Grammar may not be justifiable on the basis that our knowledge of basic Hebrew has changed, but it certainly is on the basis that the ‘audience’ learning it has. This volume arises from years of teaching experience and its greatest merit is its insightful adjustment of Hebrew teaching to the needs of current students who may not have the grammatical or linguistic background students enjoyed even 20 years ago. Thus this grammar assumes little, instead taking pains to explain, clearly and concisely, things that many a teacher may take for granted. This is done, however, without sacrificing any of the depth that the student ultimately has to reach. The one controversial aspect of the volume is the adjustment of the conventional verbal paradigm to modern-language order, thus starting with 1cs instead of 3ms, which will prove confusing when using other grammars. Also some of the grammatical terminology is non-standard, at least from a European perspective, for example, substituting ‘suffix/prefix conjugations’ for ‘perfect/imperfect’. The non-phonetic pronunciation aids will also work best in an American context. The amount of material in each chapter has been carefully weighed to be manageable in a single teaching session and the book includes a particularly helpful section of appendixes, including a stroke-by-stroke guide to writing Hebrew letters. A comprehensive CD complements the package.

A. Nahkola

Hartley, John E., The Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Colour Lexemes (Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement Series, 33; Louvain: Peeters, 2010), pp. xviii + 271. €82.00. ISBN 978-90-429-2311-9.

This volume presents the result of research into ancient Hebrew colour lexemes according to the guidelines of the Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database project and, as the preface acknowledges, is indebted to the well-known studies on colour by R. Gradwohl (1963) and A. Brenner (1982). Following J.K. Aitken's The Semantics of Blessing and Cursing in Ancient Hebrew (Louvain: Peeters, 2007), this appears to be the second book-length study prompted by the SAHD project. Each lexeme is presented in seven sections: (1) Root and Comparative Material; (2) Formal Characteristics; (3) Syntagmatics; (4) Versions; (5) Lexical/Semantic Fields; (6) Exegesis; and (7) Conclusion. Where appropriate, a distinction is made within each section between better (A) and less well (B) attested material. As one might expect in research of this kind, there are no ground-breaking new discoveries. Only rarely does H. disagree with Brenner and the exegesis section built on previous commentary on the texts. But the detailed information about usage and the full inclusion of the known extra-biblical corpus of Ancient Hebrew is a genuine advance. Some readers might have appreciated a translation alongside (rare) Spanish and (more frequent) German citations. German is used even where translations into English are available, the absence of any reference to HALOT being the most striking example. The lexical part is preceded by an essay which summarizes physical and biological aspects of colour, discusses general linguistic studies of colour lexemes, and outlines the approach taken in this volume.

T. Renz

Morgenstern, Matthew, Studies in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic, Based upon Early Eastern Manuscripts (Harvard Semitic Studies, 62; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2011), pp. xx + 287. $44.95. ISBN 978-1-57506-938-8.

This is an important book which changes the basis of discussion of the Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (JBA) appearing in rabbinic sources (Talmud and post-Talmudic Babylonian rabbinic literature). M. uses the term ‘rabbinic Babylonian Aramaic’ (RBA) to distinguish this form of the language from that found in the Aramaic magic bowls and in Targum Onqelos. Apart from discussing many individual points in the grammar of these texts, M. demonstrates the numerous differences between the Aramaic of the early manuscript sources and the later European manuscripts and printed editions. This divergence imposes a new approach based on the early manuscripts. M. also draws attention to the divergences between the Yemenite oral and written traditions on the one hand and the early manuscripts on the other; he thus presents a convincing case against the well-established view of Shelomo Morag which emphasized the value of the Yemenite traditions. M.'s research shows the variety even within the early manuscript tradition and concludes that there was no widespread standard literary language in use. Rather, the spoken language influenced the written form extensively, with more formal and less formal linguistic registers coexisting. Perhaps a depressing picture for those struggling with these texts, but the conclusion is that we must deal with a series of grammars: the grammar of the early manuscripts, that of the Yemenite manuscripts, that of the Spanish manuscripts and that of the printed editions, plus that of the Yemenite reading tradition (p. 152). Scholars have long been aware of the variety within JBA; this study provides a framework for understanding that variety.

J.F. Healey

Moshavi, Adina, Word Order in the Biblical Hebrew Finite Clause: A Syntactic and Pragmatic Analysis of Preposing (Linguistic Studies in Ancient West Semitic, 4; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2010), pp. xviii + 204. 16 tables. $42.50. ISBN 978-1-57506-191-7.

This worthwhile and creative study restricts itself not simply by focusing on the finite clause, as the title suggests, but in three other ways: (i) Genesis is the principal corpus; (ii) M. examines only ‘non-subordinate’ finite clauses; (iii) M. restricts attention to ‘preposed’ clauses—i.e., certain types of constituent (principally subject, object, or prepositional phrase) in the pre-verbal field—and their pragmatic significance. M.'s argument is that ‘the majority of preposed clauses can be classified as one of two syntactic-pragmatic constructions: focusing or topicalization’ (p. 2). M. reviews other explanations for preposing, including the vague ‘emphasis’ or ‘backgrounding’ or ‘temporal sequencing’, but prefers one rooted in information-structure. For M., focus is informational focus, ‘the part of the proposition expressed by the sentence that is assumed by the speaker/writer to be new, rather than given’ (p. 90). It relates to what the speaker assumes has recently been ‘activated’ in the consciousness of the addressee and may be of different types. A preposed constituent in Biblical Hebrew will often be the focus (e.g. Gen. 19.2). Another function of preposing is topicalization, which, in M.'s new conception, highlights a link between the preposed item and another item within the text. This link typically indicates opposition (e.g. Gen. 35.18) or similarity (e.g. Deut. 7.5). Questions for me include why and how 31 per cent of clauses with preposing do not fit, and M.'s analysis of what is basic word order.

J.E. Robson

Müller, Matthias, Akkadisch in Keilschrifttexten aus Ägypten. Deskriptive Gram-matik einer Interlanguage des späten zweiten vorchristlichen Jahrtausends anhand der Ramses-Briefe (AOAT, 373; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2010), pp. xxvi + 599. €96.00. ISBN 978-3-86835-037-1.

This book, the author's doctoral thesis prepared at the Egyptology department of the university of Göttingen, contains a grammar of Egyptian Akkadian in the Ramesside period (thirteenth century bce), based on texts found in the Hittite capital Hattusa and at Ras Shamra. The earlier Amarna (fourteenth-century) texts are excluded in order to give the grammar a coherent thirteenth-century Egyptian context, although it would have been interesting to see what changes Egyptian Akkadian underwent between the fourteenth and thirteenth centuries, and whether the changes are in line with the changes undergone by the Egyptian language itself during this period or whether they should be linked to other factors. Additionally, this step could have put the analysis on a wider text basis. Together with the majority of Egyptologists, M. argues that the authors of these texts are native Egyptian speaker rather than speakers of a Western Semitic language (as sometimes assumed among Assyriologists). The analysis is extremely thorough and shows that Egyptian Akkadian is an Egyptian-Akkadian ‘interlanguage’, that is, a form of Akkadian used by native speakers of Egyptian, which has fossilized into a system which is consistently used by Egyptian scribes. Egyptian scribes would therefore not have learned standard Akkadian but Egyptian Akkadian. A good example is the use of the construction of nadānu + ana + infinitive, which is common in Egyptian (and occasionally used in West Semitic languages) with the meaning ‘allow someone to do something’, instead of the Š-stem (causative) more common in standard Akkadian. Like most grammars this may not be the most exciting read, but it is full of valuable information and analysis.

J. Stökl

Putnam, Frederic Clarke, A New Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2010), pp. xx + 305. £22.50/$30.00/€25.00. ISBN 978-1-907534-04-1 (paperback edition).

One can immediately sense that there is something alternative about this introductory ‘New Grammar’, and may be curious to find out what it is and whether it works. The 31 tried-and-tested lessons are structured for practical pedagogy (students have been using pre-publication versions of the material), and include some short ‘buffer’ lectures on topics such as the Masora. Traditional methods of teaching the verbal stems are modified: the conjugations are arranged in the 1st-2nd-3rd person and explained in plain language without an over-emphasis on the standard qatal or pa-al paradigms. However, it is not necessary to use the grammar as a linear course-book. Users can benefit from a ‘teacher's voice’ and ‘blackboard’. For example, a pie chart shows the distribution of the stems in the Bible (67.4 per cent are qal), and words such as ‘sons’ (p. 15) or ‘book’ (p. 16) are discussed. The ‘Enrichments’ at the end of each chapter are particularly enjoyable mini-sections before moving onto the next unit. These brief ‘talks’ include looking at a bulla (p. 102), appreciating aural repetition in Hebrew poetry (p. 77), and a literary and grammatical analysis of 1 Sam. 3.1–9a (pp. 63–64). The style is lively and informative to stimulate an interest in the Bible and its language. The paperback edition is user-friendly to handle and to carry about. Those studying Biblical Hebrew alone who are interested in supplementing their material, students who like to consolidate their knowledge with a variety of learning tools, or lecturers looking for fresh ideas, would not regret purchasing this book.

H.R. Jacobus

Roth, Martha T. (ed.), The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of Chicago. XX. U and W (Chicago, IL: The Oriental Institute Chicago, 2011), pp. xxxii + 411. $150.00. ISBN 13: 978-1-885923-78-3, ISBN 10: 1-885923-78-3 (vol. 20); ISBN 10: 0-918986-05-2 (set).

The Assyrian Dictionary project began in 1921 and the first volume to appear (H) was edited by I.J. Gelb and published in 1956 (for a history of the project see vol. A. 1, pp. vii-xxiii). The long-awaited final volume (U and W) completes the set of 21 (comprising 26 books in all). Over the years, the volumes have become more expensive but correspondingly larger and more useful. I had to make a special bookcase to house them next to my desk. Whereas the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (also known as CAD) focuses on the Mesopotamian lexical tradition and cites texts extensively, its slimmer counterpart, W. von Soden's Akkadisches Handwörterbuch, I-III (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1965–1981) provides only minimal context but does suggest etymologies. An even shorter English version of this reference book is now available as J. Black, A. George and N. Postgate (eds.), A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2000, 2nd edn). With CAD complete, students of Semitic languages now have a choice of three reliable dictionaries for teaching and research.

W.G.E. Watson

Shead, Stephen L., Radical Frame Semantics and Biblical Hebrew: Exploring Lexical Semantics (Biblical Interpretation Series, 108; Leiden/Boston, MA: Brill, 2011), pp. xxviii + 378. 37 figures and 29 tables. €133.00/$182.00. ISBN 978-90-04-18839-6; ISSN 0928-0731.

This study, a revised version of S.'s doctoral thesis, is a welcome and impressive contribution to the interface between biblical studies and linguistic semantics, and will be of interest to those engaged in dialogue between the two. S. proposes a new model for analysing lexical semantics in BH, one which is informed by structural semantics, cognitive semantics and construction grammar. Part I provides a clear and concise overview of these three linguistic approaches, with treatments of S.'s primary influences: W. Croft's Radical Construction Grammar and C.J. Fillmore's Frame Semantics. In Part II, S. offers a brief constructive critique of the FrameNet project at Berkeley (a widely used online lexical database of English), followed by an outline of his own theoretical framework for lexical semantic analysis. The application of this framework to BH is explored in Part III, through a detailed analysis of terms for ‘exploring’ and ‘searching’ in BH, including exegetical notes on individual occurrences. This study was aided by S.'s prototype software package called ‘HebrewNet’, a Frame-based annotation of the MT, which, unlike FrameNet, is able to include metaphoric extensions and paradigmatic relations. S.'s comparison of his results with those found in a range of BH lexica convincingly demonstrates the contribution of a frame-semantic approach to the lexical semantic analysis of particular terms, and the need for biblical scholars to consider cognitive perspectives on meaning. Although the language is inevitably highly technical in places, this is an extremely thorough study which contains valuable insights into the complexities of BH semantics and lexicography.

A.R. Gray

Sweeney, Marvin A. (ed.), Hebrew Studies: A Journal Devoted to Hebrew Language and Literature, vol. 52 (University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI: National Association of Professors of Hebrew in American Institutions of Higher Learning, 2011), pp. 480. $50.00 p.a. ISSN 0146-4094.

For a review of this volume, see Section 1 above.

Taylor, Bernard A., with word definitions by J. Lust, E. Eynikel and K. Hauspie, Analytical Lexicon to the Septuagint: Expanded Edition (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson/Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2009), pp. xxx + 591. $44.95. ISBN 978-1-56563-516-6 (Hendrickson); 978-3-438-05136-3 (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft).

This is an expanded edition of T.'s 1994 The Analytical Guide to the Septuagint: A Complete Parsing Guide. As well as improvements enabled by the advances in computer software, and the incorporation of suggestions and corrections sent in by users of the earlier edition, the present volume now includes Greek word glosses, or definitions, from the Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint, revised edition (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2003), compiled by Johann Lust, Erik Eynikel and Katrin Hauspie. This welcome addition offers the convenience to the user of having the lexical form of each word, and its basic English meanings, above the parsed forms. These lexical forms are made easily visible in their bold type and the glosses are both literal and metaphorical. Proper nouns are also included and, as only these are capitalized, are easy to distinguish. Highly recommended as a useful resource for Septuagint scholars and students.

A. Thomas

Tropper, Josef and Juan-pablo Vita, Das Kanaano-Akkadische der Amarnazeit (Lehrbücher orientalischer Sprachen, Section I: Cuneiform Languages, 1; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2010), pp. 163. €28.00. ISBN 978-3-86835-023-4.

This textbook offers a concise introduction to the language of those Amarna letters (fourteenth century bce) that were sent by rulers of Canaanite cities. They ‘present an Akkadian that is permeated with elements of local Canaanite dialects, especially in the verbal system, use of particles and syntax, to the extent that one can speak of a mixed language, and thus the term Canaano-Akkadian has been adopted in the scholarly literature’ (back cover). This language is also attested in texts from Tell Ta'anach (fifteenth century bce) and from kamid el-Loz (letter KL 72:600). The book is structured into four sections. An introduction on the Amarna letters is followed by a presentation of the grammar of the Canaano-Akkadian. The third chapter contains a selection of five texts from Ashkelon (EA 320), Gezer (EA 271), Shechem (EA 254), Megiddo (EA 245) and Byblos (EA 74), providing transcription and analysis, as well as part translations, photos and drawings. The book is concluded by a glossary, lists of abbreviations and a bibliography. This book is an exemplary practical introduction of the highest scholarly quality that will prove indispensable for students of the Amarna letters. It is the first volume of a new series of textbooks conceived by the Ugarit-Verlag that promises to become an important resource for both ancient Near Eastern and biblical studies.

D. Markl SJ

Vogt, Ernst, SJ, A Lexicon of Biblical Aramaic, Clarified by Ancient Documents (trans. and rev. by J.A. Fitzmyer, SJ; Subsidia Biblica, 42; Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press, 2011), pp. 349. €25.00. ISBN 978-88-7653-655-7.

V.'s important contribution to Aramaic lexicography appeared in Latin in 1971. It is finally being put in a welcome English translation and revision by J.A. Fitzmyer. With new discoveries in the Aramaic of this period, an updating with parallel material is very much needed, and Fitzmyer is the one to do it. All in all, this is an important contribution that students and scholars alike will be grateful for. It is a shame, therefore, that it was printed in such a strange format. The format of V.'s original was much easier to use because of its size (larger but thinner) and two-column format. The single column here is really too wide for comfortable use, with so much technical material. But at least the type (both roman and Hebrew) is clear.

L.L. Grabbe