An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

In their preface, Waltke and O'Connor describe their work as an intermediate grammar to be employed between basic grammatical studies and more advanced research literature. The reference nature of this volume is exhibited in its logical and topical arrangement. The introductory section deals with matters of history (of the language, the Hebrew Scriptures, the study of Hebrew), linguistics, and grammatical units. The second section of the volume covers Hebrew nouns; the third considers adjectives, numerals, and pronouns; the fourth delves into classical Hebrew's verbal stems; and, the final section describes the usage of verbal conjugations and clauses. The glossary of grammatical terms, classified bibliography, and indexes enhance the volume and enable the teacher and student to maximize its use. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (IBHS) provides the students of biblical Hebrew with the most up to date and scholarly grammar written in the English language. The authors make it clear that their volume does not replace other reference grammars. Their reasoning is both honest and accurate-IBHS is not exhaustive either in treating exceptions or even in covering all matters of syntax and grammar. This grammar, however, is so well written that we can only hope that Waltke and O'Connor will see fit to complete this magnificent offering in a second volume that would treat the remaining elements of Hebrew syntax with the same excellence manifested in this work. All other reference biblical Hebrew grammars for English language readers have been written first in another language and then translated into English. The only exhaustive reference grammar for biblical Hebrew available in the English language is the old classic, Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (Oxford University Press, 1910), edited in the original German by Emil Kautzsch and in the English translation by A. E. Cowley. It is woefully out of date, however, being nearly one hundred years old. More recently, Paul Joüon's A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew was translated from French and revised by T. Muraoka (Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1996). It is more up to date, but lacks the exhaustiveness of the older grammar by Gesenius-Kautzsch-Cowley.

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