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This section of the site is still in development. For now only some language aids concerning Hebrew are available.

Hebrew Language Tools

Lexicons / Dictionaries

Brown, Francis, Edward Robinson, Samuel Rolles Driver, Wilhelm Gesenius, and Charles Augustus Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. 1906. Universally known to generations of biblical scholars simply as BDB, this monumental volume stands as the definitive classic lexicon for Classical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic. Based on the pioneering German scholarship of Wilhelm Gesenius and translated/expanded by Edward Robinson, the final 1906 edition represents a masterwork of trilateral cooperation by three giants of early 20th-century biblical philology. BDB organizes vocabulary strictly by root words rather than alphabetical order, forcing students to engage deeply with Semitic linguistics. With its exhaustive textual citations and comparative theological insights, it remains an irreplaceable, standard resource for advanced exegesis.

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Young, Robert. Hebrew and Chaldee Vocabulary, Consisting of Every Word in the Old Testament. 1871. Compiled by the famed author of Young's Analytical Concordance, this classic 19th-century reference serves as a comprehensive index to the original languages of the Old Testament. Designed for absolute thoroughness, it features every single Hebrew and "Chaldee" (Biblical Aramaic) word found in the biblical text, complete with concise English definitions and grammatical breakdowns. It remains an invaluable tool for students and scholars tracking word frequencies, roots, and linguistic patterns in classical biblical philology.

Grammar

Gesenius, Wilhelm, Emil Kautzsch, and Arthur Ernest Cowley. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar. 1910. Widely regarded as the high-water mark of traditional biblical philology, this monumental work remains the definitive reference grammar for Classical Hebrew. Originally authored by pioneering linguist Wilhelm Gesenius, this 1910 English edition represents decades of thorough refinement by Emil Kautzsch and translator Arthur Cowley. It offers unparalleled depth in its treatment of Hebrew phonology, morphology, and syntax, complete with exhaustive textual cross-references. An indispensable classic, GKC continues to be a core foundation for advanced students, translators, and researchers navigating the mechanics of the Old Testament text.

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Wilson, Robert Dick. Hebrew Grammar for Beginners. 1908. Authored by the legendary Princeton Theological Seminary defender of Old Testament reliability, this introductory textbook was designed to make the initial stages of Hebrew acquisition as systematic as possible. Moving away from overly complex comparative linguistics, Wilson focuses strictly on the essential paradigms, rules, and vocabulary needed to read the biblical text quickly. It is an excellent historical resource for students seeking a straightforward, classic approach to grammar before tackling massive works like Gesenius.

Deutsch, Solomon. A New Practical Hebrew Grammar with Hebrew–English and English–Hebrew Exercises and a Hebrew Chrestomathy. 1868. This innovative 19th-century textbook stands out for its early adoption of a highly functional, inductive method for teaching Classical Hebrew. Rather than burying beginners under immediate walls of dense theory, Deutsch relies heavily on translation exercises and a chrestomathy—a curated collection of progressive reading passages chosen from the Old Testament text. It serves as a fascinating historical milestone in biblical language pedagogy, perfect for researchers analyzing how Hebrew instruction shifted from rigid memorization to active reading comprehension.

Hurwitz, Hyman. A Grammar for the Hebrew Language. 1835. Written by University College London’s first professor of Hebrew—and the first Jewish professor at a non-sectarian English university—this work is a vital piece of 19th-century philological history. Hurwitz brings a distinct perspective to the study of the language, blending traditional Jewish grammatical insights with the systematic methodology required by the British academic landscape of his era. Clear, philosophically grounded, and thoroughly structured, this grammar serves as both a functional textbook for Classical Hebrew and an important historical marker of Jewish scholarship entering the mainstream Western academy.