In this course we will study the structure of meaning of Biblical Hebrew from a cognitive linguistic perspective. We will analyze the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament and look for the semantic structure behind the individual words. Rather than basing ourselves on existing dictionaries, which are strongly influenced by philology and etymology, we will let the Biblical text speak for itself wherever possible, and look for semantic patterns among the linguistic elements. We will study the difference between lexical meanings and contextual meanings and assign semantic domains to them. We will discover together how a study of Biblical Hebrew poetry helps us reconstruct the different cognitive frames and categories that must have existed in the minds of the speakers of the language. We will study Hebrew metaphors and discover how different semantic domains can be mapped onto one another. Finally, we will discover how the semantic structure of the language can be used to establish the meaning of words in cases where the context provides insufficient handles for doing that.

COURSE GOALS:
Students will learn how to do a structural semantic analysis of Hebrew key terms, using contemporary linguistic methods and rely less on traditional dictionaries that are often built on a defective lexical analysis. This new methodology should lead to better insights in the meaning of these terms and how they related to the worldview of the ancient Hebrew speakers. Students will also learn to work with new software that is currently being developed and helps facilitate research of the Hebrew Bible.

Credits: 3

Instructor: Dr. Reinier de Blois

This course will explore the Land of the Bible: its geography, history, cultural settings, archeology and the nature of the land. Special emphasis will be given to the annual seasons in the nature, especially the insights gained from it regarding the Biblical feasts.  Weekly lectures and field trips will illuminate the extra-textual information in the Bible, providing greater insights to understanding the context of the Biblical text.  The 15 fieldtrips throughout the land with Hebrew Bible in hand will elucidate the texts and enable to understand the text more clearly and translate it more accurately.

Credits: 6

Instructors: Bob Carter, Dr. Halvor Ronning, Ronit Maoz, and other academic guides and visiting lecturers.

In this course, students will learn how to analyze the ways in which Biblical Hebrew narrative texts are structured. It's not just what is said – it’s how it is said that matters! We will concentrate on participant reference, the verb system, default and marked word order, as well as the effect of text structure on non-chronological arrangement and paragraph division. We will compare narrative with dialogue and other genres, such as found in prophetic texts. Longer stretches of narrative texts, like the Samson and Balaam narratives, will be among the texts studied during the course. Participants will learn more about how they can help teams to translate biblical texts while fully respecting what is expressed by the discourse features in the Hebrew text. We will analyze, then, how Biblical Hebrew texts, in particular narrative texts, are given structure by linguistic means (the verb system, participant reference, word order patterns) and how these features make a text coherent. But we will also look at texts from a literary perspective, exploring time, point of view and the buildup of plot in them. Translation consultants will especially benefit from the course. While we go through the modules we will reflect on how we might be able to (help translators to) express the functions of all these features in the target language when we translate.

COURSE GOALS:
Participants will be able to analyze a range of linguistic and literary features in Biblical Hebrew texts in terms of their contribution to the coherence of the text. They will be able to reflect on the implications for translating biblical texts into target languages which are different from Hebrew. They will be familiar with recent developments in Hebrew discourse studies. Translation consultants will be equipped to apply this knowledge in their work with translation teams.

Credits: 3

Instructor: Dr. Lénart de Regt

This is a practical course. It aims to give students an increasing appreciation of how Hebrew poetry works and to help them develop their skills in unfolding the layers of meaning embedded in the artistry of many Biblical poems. We will study multiple poems – in context and in Hebrew! These poems have been selected because they are variously interpreted, and we will discuss which interpretation is most likely. We will ask whether poetic structures and devices point to significant meaning connections in the poem. We will explore the Biblical world of the poets and their original audiences as well as other kinds of context. Classes will demonstrate how to analyze and synthesize a wide variety of biblical poems and students will practice applying these principles and procedures to assigned Hebrew poems

Credits: 3

Instructors: Murray Salisbury

Total Cost: $7,500*

Includes:

• Registration fees
• Study fees
• Hebrew University fees
• Hebrew University Health insurance
• Room and board for four months
• Online Biblical Hebrew class (October 2025-January 2026)
• All study trip expenses, including travel, overnight accommodations, and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites

Not included: Airfare and personal expenses
Recommended personal spending: At least $100 per month

Scholarships may be available from JCBT. These are granted based on availability of funds and on meeting qualifying requirements.

To apply or inquire about a possible scholarship, contact JCBT at office@bibletranslators.org after acceptance and provide the following:

• A short description of the project you are involved in and how this study program may benefit your work
• A description of your financial situation
• Please note: One requirement for receiving a scholarship is successfully completing Level 1 of the Biblical Hebrew Ulpan