A Cumulative Index to the Grammar and Syntax of Biblical Hebrew

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Mar 1999 by Lineberry, Loren

A Cumulative Index to the Grammar and Syntax of Biblical Hebrew. By Frederic Clarke Putnam. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1996, 338 pp., $24.50. The Index compiles and collates Scripture citations from 14 reference works on the grammar and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Seven English works and seven German works are referenced.

The English works include Davidson's Hebrew Syntax, Gibson's Davidson's Introductory Hebrew Grammar-Syntax, Kautzsch's Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar, Waltke and O'Connor's Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, Jouon's Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, Rosenthal's Grammar of Biblical Aramaic and Williams' Hebrew Syntax.

The German works include Bauer and Leander's Historische Grammatik der hebraischen Sprache des Alten Testamentes, Beer's Hebrdische Grammatik, Brockelmann's Hebraische Syntax, Richter's Grundlagen einer althebreischen Grammatik, Jenni's Lehrbuch der hebriischen Sprache des Alten Testaments and Schneider's Grammatik des biblischen Hebriisch: Lehrbuch.

The Index follows the order of Biblical books in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Scripture references from English works are cited first, then German. The style of citation in the Index matches that of the work being cited. References to more than one verse are listed in ascending order. A key to the abbreviations for works cited is located at the bottom of each page of the Index. This is a feature I found especially userfriendly. A potential weakness, acknowledged by the author, is errors and omissions in citations.

The value of this tool is apparent. The seminary student working through an exegesis of an OT passage will find the Index a thorough and timesaving tool. The pastor who wishes to make use of his Hebrew in an efficient manner will find the Index very helpful.

Loren Lineberry Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL