I teach Biblical Hebrew at Reformed Theological Seminary. Usually, after the completion of Introduction to Biblical Hebrew course, that is when I’m asked this question: how can I keep up my language skills and not forget everything? If I received a nickel every time I was asked this question, I would have enough money to….OK, the truth is that I don’t think I could buy much, but it is still a common question that I’m asked. It is understandable. After all, students have just spent almost a year of their lives studying a dead language (yes, Biblical Hebrew is not the same as Modern Hebrew). It would be a shame to forget everything after spending all that time memorizing vocab and paradigms, only to have it dissipate into the lostness of forgotten thoughts! I’m sure students of Biblical Greek ask the same question after completing their study of Greek.
Well, there is no real trick to keeping up with the biblical languages. Like any other skill in life, you need to practice, practice, practice (my homage to Allen Iverson). There are no gimmicks here—no short-cuts, no magical incantations, no secret steps. Simply put, the way to grow in your understanding of the biblical languages is to keep using them. What I provide below, therefore, are just suggested ways for you to continue practicing the use of the original languages. For the sake of this discussion, I will focus my comments on Hebrew (for obvious reasons).
One thing that I do want to address is the common misconception that one should retake Intro Hebrew again. While this will not hurt, I don’t think it is the most productive use of your time. You probably do not need to review everything, just a few select areas that may differ from person to person. The way to know where to focus is to start reading the Hebrew Bible and see what you remember (or not remember). If you cannot remember something as foundational as the alphabet, then maybe a refresher course in Intro Hebrew is not a bad a idea. Even then, however, you still have concepts that are locked away in your memory that you only need to joggle. Sometimes, learning a language is like learning to ride a bike. You just need to remind yourself of what you once learned.
Having said that, here are twelve ways for you to continue practicing Hebrew:
1 – Read regularly: As I mentioned, there is no substitute to good ole fashion practice. So, start reading Hebrew again. Do so regularly and determine what “regular” means for you. Maybe “regular” for you is daily. Perhaps for others, it is every other day. Regardless of your plan, be sure to have one and stick with it as consistently as you can. I studied Syriac with a man who read a little bit of Syriac every day for decades! Believe me, it showed in his knowledge of the language and of ancient Syriac texts.
2 – Have reasonable expectations: Some will be able to just sit down and work through large sections of the Hebrew Bible for hours. For others, all they can manage is a few verses or 20 minutes a day. Know your limits and establish reasonable expectations. Even an annual plan is a good idea. For example, maybe for the year 2024, the goal is to read Genesis 1-11 in Hebrew, or possibly Genesis 1-3. Again, set reasonable goals.
3 – Read Hebrew out loud: I’m a firm believer in reading Hebrew out loud. I don’t have a scientific or learning theory behind this. My general experience has been that those who can read well out loud learn better. When you are working through Hebrew texts, read it out loud. It really helps!
4 – Redo the translation sections in your Intro grammar: Every Intro grammar has practice exercises at the end of each lesson. Go back and redo some of them. You obviously do not need to begin at the beginning. Rather, you can select which chapters you would like to redo. This is helpful because you did these exercises before. For that reason, they should seem familiar. This also allows you to review relevant linguistic concepts without going over the entire grammar.
5 – Read another Intro grammar: Your initial intro grammar will serve as a reference work for you as you continue to practice your Hebrew. It might be helpful to read another intro grammar. It will be familiar since basic Hebrew will be the same in any introductory grammar, so that is encouraging. Plus, it gives you a fresh set of exercises to translate.
6 – Published Workbooks: There are published workbooks that give a basic overview of Hebrew as well as additional exercises to translate. Nothing replaces reading the actual Hebrew Bible, but this is nice place to review in the safe confines of a workbook. One to consider is Basics of Biblical Hebrew Workbook by Gary Practico and Miles Van Pelt.
7 – Use Online Resources: I use the “Daily Dose of Greek” on youtube to help with Greek. I know they have one for Hebrew. They are short 2-3 minute clips going over one verse. That is nice and very helpful. Other resources to consider are Hebrew Scripture songs that you can find on the internet.
8 – Prep Sunday Sermon Texts: If you attend a church where your pastor preaches through books of the Bible, prepare the sermon text during the week before the Lord’s Day worship. Then, follow along with the sermon in the original text. Usually, you can predict what the next passage is going to be, even if you are not told ahead of time. This allows you to focus on a very relevant passage that you can use for your own personal devotions as you meditate on the sermon throughout the week and as you prepare for the upcoming Sunday.
9 – Write More Exegetical Papers: If you are still in seminary, then write exegetical papers as your required term paper. This gives you an entire semester to focus on a specific passage. This will involve a lot more work than translation and exegesis, but that will definitely be included. Talk about this with your classmates. If you are writing on one passage, chances are one of your classmates are writing on something else. Exchange papers and read what your fellow classmates are saying.
10 – Find others to read Hebrew with you: If you are eager to keep up your Hebrew, there are definitely others who share your goals. Find them. Perhaps, at the end of your Intro Hebrew class, you may share your desire to continue practicing Hebrew. Set a time where you guys can meet. Talk to your professor on recommended texts to read. On that note…
11 – Take Language Reading Courses: Talk to your professor and ask if the seminary can offer a Hebrew Reading course. Seminaries will often offer a course where they will simply read through sections of the Bible. I have offered a reading course where we just read and translated large sections of Exodus, Chronicles, etc.
12 – Retake Seminary Classes and use Hebrew/Greek Bibles: If you are a seminary graduate, you can retake classes (most likely, you can do this for free). When you do, bring your original Hebrew Bible with you and follow along as best as you can in the Hebrew. Even if you can’t keep up, you know the significant passages in any given class and you can work through them on your own free time. If you are still a student, then retake the class with the same goal. The nice thing about this is you don’t need to do any of the assignments. Your goal is very narrow and precise!
Well, that’s about it. I’m sure there are other ideas. But remember, practice makes perfect! Enjoy!
Redeeming Chillingworth 