Preliminary Readings

General
  • R. Coggins, Introducing the Old Testament. (O.U.P., 1990)
  • S.E. Gillingham, One Bible, many voices: different approaches to biblical studies. (S.P.C.K., 1988)
  • J. Rogerson (ed.), Beginning Old Testament study. (S.P.C.K.,1983)
  • J. Rogerson and P.R. Davies, The Old Testament world (C.U.P., 1989)
  • J. Weingreen, Introduction to the critical study of the text of the Hebrew Bible. (O.U.P., 1982)
  • A. Saenz-Badillos, A History of the Hebrew Language. (C.U.P., 1993)
Biblical Hebrew Language

Teaching in the first term is based on:

  • J. Weingreen, A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew (2nd edition), 1979, London: Oxford University Press.

The more of this that can be mastered in advance, the easier the first few weeks of term will be. The following books will also be used:

Medieval Hebrew
  • de Lange, Nicholas. Atlas of the Jewish World, Oxford, 1984
  • de Lange, Nicholas (ed). An Illustrated History of the Jewish People, London: Aurum books, New York: Harcourt Brace, Tokoy:Key Porter Books, 1997
  • Yehoshua, A. B. A Journey to the End of the Millennium, tr. N. de Lange London, 1999.
  • Cole, P. The Dream of the Poem, Princeton, n.d.
Modern Hebrew
  • Alter, R. Modern Hebrew literature, Behrman House, New York, 1975
  • Ben-Sasson, H. H. (ed), A history of the Jewish people, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1976
  • Carmi, T. The Penguin book of Hebrew verse, Allen Lane, London, 1981
  • Eagleton, T. Literary theory : an introduction, Basil Blackwell, 1983
  • Halkin, S. Modern Hebrew literature, Schocken, New York, 1970
  • Katz, J. Exclusiveness & tolerance, Jewish-Gentile relations in medieval and modern times, Schocken, New York, 1962
  • Kutscher, E. Y. A History of the Hebrew language, Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1984
  • Marx, A. & Margolis, M. History of the Jewish people, Atheneum, New York, 1972
  • Shaked, G. Eight great Hebrew short novels, New American Library, New York, 1983
  • Steiner, G. After Babel, aspects of language and translation, Oxford University Press, 1992

Students are encouraged to read as many translated modern Hebrew works as possible, especially works by: A. Appelfeld, D. Grossman, A. Oz and A. B. Yehoshua.

Literature
  • B.W. Anderson, The living world of the Old Testament (Longman, 4th edn., 1988)
  • J. Barton, Reading the Old Testament (Darton, Longman and Todd, 1984)
  • R.E. Friedman, Who wrote the Bible? (Jonathan Cape, 1988)
  • J.H. Hayes, An Introduction to Old Testament study (SCM, 1982)
History
  • J.H. Hayes and J.M. Miller, Israelite and Judaean history (SCM, 1977)
  • H. Jagersma, A history of Israel in the Old Testament period (SCM, 1982)
  • K.M. Kenyon, revised by P.R.S. Moorey, The Bible and recent archaeology. (British Museum, 1987)
  • J.M. Miller and J.H. Hayes, A history of ancient Israel and Judah. (SCM, 1986)
  • H. Shanks (ed.), Ancient Israel. (S.P.C.K., 1989)