Download The Study Guide (Members)
Our goal in this first lesson is to teach you to read a specific verse in the Hebrew Bible. This course was designed with the idea that you will listen to the audio lesson while following along with the companion PDF study guide. This way you can reap the full benefits of both listening with your ears while reading with your eyes. The more senses the better when it comes to learning a foreign language. We will identify the verse we are studying near the end of the lesson. For now, let’s concentrate on getting to know the individual letters and words that make up the verse—starting with the first letter of the first word.
Check Back Each Week for A Brand New Lesson! Also be sure to invite family and friends to hop on board before next weeks lesson!
Please give us some feedback on this Biblical Hebrew Audio Course in the comment section.
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November 16, 2022 at 10:24 am /
I was wondering how you knew the root word of vayehi was hayah? With the yod, heh, yod I don’t understand the root being hey, yod, hey? Can you please expaln to me so I will have this process of root words under my belt as I learn. Thank you so much. Enjoying the lessons.
September 18, 2022 at 11:35 pm /
For those of us who have a hard time with the Hebrew to start with, there is a simple alpha-bet book from Amazon called “Learn to Read Hebrew in 6 Weeks! (Hebrew for Beginners)”. It goes through the simplest letters and vowels and gives you words and shapes to recognize them. I was excited that by the end of the third lesson to be able to read Deuteronomy 6:4 even though they substituted adonai for YeHoVaH.
Sheh-Mah Yees-Rah-el YeHoVaH Eh-Loh-Heh-Noo YeHoVaH eh-CHahD
Hear o Israel. YeHoVaH your God, YeHoVaH is one.
If you get it in Kindle, it is interactive, so you can click on the letter or word and hear it spoken,
August 20, 2022 at 5:41 pm /
Thank you Keith. I’m sure you put great effort into this project. I have often thought I would like to learn Biblical Hebrew and/or modern day Hebrew so I might understand scriptures better and/or feel a little more comfortable if I ever manage to get to Israel.
But TRUTH of the matter is, at age 70 with failing eyes from diabetes, could not get font large enough to read comfortably. Plus, it is extremely difficult when fonts are gray or lighter colors on white. We seniors often have difficulty with eyesight, and many site owners don’t realize this. I LOVE flavored oatmeal, but I HATE their packaging because they get “colorful,” and print the preparation directions in a color on the tan paper that make it extremely difficult to read. LOL
That said, I managed to copy and paste the lesson into an Open Office Document and increased the font to where I could comfortably read. But you talk so fast that I continually got lost on where you were at in the lesson. You don’t follow line by line so what we are reading is NOT what you are saying. It was too much, too quickly, and going back and forth pausing the audio which I couldn’t seem to back up a couple minutes and listen to that portion all over again, became too overwhelming.
Guess I’m just too old to grasp what you were teaching. I’ll just have to continue comparing translations and versions in E-Sword, and reading definitions as provided by Professor James Strong.
BTW, that “may” be something Nehemia and you might like to consider for a project, (as if you didn’t have enough on your plates, LOL,) but make an updated Hebrew Concordance.
April 24, 2022 at 11:25 pm /
Just a comment, not a critique. In the Biblical Hebrew lessons I have taken, Van Pelt, Ross, Barrick, and others, the vowel’s name give indication of how they are pronounced. Most grammars I have used give the sound for patach as the ‘a’ in bad. They give the sound of the vocal shəva as “uh”. I understand that Hebrew has several dialects.
June 17, 2022 at 8:23 am /
Gordon,
You are correct sir. I think you will find that our approach attempts to “simplify” the process of learning to read Hebrew. When it comes to pronunciation there is quite a bit of variety out there. Thanks for checking this out!
September 7, 2021 at 9:30 pm /
I’m so excited to finally try this course. I listened to your instructions, downloaded the pdf file of section 1 (printed) and audio course so I can pause and rewind, then read section 1 again. It makes sense. I like CB, makes this course a little light humored.
As for those asking which Hebrew Bible to purchase, Keith’s site suggests purchasing The Israel Bible, you can click on Readers Of The Book Club for the link. It has a white and blue cover with the star of David on the top left corner, and people on the bottom. English/Hebrew Edition. I hope this helps.
September 18, 2022 at 10:25 pm /
Thanks for the Israel Bible suggestion. I’ve been wanting a Hebrew Bible. I have “The Scriptures” which is an Institute for Scripture Research publication, and it seems to be decent so far in English. It uses the Hebrew words for Yehovah and Yeshua.
I’ve heard much about the JPS so will be delighted to get one with the Hebrew as interlinear. I can hardly wait for it to arrive from Amazon. It’s on sale right now, and hopefully will staty that way for some time.
June 3, 2020 at 6:44 pm /
I have a question about the vowel tsere. Keith said that this vowel is pronounced the same as segol which would be “eh” as get. However, if I look in any concordance, lexicon, or Hebrew dictionary, they say it’s pronounced as an “ay” as in play. Can someone help me out on this? Thank you.
April 30, 2022 at 9:19 am /
There is a difference in the way Hebrew words, letters, and vowels are pronounced. This depends on dialect a lot. For example: Ashkenazi’s would say Shabbos while Sephardi’s would say Shabbat. There is also no recordings of how ancient Israelites spoke the language. There are educated guesses. Modern Hebrew is pronounced differently.
April 28, 2020 at 10:23 am /
What is the best Hebrew Bible to buy?
Thank you for all that you are doing.
July 7, 2021 at 12:18 pm /
What Hebrew Bible should I get and where to purchase.
April 24, 2022 at 11:27 pm /
I bought the Reader’s Hebrew Bible for myself.
September 18, 2022 at 10:30 pm /
Ana Goings suggested “The Israel Bible” which is Hebrew along with JPS English translation which Keith is using. It is on sale currently on Amazon.
March 19, 2020 at 1:59 pm /
Thanks Keith for continuing to offer this course. I have learned a good bit of Hebrew already but I am not familiar with the technical terms or much of the grammar so this is a perfect fit for me I already know the vocabulary but I’m still learning a lot I’m very glad this is not a beginning beginning course
December 30, 2019 at 2:06 am /
Is there a lower level than 1 , I am so overwhelmed after listening to the first clip. I truly want to learn
September 9, 2019 at 7:44 pm /
I’m sure this is petty, but I really wish the downloads didn’t have a big black banner at the top that uses up a ton of ink… is there any way to have them without the big black banner?
April 13, 2019 at 9:43 pm /
This is awesome I am going to enjoy this journey!
January 21, 2019 at 3:13 am /
I really don’t mean any disrespect, it appears that a lot of effort was put into this series. However, it just feels very chaotic, like I’ve been thrown overboard and swallowed by Jonah’s whale. Picking a verse in the middle of the bible and using that to start teaching us random parts of the language just doesn’t feel like a very logical progression.
I was really hoping this would start out with covering the entire aleph-bet, build up to 3 letter roots, verb tenses, sentence structure, etc, in a methodical precept-by-precept manner.
Having to listen to audio clips, pause, read a PDF, return to audio, get interrupted by the Siri wannabe, return to reading, rinse-and-repeat, is very jarring and breaks up the ability to focus on the learning.
This would have been much better as a video tutorial where we could see the letters, vowel points, and words highlighted before our eyes at the same time that they are being spoken aloud. It’s too hard to sync the spoken audio in our heads with what is written on the paper the way this course is presented.
I hope my critique is taken as constructive criticism and not as an attack. I love your teachings, but this course is just not working for me. On a side note, I just finished your Time Will Tell series and that was absolutely fantastic! Thank you.
January 18, 2019 at 6:10 am /
Pastor Keith!
U r an amzng prsn! Its grt tht u’d cme 2 thnk of ths stuff… Metsuyan!
July 27, 2018 at 11:38 am /
I am lost and overwhelmed. I really want to learn Hebrew, but your audio course seem advance for beginners. You are talking but it does not match the downloaded text. I just I need pictures with the explanation or an image so I can follow alone in the text.
March 3, 2018 at 6:57 pm /
Keith, why doesn’t any ANCIENT TORAH SCROLL have the Masoretic Point Vowel System? If Moses didn’t use them in his writings means he must’ve had another system… a system requiring nothing else to be added.
I am aware of such system and strongly doubt you not being aware of it, you know Ah, Ba, Ga, Da, Ha etc. etc.
June 17, 2017 at 11:29 pm /
Hi brother Keith
7 years later and Im back for more study. I would like to learn hebrew so I can read the book Yeshua did ☺ It has become a fill circle. Praise Yehovah!!
How do I download the soundfiles?
Shalom
August 11, 2015 at 2:44 am /
I must say Sir Keith Johnson, this is COOL! I’m just a young bro trying to know and understand the scripture in its original context and language, I hit the internet and I find you. I believe its God timed. I’m grateful for what you are doing. God bless You. I hope to be a Pastor like You someday. thanks
June 13, 2015 at 10:16 am /
Well, I must say I have been looking into many learn Hebrew courses, and then I find, in my email, a suggestion to come and look at what you have here. Pleasantly pleased, to say the least. I do appreciate the course, now must merely find a good Hebrew Bible to purchase, so I may practice, and so it may encourage me in my reading of the text. I feel it could be a long long time before I am competent in the Hebrew language, however, I do have time — and my Torah is coming — and I am beginning a deeper understanding of TETRAGRAMMATON
May 31, 2015 at 4:48 pm /
I am currently taking a beginning Biblical Hebrew course from eteacher on-line with a Jewish Professor in Jerusalem and really enjoy it. Started in March. We’ve covered the material in your first lesson but I’m finding it beneficial to have the reenforcement and I thoroughly enjoy your method and style of teaching. Keep at it and thank you for the time and effort it takes to accomplish such a task. Question, is there a website where you can search a word in Hebrew text to find the meaning in English? I can read scripture in Hebrew (kasat) but do not know the meaning, yet, of many of the words.
May 30, 2015 at 4:14 pm /
Thank you Keith for this first lesson. Very timely for me. I just dropped an on line course because it was so confusing and was praying on what direction to go. And here you come! I suggest that at the end of the lesson there be a list of vowels consonants just learned. I had to print out PDF from computer and then listen on iPad. My machines would not allow switching back and forth. This worked great for me and I am anxious for next lesson.
May 30, 2015 at 2:06 pm /
Excited and thankful for this course Keith! Even though I have a good grasp on the Hebrew aleph-bet and have the ability to read the text, I appreciate the review of the basics. You do a great job of walking through the lesson and clarifying in the audio what is laid out in the PDF. I am also super thankful for the beginning grammar elements as that is where I need to delve deeper to gain a better understanding of how the language works so I can move from sounding out and identifying words to actually being able to interpret and understand them. Looking forward to the next lesson and future levels! May Yehovah Bless You!
May 29, 2015 at 5:03 pm /
HalleluYAH!!!
Our Father, Yehovah, all praise, honor, and glory belong to YOU, alone — grateful praise to you, Yehovah, who never changes, who remains the same yesterday, today , and tomorrow; who makes a way in the wilderness, a way when there seems to be “no way!”. With a full heart and eyes overflowing with gratitude, I offer up praise to You, Father, for answering my prayers and for granting the growing desire of my heart to learn Hebrew so that I can read Your Holy Word myself. Thank You for Your provision — of this course to us; Your provision for the needs of BFA; for providing Your servant Nehemia Gordon — “the Hebrew Scholar”, at just the right time, and for moving his heart to teach Hebrew to Keith; for Keith, who desires to obey Your voice and serve You faithfully; for clear, straight-forward teaching that brought many of us to this point [VIA “Torah Pearls, with Nehemia, Keith, & Jono”, & “Prophet Pearls”, with Nehemia & Keith”, & teachings on their websites; and for orchestrating everything to be “right on time” according to your clock — all this without breaking a sweat or wringing Your hands–because You, YAH, are The Mighty God who see to it! In confidence I believe that many others are offering up this same prayer of praise and gratitude, and saying “Amen” to your faithfulness & provision. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, its words will I hide in my heart that I may not sin against You, Yehovah, my Father. This verse has a new, fervency, an added dimension because of the door that opens when we can study your Word in Hebrew. HalleluYAH! Please, bless Keith & Nehemia “exceedingly, abundantly, above all they could hope or imagine”. You are the Source. It is my desire that we will be faithful stewards as we use the resources You give us to study, learn, & apply this Hebrew language course. Thank You!Thank You! Thank You! In Your Holy Name, AMEN!
Keith, thank you for stepping-up to teach us & for stepping-out in faith, on our behalf, to provide this in a way that is accessible to any who desire to learn Hebrew. I am weeping in hope that some day I will be able to pray my own heart prayers in Hebrew to Yehovah. I know that He hears & answers my “AmeriEnglish” prayers, & yet my heart longs to communicate in Hebrew with Yehovah, my Father. May YAH bless you AMAZINGLY! and may He put HIS fingerprints ALL OVER IT! SO everyone can see that “Our God is Mighty! Awesome in Power! Yehovah’s higher than any other!”
June 7, 2015 at 10:58 pm /
That go double for me Wow Connie I couldn’t have said it better! Praise be to Yehovah!
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