Are the Hebrew lexicons in Essentials sufficient ?

[TheBard]

Hi all, I'm hoping you can help me out here.

 

Here is a little background for context. I am a seminary student, but likely won't be studying Hebrew in the foreseeable future. I have a basic understanding of Greek (haven't taken classes) but have become familiar with and own in paper copies (plan to buy in Accordance) of BDAG, Louw-Nida and NIDNTT-A. 

 

I am seriously considering upgrading from Bible Study -> Essentials and adding on the Mounce Complete Exegetical NT/OT Dictionary.

 

My uses: I would like to be able to study Hebrew words more in depth. Seeing various ways the words are used and maybe understand a little bit of how the words were used throughout history and in contemporary usage. I wouldn't plan to use these for seminary papers since my time at seminary is coming to an end soon. But I could see myself leading exegetical bible studies in the future and doing in-depth personal studies from time to time.

 

Basically I'm wondering how well these resources in Essentials would fill the need? I thought maybe just having the concise HALOT would do a lot and would be a good start, but strangely Accordance doesn't have this.  Also, it seems like BDB Abridged (is this a really old one? Accordance has a publication date of 1907?), Genni-Westermann and Concise Dictionary of Classical Hebrew are the most useful ones in the package.Take these along with the Mounce Complete and Kolenberger/Mounce Concise and there are quite a few resources. Maybe someone could also help inform me on in what situations would each of these come in handy, if at all? But I don't know how well this would fill my needs. Is there any major holes in these resources?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited May 8, 2016 by TheBard

[Brian K. Mitchell]

Greetings TheBard,

 

My uses: I would like to be able to study Hebrew words more in depth. 

 

 

I think you would probably benefit most from getting the Original Language collection, which has the same Hebrew lexicons/dictionaries that the Essentials has and then cherry picking other resources you want. 

[Daniel Francis]

I think you will want more but do not think you need to go as high as the Original languages package...

 

Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament

 

Is ok and draws heavily from my main recommendation below:

 

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 

 

 

Here is an example of basic compared to the other two:

 

 

GK H8040 | S H7225   רֵאשִׁית   rēʾšiyṯ   51x

n.f. [8031]. what is first; beginning. → beginning; firstfruits.

☞  NIV | ESV | HCSB | NRSV | JPS | NKJV | KJV

 

Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament, s.v. “ר,” n.p.

 

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7225. רֵאשִׁית rēʾšiyt: A noun meaning the beginning, the first, the chief, the best, the firstfruits. Occurring fifty-one times in the Old Testament, this term holds the honor of being the first word written in the entire Bible (Gen. 1:1). Often, the term denotes the point in time or space at which something started, except when it specifies the point when time and space themselves were started (Isa. 46:10). It conveys the beginning of strife (Prov. 17:14); of a ruler’s reign (Jer. 26:1, 27:1; 28:1; 49:34); of a sin (Mic. 1:13); of a kingdom (Gen. 10:10); or of wisdom and knowledge (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7). On other occasions, the term signifies the highest of anything, i.e., the best or most excellent, such as the choicest parts of offerings (1 Sam. 2:29); the best of the spoil (1 Sam. 15:21); or the finest in oils (Amos 6:6). Elsewhere, the word designates the earliest or first products or results of something. It refers many times to the first products of a harvest (Lev. 23:10; Deut. 18:4; Neh. 12:44); and sometimes to the first product, i.e., the firstborn of a father (Gen. 49:3; Deut. 21:17). Both this term and the noun rōʾš (7218) are derived from the same unused verbal root.

 

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, s.v. “ר,” 1027.

 

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2097e † רֵאשִׁית (rēʾshı̂t) first, beginning, best.

 

2097f מְרַאֲשׁוֹת (mᵉraʾăshôt) place at the head, head place (e.g. Gen 28:11, 18; 1 Sam 19:13, 16).

 

The primary meaning of this root is “head.” It is common to all Semitic languages and appears in its root forms and derivatives nearly 750 times. It is used for the “head” as part of the body (Gen 3:15) and by extension for the notion of “chief ‘ of a family (Ex 6:14), as “chief officer” of the divisions of Israel (18:25) and the like. The unique Hebraic character of this usage is clear in the OT as the root is rarely applied to chiefs of Gentile nations. It is used also for the top or summit of a geographical feature such as a mountain or hill (17:9) and the upper part of a building or architectural feature (Gen 11:4; 2 Chr 3:15) and as a personification for such features (Ps 24:7, 9). The root was utilized in many colloquial expressions for plant names (Job 10:4) parts or portions of things (Gen 2:10) and terms for artifacts. In this last category is the usage of the root for both “head stone” (Zech 4:7) and “chief corner stone” (Ps 118:22). This passage and usage are carried over into the NT and quoted by Jesus concerning his being rejected by the Jews (Mt 21:42; Lk 20:17; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:7). The root is widely used in the OT with other terms in the sense of the superlative, since Hebrew does not have any simple form to express the third degree. There are many examples of this usage (Ex 30:23) where the meaning is “best,” “foremost,” the uniquely finest, which alone was fit for the service of God. This theological meaning is carried over to the officers of the temple (2 Kgs 25:18) and the best musicians (Neh 11:17). In most of the versions there are divergencies in the translation of רֹאשׁ‎ when it is used in the sense of “chief” as for example (Num 31:26) and many similar passages KJV reads “chief,” NIV and RSV read “head” but none are completely consistent. The root appears in many passages in the sense of “sum” or “total” (Prov 8:26) RSV “first” with a footnote which cities the difficulty of the Hebrew. The KJV consistently reads “total,” “sum” in passages dealing with the census of Israel (Ex 30:12; Num 1:2 etc.) and the Aramaic form appears in the unusual sense of the “sum” or “substance” of a dream (Dan. 7:1). Although many of the usages of the root can be traced back to Akkadian and ultimately to Sumerian, the reliance on the nation’s “head” as a high officer or chosen personage is developed in Hebrew to much greater degree than the other languages. The theological use of the root to designate divinely appointed offices in the OT is carried over into the NT in such terms as “head of the church” (Eph 5:23), a title ascribed to Christ.

 

‏רִאשׁוֹן‎. First, primary (ordinal number). This adjective, a derivative of the same root as ‏רֹאשׁ‎ (q.v.), is cognate to Akkadian rēštu. The word occurs over 180 times in the OT in a very wide variety of connotations and contexts. it is used in three distinct senses and a number of special constructions. The overwhelming number of occurrences are best translated “former,” “first” of two, of time (Gen 25:25); “previous” (Num 21:26); “former men,” “the patriarchs” (Deut 19:14); “former times,” “former events” (Isa 41:22). The next most common usage is in the sense of “first,” as in “first” of mankind (Job 15:7); “first” day of a ritual (Deut 16:4); “first” to fall in battle (1 Sam 14:14); “first” as “briefest” (Ezr 9:6). The third most common usage is in the sense of “before,” “formerly” in time (Gen 28:19; Deut 13:10). There are other more specialized usages, “first in command” (2 Kgs 20:17); “set out first” (Num 10:14); “to preparefirst” (1 Kgs 18:25). Since the Hebrew orthography at least in later days admitted no easy numerical notation, all ordinals are spelled out and vocalized in the MT. However, there is some scant evidence that there was a notational system for both cardinal and ordinal numbers in use in antiquity.

 

‏רֵאשִׁית. First, beginning, choicest, first/best of a group. A feminine noun derived from the root ‏רֹאשׁ‎, it appears fifty times in nearly all parts of the OT. The primary meaning is “first” or “beginning” of a series. This term may refer to the initiation of a series of historical events (Gen 10:10; Jer 26:1) but it also refers to a foundational or necessary condition as the reverence or fear of God (Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7) and the initiation, as opposed to the results, of a life (Job 8:7; 42:12). It is used frequently in the special sense of the choicest or best of a group or class of things, particularly in reference to items to be set aside for God’s service or sacrifice. The “first fruits” (Lev 2:12; 23:10; Neh 12:44) and “choicest” (Num 18:12) fruits are so distinguished. Difficult usages of the term occur in several passages. In Deut 33:21 the KJV reads “first part” which is followed by JPS, however the RSV, “best of the land” is preferred. In Dan. 11:41 the KJV reads “chief of the children of Ammon,” but RSV reads “main part of the Ammonites, “the more probable reading is “best of the Ammonites.” The most important use of ‏רֵאשִׁית‎ in the OT occurs in Gen 1:1 where it is combined withthe proclitic preposition ‏ב.׃‎ (q.v.). There has been a great deal of debate over this use of ‏רֵאשִׁית‎. Many commentators both ancient and modern have tried to read the phrase as “when-” rather than “in the beginning” as do several modern versions. The chief modern justification for this interpretation of the root is to relate it to the phrase “enūma elish” which begins the Babylonian epic of creation. However there is no evidence to connect the two different terms, the one in Hebrew and the other in Babylonian (see White, W., “Enuma Elish,” in ZPEB, II, p. 314). The proper interpretation of ‏רֵאשִׁית can be deduced from the other occurrences and the witness of all ancient versions. The NT (Jn 1:1) translates the Hebrew and follows the LXX precisely in its reading of (Gen 1:1) the first phrase of the OT. The use of this root leaves no doubt that Gen 1:1 opens with the very first and initial act of the creation of the cosmos.

 

Bibliography: Bartlett, J.R., “The use of the Word רֹאשׁ as a Title in the Old Testament,” VT 19:1–10, THAT, II, pp. 701–14.

William White

 

PLEASE NOTE: I bolded the section where the word is actually discussed but copied the entire entry where it is dealt with

 

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And since you mentioned it I copied the Mounce which is organized by english word, again I have bolded the exact section compared.

 

BEGINNING

 

Old Testament

Noun: רֹאשׁ (rōʾš), GK H8031 (S H7218), 600x. The primary meaning of rōʾš is “head” (see head), but it also has a number of metaphorical meanings. For example, rōʾš can be translated as “beginning.” Exod. 12:2 refers to the beginning of months (NIV, the first month). In Prov. 8:23, Wisdom is personified as having been brought forth from the beginning (of time). rōʾš also refers to the beginning of a watch (Jdg. 7:19; Lam. 2:19). In the prophet Isaiah, God contrasts himself with the idols of the nations, for only the Lord can declare things from the beginning, before they happen (40:21; 41:4, 26).

Noun: רֵאשִׁית (rēʾšı̂t), GK H8040 (S H7225), 51x. rēʾšı̂t indicates the “beginning” of something, such as “the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7) or knowledge (3:9), and “the beginning of sin” (Mal. 1:13). rēʾšı̂t marks the beginning and end of the year (Deut. 11:12). It can also mean “firstfruits” (see firstfruits for the connection here).

Rarely is rēʾšı̂t used by itself with no other noun. The two most common passages are Gen. 1:1, which simply says “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The other passage is a description of God in Isa. 46:9–10: “I am God, and there is none like me. I make the end known from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.” The uniqueness of this construction seems to point to the uniqueness of the event: in the beginning; God created, but he did so with the end in view. Furthermore, the beginning of creation is characterised elsewhere in Scripture as ex nihilo; in other words, God created at the beginning of time out of nothing, by his sheer power alone (cf. Ps. 33:6, 9; Heb. 11:3).

Adjective: רִאשׁוֹן (riʾšôn), GK H8037 (S H7223), 182x. As an adjective, riʾšôn describes what is first in a series or rank. In terms of time, riʾšôn can convey the meaning “previously, in a former time.” See first.

 

New Testament

Noun: ἀρχή (archē), GK G794 (S G746), 55x. Similar to the verb archō (see begin), archē means both “beginning” and “ruler” (see ruler). The double meaning of this Gk. word is derived from the idea that something long ago put the world into motion and established the rules by which the world itself is obligated to obey. This philosophy explains why archē is used in the NT to denote both the beginning of something (Jn. 1:1, “In the “beginning” was the Word”; cf. 1:2; 1 Jn. 1:1; 2:7, 13, 14, 24) and the person or thing that exercises authority over others (“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and the authorities, do not worry,” Lk. 12:11; cf. 20:20).

archē can indicate beginning. Concerning the issue of divorce, Jesus concedes that Moses permitted it but that it was “not this way from the beginning” (Mt. 19:8) because “at the beginning the Creator made them male and female” (19:4; cf. Mk. 10:6). Jesus warns his disciples that when other people start claiming to be the Messiah and when there are wars, rumors of wars, numerous famines, and earthquakes, “all these are the beginning of birth pains” (Mt. 24:8; Mk. 13:8, 19). Mark titles his gospel “the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mk. 1:1; cf. 1 Jn. 3:11; 2 Jn. 5), while Luke writes his gospel based on the testimony of those who were with Jesus “from the beginning” (Lk. 1:2).

The beginning of Jesus’ miracle ministry occurs at a wedding in Cana (Jn. 2:11; cf. 16:4). Jesus knows from the beginning that many people will reject him (Jn. 6:64; cf. 15:27; 2 Pet. 3:4). Satan is a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44; cf. 1 Jn. 2:24, “the devil has been sinning from the beginning”). In Acts archē refers to the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost (11:15; cf. 26:4). Just as Melchizedek was “without beginning” in that he had no genealogy, so too Jesus has no beginning or end, giving him the rightful title of “priest forever” (Heb. 7:3; cf. 5:12; 6:1).

 

MED, s.v. “BEGINNING,” 60-61.

 

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I hope this helps you make your choice.

 

-Dan

[TheBard]

Yes it was helpful, thanks for taking the time to write this Dan.