Index or Guide for the BDB Hebrew Lexicon

[David Foster]

I was wondering if anyone knew of a guide to the Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon? I know there’s an index but I still struggle with understanding a lot of the terms/abbreviates and layout (especially of the superscript). 

 

Was there anything ever written for seminary students to help them navigate this lexicon? 

 

Thanks kindly! 

[MattChristianOT]

Do you have an example of what you mean? Just so I can try and help?

[David Foster]

Here's a list of abbreviations/numbers that I don't understand (this is just a small sample!) from the entry for שָׁלֵם

 

1. On the first line: (NH id. (Jastr) So my questions: What does id. mean? Jast. gives a link to "(Jastr = Marcus Jastrow, Dict. of Targumim, Talmud, etc.; also Morris Jastrow, Jr.; JastrRel. Bab. = M. Jastrow, Jr., Religion of Babylonia and Assyria.)" So I'm lead to ask, who is this guy? Why is his name, along with the talmud, referenced right at the beginning of the entry? 

In the next section of the first line you have the following: Ph. שלם Pi. complete, requite, esp. in n. pr., Lzb³⁷⁶ GACooke^{99, also 81, 111}

​So my questions are: What is Pi.? Why are Lbz. and GACooke listed after the meaning given (complete, requisite) and what are the superscript numbers attached to those names? 

 

Like I said, this is just an example of where my mind goes! Hope that helps... 

 

PS- I tried to upload a screenshot... do you know how to do that? 

[ukfraser]

PS- I tried to upload a screenshot... do you know how to do that?

 

Click on more reply options at the bottom left, select file and add

[David Foster]

Here's the screenshot which might make it a bit easier! 

 

Thanks UKFraser!

[Λύχνις Δαν]

At the end of the Abbreviations is an explanation of some of this :

 

< over a letter, indicates the accented (tone-)syllable.
† prefixed, or added, or both, indicates ‘All passages cited.’
> indicates that the preceding is to be preferred to the following.
< indicates that the following is to be preferred to the preceding.
|| parallel, of words (synonymous or contrasted); also of passages; sometimes = ‘see parallel,’ or ‘so also in parallel.’
= equivalent, equals.
+ plus, denotes often that other passages, etc., might be cited. So also where the forms of verbs, nouns, and adjectives are illustrated by citations, near the beginning of articles; while ‘etc.’ in such connexions commonly indicates that other forms of the word occur, which it has not been thought worth while to cite.
° superfluous.
[ ] indicates that the form, etc., enclosed, is not actually found, or that the Hebrew offers no positive proof; e.g. n. [m.] denotes that the noun is presumably masculine, though the gender is not clearly exhibited in Hebrew.
√ = root or stem.
‏׳‎ = sign of abbrevation (in Hebrew words).
‏א׳‎ often = ‏אֱלֹהִים‎, Elohim.
‏וגו׳‎ = ‏וְגוֹמַר‎ = et caetera (in Hebrew quotations).
‏י׳‎ = Yahweh.
‏פּ׳‎ = ‏פְּלוֹנִי‎ so and so.
-֑ beneath a Hebrew word represents any accent that occasions vowel change.
* = assumed root or word.
NOTE. Scripture citations in small superior letters and figures, following n. m. or n.f., refer to some passage where the gender is exhibited. Small inferior figures following Hebrew words, names of conjugations, etc., denote the (approximate) number of occurrences of such words, conjugations, etc.


“BDB, xix.
https://accordance.bible/link/read/BDB_Complete#724

 

But it does not directly address things like "Lzb³⁷⁶ GACooke^{99, also 81, 111, etc.}"

 

I strongly suspect they are page or section references in the work.

Actually mousing over one you see this in ID:

 

GACooke = (usu.) G. A. Cooke, North Semitic Inscriptions; = GACooke^Inscr.

I would take the 99, also 81 etc to refer to inscription numbers in North Semitic Inscriptions.

I'm not familiar with the work though.

Ok I found a copy on archive.org and looking through it for inscription 99 and 81 I think I see that 99 is possibly off by one: either an edition thing or I can't read the script. Alas very likely the latter I'm afraid. 81 looks better.

 

https://ia800200.us.archive.org/6/items/cu31924096083104/cu31924096083104.pdf

 

Anyhow I think used the ID to check out what the superscripts might be in any given case. I would say a reference peculiar to the work cited.

 

Thx

D

[Peter Bekins]

id. is a common Latin abbreviation for idem meaning 'the same', so NH id. (Jastr) is telling you that in "New (Late) Hebrew" (i.e., not classical Hebrew) the meaning of שָלֵם has remained the same as it was in biblical Hebrew. To double check this you can look in Jastrow, which is the standard dictionary for Mishnaic/Rabbinic Hebrew.  

 

Ph. שלם Pi. complete, requite is telling you that the root also occurs in Phoenician in the Piel binyan with the meaning 'complete, requite' and to double check this you can look for the examples in Lidzbarski or Cooke, which are collections of Northwest Semitic inscriptions.

 

Best,

Pete

[David Foster]

Thanks so much. That helps a lot. 

 

So just to clarify, when BDB quotes a name it's similar to backing up research by referencing an expert in the field? 

 

And as for the superscript numbers following the names, would those be page numbers? 

 

I didn't understand what Piel banyan was but I looked it up and found this: The Meaning

This [piel) Binyan in Hebrew literature is called Pi'el (פיעל), and in other Semitic Research literature called Qittel (קיטּל). This Binyan conveys a more intensified meaning among the Binyanim. If Qatal means "kill", then Qittel conveys "slaughter" or to "utterly murder". Sometimes this Binyan conveys other meanings as mentioned in the introduction, such as causative and simple. But most of the time, it is considered to be the intensive meaning. 

 

Is this correct? 

Edited March 15, 2019 by David Foster

[Peter Bekins]

David, have you had any training in Hebrew yet or are you just starting to explore? 

[David Foster]

Just learning! I've studied Arabic for a long time so it's not quite as daunting as starting from scratch! There's a lot of similarities. 

 

Any advice?! 

[Peter Bekins]

So, part of your problem is that you don't know what these abbreviations mean, but the bigger issue is that you aren't familiar with the field yet. In other words, just keep in mind that you aren't quite ready to do anything with much of the extra info, and once you learn more about the field then many of the abbreviations will seem obvious. So sort of a cart-horse problem.

 

The Hebrew Binyanim correlate to the Arabic stems, so what is called Piel in Hebrew is equivalent to Stem II. You will also find this referenced as the D stem (because it is characterized by doubling of root letter 2) for other languages. 

 

Pete

Edited March 15, 2019 by Peter Bekins

[David Foster]

Yes, you're correct! My zeal far outweighs my abilities at this point which leads to lots of questions! 

 

Thanks again for all your help! 

 

But going back to the first question, have you ever come across a guide to the BDB (I know there's an index in the back of the book)? 

[Peter Bekins]

No, not a formal guide. 

[MattChristianOT]

No formal guide but the majority of your questions center around who is being referenced for what. The front matter of BDB will be of use and familiarizing yourself with some of the common texts will help (which will require a good amount of reading). Luckily BDB bases a lot of their root work off of Arabic so that should all be familiar to you!

[David Foster]

No formal guide but the majority of your questions center around who is being referenced for what. The front matter of BDB will be of use and familiarizing yourself with some of the common texts will help (which will require a good amount of reading). Luckily BDB bases a lot of their root work off of Arabic so that should all be familiar to you!

 

Thanks! That's good to know... I'll start reading! 

[Michael Miles]

Yes, you're correct! My zeal far outweighs my abilities at this point which leads to lots of questions! 

 

Thanks again for all your help! 

 

But going back to the first question, have you ever come across a guide to the BDB (I know there's an index in the back of the book)? 

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger.  Your questions and the answers provided are of interest to me as well.

[MattChristianOT]

Thanks! That's good to know... I'll start reading! 

Do you have access to JSTOR or anything like it?

[David Foster]

Do you have access to JSTOR or anything like it?

 Funny enough I just signed up for a free trial for work... does it have a lot of good Hebrew resources? 

[MattChristianOT]

 Funny enough I just signed up for a free trial for work... does it have a lot of good Hebrew resources? 

It is one of the best resources for multiple academic journals in many fields. You will find a wealth of info there as well as most articles published in the major journals covering Semitic studies. Another great resource is Academia.edu. I would recommend going there and setting up a profile and surfing around for various topics.

[Λύχνις Δαν]

Agreed on Academia. I get a Greek and Hebrew materials there frequently.

I'll look into JSTOR - thanx for the tip.

 

Thx

D

[MattChristianOT]

Agreed on Academia. I get a Greek and Hebrew materials there frequently.

I'll look into JSTOR - thanx for the tip.

 

Thx

D

You bet- Is is VERY expensive and best if you can access through a university (which is usually free to students).