Listening to the Language of the Bible
Hearing It Through Jesus’ Ears
By Lois Tverberg, with Bruce Okkema
© En-Gedi Resource Center, 2004
Softcover, 180 pages
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Listening to the Language of the Bible is a guide for discovering the richness of the Scriptures in their Hebraic setting.
The book contains more than 60 brief, illustrated devotional articles that unpack the meaning of biblical words and phrases for life today. By examining the Hebrew and Jewish cultural context of some of the Bible’s seemingly odd phrases, it shares insights that clarify reading and deepen Bible study.
Listening looks at many topics from the perspective of the ancient writers, including prayer, family and the promised Messiah. It also looks at the words of Jesus in light of first-century Jewish culture.
“An excellent guide for discovering the richness of the Scriptures in their Hebraic setting. It’s wonderful – balanced, simple to understand, yet packed with deep information.”
– Robin Sampson, President, Heart of Wisdom Publishing, Stafford, VA
The book can be read by itself for a brief overview, or with a Companion Bible Study (Lois Tverberg, 2005) as a guide to explore the Scriptures from a Hebraic perspective. Questions for each chapter point out other relevant passages and share applications for living. At the end of the book, Tverberg shares her own thoughts on many of the questions in the study guide.
Download a sample pdf from the Companion Bible Study.
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You can buy Listening to the Language of the Bible and its Companion Bible Study as a set for $16.99. Save on both books, plus shipping.
Jeff Hunter says
Hi, how can I get the books in the UK?? Also is there an Old Testament Bible that has been directly translated from Hebrew? Also is there a New Testament that has been directly translated from Hebrew and not koine greek then into English etc??
Many thanks
Jeff
Lois Tverberg says
All major translations of the Old Testament (the NIV, ESV, NASB, JPS Tanakh, etc), started with Hebrew texts. You might want to read my article called “Translation Debates – A Jewish View” and the comments below.
The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, NOT in Hebrew. In some places, the Greek in it sounds awkward, as if it reflects a Hebrew/Aramaic source. Other places it is quite polished, and clearly not Semitic. You see this in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), particularly in the sayings and parables of Jesus. One place you find the contrast between the two Greek styles is in Acts. The first 15 chapters have a lot of “Hebraisms,” but at the point when Luke starts writing from the first person, it is all polished Koine Greek. Paul sometimes incorporates Hebraic ideas and imagery into letters, but no scholar believes he wrote in anything but Greek.
I’ve heard this urban legend many times, and I know the scholars who this is attributed to. It comes from a misunderstanding of their scholarly work. The sooner people stop repeating it, the better.
Diana Lewandowski says
Your website says the 2 books can be ordered as a set for $15.99. However when I added them to the car, it charged me for both of them individually. How do I order the set for $15.99?
Lois Tverberg says
Diana, the button under “Order as a Set” will record an order for both books, but only charge $15.99. There’s another button on the right side of the page that is for ordering a set. And on the “Bookstore” page it gives you all the options for ordering individually or in a set. The cart is not so smart that it can sense that you’ve ordered both books. Each button has its own price code, and some buttons are for ordering individual books and some are for the set.