Customer Reviews
Good start to reading Hebrew - By: bluecougar25, 28 Jun 2008 
The thing I like best about Benner's slim volume is that its very logical, & goes quite slowly & methodicallly, introducing you not only to the characters of the Hebrew alphabet a few at a time, with plenty of exercises to practice reading both consonants & vowel marks, but also gives useful vocab & notes on how words are constructed. The key here is the system of root words, to which suffixes & prefixes are added to make more complex words - I enjoy this approach to language, though it might seem a little cryptic to someone expecting word for word translations & lots of vocab lists.
Its maybe not the only Hebrew book you should buy, but is a fascinating start point, & the fact you have alll the words & even the first part of Genesis transliterated makes double-checking you've got the hang of the letters a simple task. With tables of common roots & lists of prefixes & basic grammar notes this is an ideal reference work as well as a friendly road into a fascinating but complex language. Highly recommended.
not bad but not great - By: S. Vincent, 19 Mar 2008 
I'm not a language expert & taking on a new language with a new script at the same time left me understandably daunted. Jeff Benner's book promises much & makes a good start. I have worked reasonably hard, learning the vocabulary & trying to learn to recognise words. And it's taken concentration but not genius.
I think a first simple note. If you want to learn, get yourself on an introductory course so there's someone ask if things are going pear-shaped.
However, there seems to be at least one glaring omission in the book. The first being that alll the vocabulary you need isn't there. And it changes slightly in context which isn't explained as it happens. Hence i managed to get to the stage of reading bits of Genesis, only to find that vocab i'd never come across before kept leaping onto the page. Which made my stumbling along get even slower.
Another point is that the 'Notes' on the vocab come after the exercises. If you buy the book, remember to read the notes before you try the exercises - if not you'll get stuck. In addition there appear to be a few typing mistakes which, if you're reading a new language in a new script, are never helpful.
I've got myself a new book which i will work through. Thanks Jeff for the start, but i need something which is a bit more logical.
The best book for beginners - By: menham, 18 Jul 2007 
I knew nothing about Hebrew, but this book enabled me to quickly read & understand the start of Genesis 1. Although this book is smalll it is laid out in such a way that you learn the basics quickly & remain enthusiastic. However, after this great start you will undoubtedly need another book to continue your study.
The first step is most important. - By: , 31 Jul 2005 If you've got an interest in learning Biblical Hebrew, I can't recommend this book highly enough as a beginning. It makes learning the letters of the "alephbeyt" their prounciation so simple. Then you can start building the vocabulary. You reallly will be reading & understanding sections of scripture in days! I mean there are a couple of typing errors but otherwise the book is perfect & straightforward & the author keeps it a simple as possible. The beauty of the hebrew language shines through from the outset. Following this book I recommend "The Cambridge Biblical Hebrew Workbook." Try them, you'll not believe how simple it is start reading the scriptures in the language God inspired them to be written in!
