Courses

Bible courses (BIBL) are offered at the beginning, elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. Please see the Schedule of Classes for the current semester’s offerings.

BIBL 1015; 1016 Introduction to the Bible
3 credits
Authorship and canonization; Masoretic text; translations of the Bible; survey of medieval exegesis; modern Biblical studies; bibliographical and methodological guidance. For advanced students.

BIBL 1081; 1082 Introduction to Exegesis
3 credits
Principles of biblical interpretation; survey of classical exegetes.

BIBL 1083; 1084; 1085; 1086 Topics in Biblical Exegesis
3 credits
Selected biblical texts, primarily from the Pentateuch, examined in light of classical and modern Jewish commentaries.

BIBL 1087; 1088; 1089; 1090 Biblical Exegetes I; II; III; IV
3 credits
Survey of the major exegetes, classical and modern, analyzing historical background, style, and methodology. First semester: Northern French school; second semester: Spanish school; third semester: Provence and Italy; fourth semester: modern commentators.

BIBL 1096; 1097, 1098 Nahmanides on Pentateuch
3 credits
Analysis of the commentary of Moses Nahmanides (Ramban), his method and terminology, and similarities to—and differences from—other exegetes.

BIBL 1115, 1116 Pentateuch: Weekly Portion
3 credits
The weekly portion of the Pentateuch studied with standardcommentaries. For intermediate-level students.

BIBL 1119; 1120 Pentateuch: Weekly Portion
3 credits
The weekly portion of the Pentateuch studied with standard commentaries.

BIBL 1150 through 1199 Selected Topics in the Pentateuch

BIBL 1159; 1160 Women in the Bible
3 credits

BIBL 1161; 1162 Mystical Exegesis I, II (Ohr haChayim)
3 credits

BIBL 1171, 1172 Personal Development in the Bible I, II
3 credits

BIBL 1201; 1202 The Book of Genesis
3 credits
Basic introduction to the Pentateuch. Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries, with introduction to Rashi. For elementary students.

BIBL 1203; 1204 The Book of Genesis
3 credits
Same content as 1201; 1202 with selections from Rashi. For lower intermediate students.

BIBL 1205; 1206 The Book of Genesis
3 credits
Same content as 1201; 1202 with selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For intermediate students.

BIBL 1207; 1208 The Book of Genesis
3 credits
Same as 1205; 1206; for upper intermediate students.

BIBL 1209; 1210 The Book of Genesis
3 credits
Intensive study using classical and modern commentaries. For advanced students.

BIBL 1211; 1212; 1213; 1214 Topics in Genesis
3 credits

BIBL 1303; 1304 The Book of Exodus
3 credits
Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries; selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For lower intermediate students.

BIBL 1305; 1306 The Book of Exodus
3 credits
Same as 1303; 1304; for intermediate students.

BIBL1307; 1308 The Book of Exodus
3 credits
Same as 1303; 1304; for upper intermediate students.

BIBL 1309; 1310 The Book of Exodus
3 credits
Intensive study using classical and modern commentaries. For advanced students.

BIBL 1311; 1312; 1313; 1314 Topics in Exodus
3 credits

BIBL 1405; 1406 The Book of Leviticus
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 1407; 1408 The Book of Leviticus
3 credits
Same as 1405; 1406; for upper intermediate students.

BIBL 1409; 1410 The Book of Leviticus
3 credits
Intensive study using classical and modern commentaries. For advanced students.

BIBL 1411; 1412 Topics in Leviticus
3 credits

BIBL 1503, 1504 Book of Numbers
3 credits
Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries; selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For lower intermediate students.

BIBL 1505; 1506 The Book of Numbers
3 credits
Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries; selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For intermediate students.

BIBL 1507; 1508 The Book of Numbers
3 credits
Same as 1505; 1506; for upper intermediate students.

BIBL 1509; 1510 The Book of Numbers
3 credits
Intensive study using classical and modern commentaries. For advanced students.

BIBL 1511; 1512 Topics in Numbers
3 credits

BIBL 1605; 1606 The Book of Deuteronomy
3 credits
Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries; selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For intermediate students.

BIBL 1607; 1608 The Book of Deuteronomy
3 credits
Translation and exposition of the text in accordance with standard commentaries; selected passages from Rashi and other commentators. For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 1609; 1610 The Book of Deuteronomy
3 credits
Intensive study using classical and modern commentaries. For advanced students.

BIBL 1611; 1612 Topics in Deuteronomy
3 credits

BIBL 2049; 2050 The Haftarot
3 credits
Those portions of the Prophets used as synagogue lessons. For advanced students.

BIBL 2107; 2108 Early Prophet
3 credits
The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. Textual study with classical and modern commentaries.

BIBL 2109; 2110 Early Prophets
3 credits
Selections from the Early Prophets, with classical commentaries. First semester: conquest of Canaan and early Judges; second semester: later Judges and the establishment of the Monarchy. For advanced students.

BIBL 2114 through 2365 Early Prophet
3 credits
Specific portions of the text, with classical and modern commentaries.

BIBL 2115, 2116 Joshua
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 2117; 2118 Joshua
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 2119; 2120 Joshua
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 2121 Judges
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 2122; 2123 Judges
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 2125; 2126 Judges
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 2148; 2149 Samuel
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 2152; 2153 Samuel I
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 2154; 2155 Samuel II
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 2156; 2157 Samuel I
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 2158; 2159 Samuel II
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 2160 Topics in Samuel
3 credits

BIBL 2355; 2356 Kings
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 2357; 2358 Kings I
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 2359; 2360 Kings I
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 2363 Topics in Kings
3 credits

BIBL 2500 through 2879 The Later Prophets
3 credits
Texts studied with classical and modern commentaries; literary analysis; emphasis on historical background and religious and social problems considered by the Prophets.

BIBL 2501; 2502 Later Prophets—Survey
3 credits

BIBL 2503; 2504 Isaiah
3 credits

BIBL 2505; 2506 Topics in Isaiah
3 credits

BIBL 2555; 2556 Jeremiah
3 credits

BIBL 2605; 2606 Ezekiel
3 credits

BIBL 2653 Minor Prophets
3 credits

BIBL 2658 Seven Minor Prophets
3 credits

BIBL 2805; 2806 Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
3 credits

BIBL 3000 through 3999 Hagiographa
3 credits
Texts of the Ketuvim studied with classical and modern commentaries; literary analysis; historical backgrounds and themes.

BIBL 3205; 3206 Psalms
3 credits
For lower intermediate students.

BIBL 3207; 3208 Psalms
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 3209; 3210 Psalms
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 3257; 3258 Proverbs
3 credits

BIBL 3307; 3308 Job
3 credits

BIBL 3403, 3404 Five Megillot
3 credits
For intermediate students.

BIBL 3407; 3408 Five Megillot
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 3409; 3410 Five Megillot
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 3415; 3416 Song of Songs
3 credits

BIBL 3450 Ruth
3 credits

BIBL 3510 Lamentations
3 credits

BIBL 3659; 3660 Ecclesiastes
3 credits

BIBL 3709; 3710 Esther
3 credits

BIBL 3711; 3712 Selected Megillot
3 credits

BIBL 3720 Topics in Megillot
3 credits
For upper intermediate students.

BIBL 3730 Topics in Megillot
3 credits
For advanced students.

BIBL 3807 Daniel
3 credits

BIBL 3857 Ezra-Nehemiah
3 credits

BIBL 3909 Chronicles
3 credits

BIBL 4002; 4003 Biblical Narrative
3 credits
Narrative forms in prose and historical books; readings in biblical narratives, espe¬cially of the Pentateuch, with accompanying medieval and modern commentaries.

BIBL 4021; 4022 Biblical Poetry
3 credits
Poetic portions of the Bible, with emphasis on the literary qualities of these passages and the commentaries of the major exegetes. First semester: the Pentateuch; second semester: the Prophets.

BIBL 4138 Bible and Near East
3 credits

BIBL 4519 Biblical Aramaic
3 credits

BIBL 4520 The Targumim
3 credits
The Aramaic translations and commentaries on the Bible (Onkelos, Jerusalem, and Jonathan) and their application to biblical exegesis.

BIBL 4901, 4902 Independent Study
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