From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew

by Robert B. Chisholm

Publisher:

Baker

, 2000

Overview

In From Exegesis to Exposition Dr. Robert Chisholm shows seminarians and seminary-trained pastors how to “preach accurate, informative, and even exciting sermons that are solidly rooted in the Hebrew text and do not require an inordinate amount of time to prepare.” He reminds pastors and seminarians that it is never too late to renew their commitment to the importance of using Hebrew in ministry, regain a knowledge of the essentials of the language, and learn how to use the Hebrew Bible effectively.

From Exegesis to Exposition is an excellent resource for intermediate students learning Hebrew because, according to Chisholm, too many seminary courses neglect teaching students how to make the transfer from parsing verbs to crafting relevant text-based sermons. This practical guide provides a comprehensive corrective, moving readers from the beginning stages of exegesis to the finished sermon. Chisholm’s approach to the exegesis process is to ground the text in its historical-cultural context. It is important to know what the text meant to the original audience. He focuses on the mechanics of the Hebrew language, emphasizing syntax, verbs and pronouns, as well as the linguistic aspects of the language—narrative, poetry, anthropomorphisms, etc. What Chisholm has accomplished is to help bridge the gap between the study of Hebrew and applying it to preaching and teaching.

Key Features

• introduces students to the best language tools (including computer aids)
• guides students in making text-critical decisions
• discusses how to determine the precise meaning of Hebrew words and phrases and how to avoid common mistakes made in word studies
• surveys Hebrew syntax and demonstrates the impact basic grammatical observations can have on exegesis
• explains how a text’s literary form and features influence interpretation
• outlines and illustrates an interpretive method
• includes numerous examples and exercises to guide readers through the exegetical process and give them an opportunity to develop their own skill
• shows students how to construct a sermon or lesson from their exegetical work and includes several sample expositions

Contents

Top Highlights

“(2) Don’t assume there is a concrete word picture behind every abstract use of a word or phrase.” (Page 38)

“(1) Don’t read more than one semantic nuance of a word into a specific usage.” (Page 37)

“(3) Don’t overextend or misapply a specialized meaning.” (Page 39)

“The meaning of a word is established by usage among a community of speakers in a given time period.” (Page 32)

“Recognizing the presence of metonymy is often the key to understanding a word’s polysemantic range. Metonymy is a figure of speech where one word or phrase is substituted for another that is closely associated with it.” (Page 35)

Praise for the Print Edition

Teachers, students, and preachers interested in sound scholarship combined with practical effect when studying and teaching the Hebrew Scriptures will be glad to see this book.

—Dorian Coover-Cox, Bibliotheca Sacra

A useful, practical guide. The book was written to be used as a textbook in a second-year Hebrew class to demonstrate the practical application of what has been learned in the first stages of Hebrew study, but it is useful also for beginning pastors, for those seeking a review, and for those whose Hebrew has gotten rusty.

—John F. Brug, Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly

Part grammar, part exegetical guide, this handy resource also points to useful tools to help pastors (and others), whose Hebrew has grown rusty since seminary, regain some facility in using the biblical language to inform their preaching

—Interpretation

Is there anything that can help me to brush up on my Hebrew and show me how to use it more effectively in my ministry?. . . . Thanks to Chisholm's book, the answer to both parts of the questions is, “Yes.”

—Tim Saleska, Concordia Journal

[This book] will prove to be a valuable textbook and reference tool for serious students of the Hebrew Bible.

—Hector Morrison, Rutherford Journal of Church and Ministry

Product Details

• Title: From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew
• Author: Robert B. Chisholm, Jr.
• Publisher: Baker
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 304

About Robert B. Chisholm

Dr. Chisholm is Department Chair and Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. he has published several books and commentaries on the Old Testament, and is senior Old Testament editor for the NET Bible. His area of expertise is the Former and Latter Prophets.