Hebrew/English Phonetic Bible (CD-ROM), available from Hebrew4Christians for $59.95 + P&P

For the serious student of the Bible, a basic knowledge of Hebrew is extremely beneficial, and not just for understanding the Old Testament. The writers of the New Testament were mainly Hebrew thinkers and there is often a Hebraic subtext to their writings (especially the Gospels and in particular the words of Jesus himself). But for many Christians, the language can be a difficult one to learn or even begin to grasp in any way. There are many resources and learning aids available but this can still be a daunting enterprise.

Hebrew4Christians

One very useful website is Hebrew4Christians. This site is well-stocked with articles, ideas and features, and provides an easy first step into many aspects of Hebrew. It also allows for those with some experience to develop their studies further, as well as providing extra items that are fascinating and informative.

One significant aid available to purchase via this website is the transliterated Hebrew-English Bible on CD-ROM. This software is compatible with both Windows and MAC, and enables anyone without any previous knowledge of Hebrew to begin to read the Biblical text verse-by-verse throughout the entire Hebrew Bible. Each verse is clearly set out with the original Hebrew, an English translation and, crucially, a complete and clear phonetic transliteration broken down syllable by syllable. By turning the Hebrew letters into an equivalent sound-based English script it becomes easy to learn individual Hebrew words and eventually how the sentences are put together.

Though a basic knowledge of Hebrew is extremely beneficial for any serious Bible student, attempting to grasp the language can be a daunting enterprise.

The software also contains a guide to Hebrew pronunciation so you can speak it accurately, faithful to the original sound of Biblical Hebrew. The seven rules of 'How to Read Transliteration' means you can get started very quickly. The claim is that you will be proficient in an hour!

Facilities

There are also search options and the ability to copy the Hebrew or English text into your own documents or print selected pages. This is invaluable when teaching small groups or making presentations to a larger audience. Be warned though, there are over 4000 printable pages, so you need to be selective! This is not something to be printed out as a whole, just portions when required.

Once loaded onto your computer there are three shortcuts placed on your desktop. These represent three separate files called Bibles. 'Bible 1' uses the special Hebrew font created by The Society of Biblical Literature, which allows for the exact placement of the Hebrew vowel marks. It is a secured file which means you can only view and print, not copy, but that doesn't matter as this facility is available in the other files.

'Bible 2' contains a different font that is superior for printing, giving a very clear text, but there is no transliteration for this Bible, nor does it copy so well. However, 'Bible 3' is much better for copying, though again there is no transliteration; Bible 1 is the only file that provides this. Its font is described as 'unicode' and allows any Hebrew or English text to be copied and pasted into a word processor document. It also has a very fast search facility in both Hebrew and English. Bible 2 will also search quickly, though only in English, whereas Bible 1 needs some initial 'training' before it will search – but guidance is given on how to set this up.

Worthwhile investments

So between these three Bibles everything is provided and to a high standard. The current cost is $59.95 plus shipping and handling from the USA, but this is a very worthwhile investment. And it needn't stop there! Two other similar CD-ROMs are also available. One includes the earlier pictographic script from which it is believed modern Hebrew letters are derived, so these 'word pictures' can be compared with the Masoretic text. This is slightly cheaper at $49.95.

At the same price of $59.95 there is the latest offering: the entire New Testament text in Greek and a modern Hebrew translation, both with phonetic transliterations. In this fascinating new venture not only can you learn to read the Greek but you can also see what the same verses would be like in Hebrew – very informative when looking at the Hebraic background to the New Testament and seeking links with Old Testament words and passages.

Overall, there is much here to inform and instruct anyone for whom the original Biblical texts provide the keys to a greater understanding of God's word.