Dr. Andrew H. Bartelt, professor of exegetical theology and vice president for academic affairs at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is the first Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod scholar to author a biblical Hebrew textbook for use on college and seminary campuses. "Fundamental Biblical Hebrew" is published by Concordia Academic Press, a division of Concordia Publishing House.

Bartelt developed his textbook during 22 years of classroom instruction at Concordia Seminary. The book presents all the essential rules of grammar and most major exceptions. It also offers students the opportunity to practice newly-learned skills through translation and reading exercises drawn from Scripture. Other features of the 276-page book include a full set of paradigm charts, a Hebrew-English glossary and a full index to all 23 chapters.

"This text follows a traditional approach yet is intentionally much more ‘user friendly' and inductive," commented Dr. Bartelt. "In this way, it seeks to capture the best of both approaches, allowing students to learn the morphology and grammar of the language at the same time that they are quickly engaged in the biblical text. As a fundamental grammar, the book emphasizes the basic and most important aspects of the language, and its presentation of material moves logically from the known to the unknown, from the regular to the irregular in a clear and understandable manner."

The textbook is supplemented by a workbook that includes exercises and paradigm charts in a larger format and chapter summaries for review. Videotapes of the actual class presentation will be available shortly for personal study and review.

The new Hebrew textbook will serve as a complement to Fundamental Greek Grammar, a biblical Greek textbook authored by Dr. James W. Voelz, also a professor at Concordia Seminary. Both texts are used in required language courses at the Seminary.

"With over 20 years of classroom experience, Dr. Bartelt is a master teacher," said Dr. Paul R. Raabe, chairman of the exegetical department and professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Seminary. "Not only is he up to date with the latest research on the Hebrew language, but he is also able to present the material in an understandable and interesting way for beginning Hebrew students. I highly recommend his "Fundamental Biblical Hebrew.""

Bartelt is widely recognized as an expert in Old Testament exegetical studies. A 1976 graduate of Concordia Seminary, he earned his doctoral degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan in 1991. He is the author of the book "Around Immanuel: Style and Structure in Isaiah 2-12."