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Radical Hebrew at Shiloam

Research Biblical Hebrew by radical values!

This web tool uses radical (consonant) values for relational searches. It's patterned after the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon in that it is structured according to verbal roots and their derivative word families. One cannot fully appreciate Biblical Hebrew without some understanding of these tri-literal roots and how consonants affect their meanings.

This is a prototype.

MySQL is used as the relational database. The master database is a Unix-style flat-file database containing research material. The database is neither complete, nor is it authoritative. The data, especially at the root level, is in many cases speculative results of tentative analysis. As more data is analyzed and relationships are better understood, the results will change.

Why then?

Many words in Biblical Hebrew occur singly, without known root verbs or sibling nouns. As analysis progresses on more well-known roots and their families, an idea of the general meaning of unknown verbal roots can be developed from their radical values. Several specific verbs are occasionally derived from the general meaning of a tri-literal verbal pattern.

Offhand, this technique would appear to be without merit. Indeed, it may be so for any other language. But with Biblical Hebrew there is a logic to the radical patterns. This, along with the wealth of meaning inherent within Hebrew names, piqued my curiosity when I attended bible college over twenty years ago.

A systematic approach

I acquired a thirst to study the language with a systematic approach like that done during my career as a software engineer, using system and information analysis to model real-world systems. I hope you enjoy a similar fascination for Biblical Hebrew as I have.

Ζῆ Χριστός! יְבָרֶכְךָ יָהְוֶה
Radical Hebrew