Today’s Topics:
- How to Use a Concordance
- How to Use a Lexicon
- How to Learn a Hebrew Word a Day
How to Use a Concordance
Concordance: an alphabetical index of the principal words of a book, as of the Bible, with a reference to the passage in which each occurs. -an alphabetical index of subjects or topics.
Concord: to be of one mind
Strong’s Concordance – The standard Bible concordance. Each word is assigned a number, and these numbers are also used in many other Bible resources, such as lexicons and online Bible-study tools.
- Look up the word.
- Find the Strong’s number used in the verse you’re looking at.
- Flip to the back and find the brief definition of the word. Note: this is not a complete definition; rather, it’s a brief summary. You should also look up the word in a lexicon.
How to Use a Lexicon
Lexicon: dictionary
lexis means word or phrase
con means to collect or gather together
Gloss: a basic meaning in English; provides the lemma, or root form, of every word.
Hebrew has:
- 3-letter lemmas (root words)
- Occasional 2-letter lemmas (root words)
- One-letter words and numbers
Common Hebrew Lexicons:
- Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB) was the leading Hebrew lexicon of the previous generation that has now been superceded. The lexicon is still used in most seminary and undergraduate Hebrew programs due to its accessibility.
- Hebrew Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT) is the standard lexicon for the study of the Hebrew Bible. (Expensive but good.)
- Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible (Benner) is written from a Torah-observant perspective using ancient Hebrew. Find the Strong’s number in the index near the back to find the corresponding number Benner uses in his lexicon.
Online Tools for Desktop and Mobile Devices:
- Logos.com (expensive but excellent)
- E-sword (use KJV+ to find Strong’s numbers)
- Blue Letter Bible (click the verse, then click on interlinear/concordance to get Strong’s numbers)
- Benner is available for free online at https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/ahlb/1-strongs.html
How to Use a Lexicon:
- Find the number matching the ENGLISH word you’re researching, using a concordance. This resource will also begin to tell you what other verses use the same (or related) words.
- Find the HEBREW or GREEK term behind your English word, and continue exploring other Bible verses where the word appears, using one of these concordances. Search for the number in Blue Letter Bible or E-Sword.
- Using the HEBREW or GREEK term you found during Step 2, use a lexicon to find a brief definition of the word.
How to Learn a Hebrew Word a Day
- First, learn the Hebrew letters and sounds. See rockislandbooks.com or apps like “Hebrew Flashcards” on Google or Apple. Also see Teach Yourself to Read Hebrew.
- Get into the habit of reading your Bible every day. Choose a consistent time and place. Find an accountability partner.
- From your reading, choose one word a day to study. Write the word and Scripture reference in your journal.
- Find the word in Strong’s concordance. Write the Strong’s number in your journal.
- Use the Strong’s number to discover the word in Hebrew. Write the Hebrew word in your journal.
- Use the Strong’s number to look up the word in a lexicon. Write the definition of the word in your journal.