Welcome to The Shaun Tabatt Show! Michael Williams returns to the show today to share about the Basics of Ancient Ugaritic Video Lectures: A Complete Course for the Beginner (Zondervan Academic, 2016).
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Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s interview:
- Michael shares a bit of his backstory and gives an update on what kept him busy in 2016 (00:41 – 03:32)
- How Michael first got interested in studying Ugaritic (03:33 – 06:54)
- Examples of how studying Ugaritic informs our reading of certain Old Testament texts (06:55 – 12:57)
- Challenges Michael saw with other Ugaritic grammars and how his grammar addresses those gaps (12:58 – 19:18)
- How preparing for the video lecture series compared to preparing to share this same material in a traditional classroom setting (19:19 – 21:58)
- Ways the video lectures allowed Michael to take students beyond what’s covered in the grammar (21:59 – 23:54)
- How professors at Bible colleges, seminaries and graduate schools can best make use of this material (23:55 – 26:11)
- Prerequisite studies you should consider before tackling Ugaritic (26:12 – 27:44)
- Places to connect with Michael online and find out more about the Basics of Ancient Ugaritic grammar, DVD, and Bible Mesh course. (27:45 – 28:34)
About the DVD: Basics of Ancient Ugaritic Video Lectures provides a 30-minute lesson to accompany each chapter in the Basics of Ancient Ugaritic teaching grammar. Ugaritic is an ancient language of Canaan, written in cuneiform on tablets of clay. Ugaritic is of vital importance for understanding the wider world and culture surrounding the Old Testament text. The grammar and video lectures begin with the alphabet, and each new lesson builds on the ones before. This approach is not, therefore, that of a synthetic Ugaritic grammar—those types of texts often prove to be overwhelming for students.
Instead, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic Video Lectures can readily be used for learning the language by individuals on their own or in a classroom setting. Each chapter in the accompanying grammar concludes with a set of exercises allowing students to know whether they are grasping the fundamentals of the language.
In short, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic Video Lectures, along with the accompanying grammar, represents an ideal first step for entering the larger world of Semitic languages.
About the Author: Michael Williams (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is Johanna K. and Martin J. Wyngaarden Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies at Calvin Theological Seminary and a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. He is the author of Deception in Genesis, The Prophet and His Message, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic, The Biblical Hebrew Companion for Bible Software Users, and How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, and editor and contributor of Mishneh Todah. His passion is to equip students with knowledge of the Old Testament and its languages so that they may grow in their comprehension and appreciation of redemptive history and be adequately prepared to promote and defend the faith through word and action. Michael resides in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife, Dawn.
Connect with Michael:
Order your copy of Basics of Ancient Ugaritic Video Lectures
Previous Interviews:
Author Talks Episode 20 – Basics of Ancient Ugaritic
Author Talks Episode 33 – How to Read the Bible Through the Jesus Lens
Author Talks Episode 82 – The Prophet and His Message
The Shaun Tabatt Show Episode 36 – The Biblical Hebrew Companion for Bible Software Users
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