Course Description

An exegetical analysis of the book of Jonah with an emphasis on literary and structural discourse strategies in the Hebrew text.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This course is an elective in biblical languages for the Liberty University School of Divinity’s master’s programs and also a required language course for the Ph.D. in Biblical Exposition.

Measurable Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a familiarity with the basics of Hebrew grammar and syntax.
2. Use the Hebrew grammar and lexicon as indispensable tools for translation.
3. Ascertain the meaning (exegesis) of the Hebrew text within its grammatical context.
4. Interpret the theological facts supplied by translation and exegesis.
5. Translate the book of Jonah and parse verbal forms within the book.
6. Analyze the syntactical functions of key nominal and verbal forms in the book of Jonah.
7. Ascertain the key theological themes and motifs of Jonah based on insights gained from an exegetical study of the book.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

Before working through the checklist outlined in the Course Overview, the student should review the Liberty University curriculum.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided promptly for each discussion. There are specific instructions for each thread, and each thread must demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 1 other classmate’s thread. The reply must be at least 250 words. (MLO: C, E, G)

Exegetical Analysis Assignments (6)

Each exegetical analysis assignment contains specific questions and interpretive exercises related to the passage under study in the assigned module. Each exegetical assignment has its own set of instructions and requirements. (MLO: A, B, C, E, F)

Exposition of Jonah 3 Paper Assignment

The student will write a 14–15-page research-based paper in the current Turabian format that focuses on an exposition of Jonah chapter 3. The paper must include at least 15 references, including the course textbooks. (MLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

Theology of Jonah Essay Assignment

The student will write an essay of at least 1,500 words focusing on the major theological themes and motifs in the book of Jonah. The paper should include at least 5 references, including the course textbooks. (MLO: D, G)