The Value of Linguistics for Exegesis: A Demonstration of Lexical Semantics and the Hebrew נחם

Abstract

Linguistics, the study of how language works, is a field of study closely related to biblical scholarship and exegesis. Advances in linguistics have benefited WELS pastors and their exegesis, but in a largely indirect way. For the most part, engaging directly with modern linguistic study is reserved for those who are perceived as language specialists. This essay seeks to demonstrate that linguistics is a beneficial field of intentional study for exegetes of any level. After a brief introduction of linguistics in general, the essay demonstrates the value of linguistics by way of a complete semantic treatment of the Hebrew word נחם , resulting in a dictionary definition that was submitted to the work-in-progress Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew.