J^-v.^^' ^-' XJf «tir»jjj(I- n ^iBS«(S)iS»^^i^¥^C(g|^lir€>ir ^ Mtabgicut & SUM ^ ^ PRINCETON, N. J. Presented by A. G, Ca-mcTOm^ ^Vv.'D, Divisiotj Section • # / v« : M^^m^W ©^iklffiM^IE WITH A PRAXIS ON SELECT PORTIONS OF GENESIS AND THE PSALMS. BY MOSES STUART PROFESSOR OF SACRED LITERATURE IN THE THEOL. SESHNARY AT ANDOVER. ISneto ebition, tebt^eb anb enlarged* ANDOVER PRINTED AT THE CODMAN PRESS BT FLAGG AND GOULD. 1823. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/hebrewgrammarwit01stua PREFACE. The science of Hebrew grammar has, within a few years, been greatly improved by the labours of several distinguished oriental scholars on the continent of Europe. The first Hebrew grammars published by Christians were modeled after those of the Jewish Rabbins, from whom the knowledge of the Hebrew language was received. Among these,the most distinguished was Reuchlln's Riidi- menta linguae Hebraeae (l506), which was used by most learners of the Hebrew until the publication of Munster's grammar (l556). The latter continued in general use until Buxtorf published his Thesaurus (l609), which so far excelled all other works of the kind then extant, that it came into almost universal use. A most important addi- tion was made to the syntax of the Hebrew language, by the noble work of Glass, styled Philologia Sacra and pub- lished at Leipsic in 1623. In 1679, Alting of Gronlngen published his Fundamenta punctationis linguae sanctae ; and in 1696,Danz ofJena,his LiteratorEbraeo-Chaldaeus. Both works were constructed upon the principles of Buxtorf; and for more than half a century, they guided the He- brew studies of Holland and Germany. In 1737 appear- the great work of Albert Schultens, professor at Leyden, PREFACE. entitled Institutiones ad Jiindamenta linguae Hcbraeae^ in which all the kindred languages, but especially the Ara- bic, were made to contribute to the illustration ofthe He- brew. In the steps of Schultens followed Schroder at Groningen (1766), in his Institutiones ad Jiindamenta lin- guae Hebraeae. Storr, Vater, Weckherlin, and Jahn have, more recently, distinguished themselves in the department of Hebrew grammar.* But the mos.t important work, which has ever appear- ed on this subject, is the larger Hebrew^ grammar of Ge- senius, professor of theology at Halle, published in 1817 and containing about 900 pages. In this work, the whole interior of Hebrew grammar has received a new arrange- ment, and a multitude of dark places have been illumina- ted. The publication of it has commenced a new era in — this department, an era in which, it is probable, a more radical and extensive knowledge of the Hebrew will be attained, than has been possessed since it ceased to be a vernacular language. The present Avork originated from the wants of the Seminary, with which the author is connected. His duty led him to write lectures on Hebrew grammar; and his wishes to afford the young men, who are placed under his instruction, all the assistance in his poAver in learning the Hebrew language, led him to make use of all the * More than six hundred Hebrew grammars have been published, most of which are either imitations or abridgments of the authors above noted.