From Linguistics to Hermeneutics

Linguistics and hermeneutics are often regarded as two mutually exclusive scholarly disciplines. Recent decades, however, have witnessed the rise of linguistic approaches that take meaning back to the heart of their inquiry and can be fruitful for textual interpretation. This book applies the insights of two such approaches, i.e. functional grammar and cognitive semantics, to the study of Biblical Hebrew with a specific focus on Job 12-14. The result is two-fold. The study offers a detailed linguistic analysis, providing many new insights in the linguistic peculiarities of the text and Biblical Hebrew in general. Moreover, it proposes a fresh exegetical reading of Job’s longest and central speech in the book.

Pierre Van Hecke, Ph.D. (2000) in Oriental Studies, K.U.Leuven, Belgium and Ph.D. (2006) in Theology, Tilburg University, The Netherlands, is Professor of Languages and Cultures of Syria-Palestine, and of Hebrew Bible at K.U.Leuven. He has published on biblical metaphor, on Hebrew linguistics and on the book of Job.