91¶¶Òõ

Biblical Hebrew IV: Advanced Reading Seminar—Isaac and Ishmael

An Online Course with Dr. Noam Cohen 
Eight Wednesdays: June 10, 17, 24; July 1, 15, 29; August 5, 12, 2026 
7:00-8:30 p.m. ET   

We also offer a Thursday morning sessionfrom 10:00–11:30 a.m. ET anda Thursday afternoon sessionfrom 2:00–3:30 p.m. ET on the Sinai story.

The birth of Isaac was a miracle that immediately became a crisis. Who is to inherit Abraham, both literally and in spirit—Isaac or Ishmael? Is Isaac to be sacrificed? Would Ishmael have been left in the desert to die?

In eight live online sessions, we will read the central narrative passages about Abraham’s two sons, including the section know as the Akedah, the binding of Isaac (Genesis 21–25). Our focus will be on the most challenging verses as we consider multiple possibilities for translation and interpretation. Participants are encouraged to develop and share their own translations and interpretations of this pivotal section of the Torah.   

Prerequisite: Completion of Biblical Hebrew I, II, and III. If you have not taken these courses but believe you have the equivalent background, please  with Dr. David Moster, Program Director, prior to enrollment.   

Cost: $480.  

Declare your candidacy for 91¶¶Òõ’s Certificate in Biblical Hebrew and receive a 10% discount on your first course.  Complete the four-course sequence and optional capstone project. By the conclusion of the program, you will be able to read and understand a book of the Bible from start to finish in the original Hebrew.    

 * If you have not purchased Accordance Software for a previous course, a coupon will be provided to obtain it at the discounted price of $65. The two Tanakh Cards are approximately $20/each.  

Learn about the Certificate in Biblical Hebrew

Dr. Noam Cohen is a Jewish Studies scholar with a specialization in Hebrew Bible and ancient Semitic languages. Noam’s research focuses on gender and violence in ancient West Asia (the ancient Near East), and his doctoral dissertation (NYU) explored how and why spousal violence was portrayed in the Hebrew Bible and texts from Mesopotamia, ancient Syria and Turkey. Noam is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.