Parent guide · Grade 2 Biblical Hebrew · Unit 4
Lesson 4.2 First Words
Written for the parent. The Read aloud parts are written to your child; read them as they are. Do this parts are for you. Answers for you are marked Listen for.
At a glance
- Time
- 3 sessions of 15–20 minutes
- Goal
- Read family words: אָב, בֵּן, בַּת, אָח. Read two-syllable words with ah and eh vowels. Read Proverbs 10:1 in Hebrew (three words).
- You need
- Paper
- Crayons
- Photos (optional)
- A sketchbook or plain paper, and crayons
- A King James Bible
- Worksheet A · the lesson page (it also has a short video (8:41))
Steps
Do this together: Who is in your family? Name everyone: father, mother, brothers, sisters. Today you will read the Hebrew words for some of them, the same words used in the stories of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph.
Read aloud: The story. King Solomon, the wisest king, wrote many proverbs, short wise sayings. One of the first says: A wise son maketh a glad father. In Hebrew: בֵּן חָכָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָב, ben chakham yesammach av. A child who listens and learns brings joy to his parents and to God.
Read aloud: How to read. Read beat by beat. אָח: ah + kh = AHKH. חָכָם: khah + khahm = khah-KHAHM. בַּת: bah + t = BAHT. In two-beat words, Hebrew usually leans on the last beat.
Read aloud: Practice. Read the family words, then the proverb’s three words: ben, chakham, … av. The middle word, yesammach, has vowels you will learn next year; your parent can read it to you.
Do this: Say each word clearly; your child says it back twice. Point to a picture or the real thing when you can.
- בֵּן (ben) [BAYN]: son
- בַּת (bat) [BAHT]: daughter
- אָח (ach) [AHKH]: brother
- חָכָם (chakham) [khah-KHAHM]: wise
Show: Read: חָכָם
Say this: “chet + qamets = khah.”
Say this: “kaf without a dot + qamets = khah.”
Say this: “end-mem = m.”
Answer: khah-KHAHM (wise).
Show: Read: אָח
Say this: “alef + qamets = ah.”
Say this: “chet at the end = kh.”
Answer: AHKH (brother).
Do this: Ask out loud. Let your child try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: Read and translate: אָב
Listen for: av, father.
Ask: Read and translate: בַּת
Listen for: bat, daughter.
Ask: Read and translate: בֵּן
Listen for: ben, son.
3 more on the lesson page.
Read aloud: Make a little family tree with Hebrew labels.
Steps:
- Draw a tree with branches.
- Draw or paste your family on the branches.
- Label father אָב, son בֵּן, daughter בַּת, brother אָח.
- Read every label aloud.
Tips for you:
- Copy the vowels carefully under each letter.
Done when your child can say:
- My tree has at least four Hebrew labels.
- I can read them.
Do this: Your child picks one or more; you write the date.
- Copy and read: אָב, בֵּן, בַּת, אָח, חָכָם, and draw each.
Read aloud: Hebrew names often contain these words: Benjamin means son of the right hand, Abraham means father of many, and Bathsheba means daughter of an oath.
- Reading kaf without a dot as k. Without the dot it is kh: khah-KHAHM.
- Stressing the first beat. Hebrew usually leans on the last.
The parent points to a family member (or a photo). Find the right Hebrew card: אָב, בֵּן, בַּת or אָח, and read it.
Say this: “Tell me what you learned today.”
Listen for: Read family words: אָב, בֵּן, בַּת, אָח.; Read two-syllable words with ah and eh vowels.; Read Proverbs 10:1 in Hebrew (three words).
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
In Hebrew, from the Leningrad Codex: <span class="heb-block" lang="he" dir="rtl">בֵּן חָכָם יְשַׂמַּח־אָב</span> This is one of Solomon’s first proverbs. Read ben (son) and chakham (wise), and find av (father) at the end of the quote.
Spread over the week
3 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.
- Session 1. Warm-up, then read and teach the new idea and the new words. Show how.
- Session 2. Practice together, then start the project. Finish the project, then the sketchbook.
- Session 3. Narration, the game and the Scripture.