Robert Holmstedt

1. Academic Position

University of Toronto

2010 – , Associate Professor, Ancient Hebrew and Northwest Semitic Languages, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations

2005 – 2010, Assistant Professor, Ancient Hebrew and Northwest Semitic Languages, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilization

2009 – 2010 , Hebrew Language Coordinator, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations

2. Education

2002 Ph.D., Hebrew and Semitic Studies, University of Wisconsin – Madison

2001-2002 Rothberg School (Modern Hebrew) and (observer) the Institute for Advanced Studies (Northwest Semitic Philology), Hebrew University in Jerusalem

1997 M.A., Hebrew and Semitic Studies, University of Wisconsin – Madison

1995 B.A. (cum laude), Biblical and Theological Studies, Wheaton College

3. Research Interests

Ancient Hebrew and Northwest Semitic Languages

Comparative and Historical Semitic Linguistics

Generative Linguistics

Hebrew Bible (myth and wisdom literature)

4. Publications

a. Ph.D. Thesis.

2002. The Relative Clause in Biblical Hebrew: A Linguistic Analysis. (Download PDF file)

b. Books

2010. The Book of Ruth.The Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press.

Forthcoming. Linguistic Studies in Phoenician Grammar. (Co-edited with Aaron Schade). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

In preparation. The Relative Clause in Ancient Hebrew(tentative title). Linguistic Studies in Ancient West Semitic. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

In preparation. Biblical Hebrew: An Illustrated Introduction. (With John A. Cook.)

In preparation. Biblical Hebrew: An Illustrated Reader. (With John A. Cook.)

In Preparation. Phoenician and Punic Epigraphs. (With Philip C. Schmitz.)

In Preparation. An Introduction to Phoenician and Punic. (With Philip C. Schmitz.)

In Preparation. The Book of Esther. The Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press. (With John Screnock.)

In Preparation. The Book of Ecclesiastes. The Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press. (With John A. Cook.)

b. Book Chapters

Forthcoming. Historical Linguistics and Biblical Hebrew Syntax: A Study in Method. In Diachrony in Biblical Hebrew, ed. Ziony Zevit and Cynthia Miller-Naudé. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. (Download PDF draft)

Forthcoming. The Grammar of שׁ and אשׁר in Qohelet. In Fresh Perspectives on Qohelet, ed. Mark Boda, Tremper Longman, and Cristian Rata. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. (Download PDF draft)

Forthcoming. The Syntax and Pragmatics of Subject Pronouns in Phoenician. In Linguistic Studies in Phoenician Grammar, ed. Robert Holmstedt and Aaron Schade. Winona, Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. (Download PDF draft)

Forthcoming. Wolf, Herbert M. (rev. Robert D. Holmstedt). 1-2 Samuel. In The Evangelical One-Volume Commentary on the Bible. Rev. ed. Ed. Andrew E. Hill and Gary M. Burge. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

2005. Word Order in the Book of Proverbs. Pp. 135-54 in Seeking out the Wisdom of the Ancients: Essays Offered to Honor Michael V. Fox on the Occasion of His Sixty-Fifth Birthday, ed. R.L. Troxel, K.G. Friebel, and D.R. Magary; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. (buy the book; download PDF file)

c. Journal Articles

2011. The Typological Classifications of the Hebrew of Genesis: Subject-Verb or Verb-Subject? The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 11(14):1-39. (Download from journal)

2009. אני ולבי: The Syntactic Encoding of the Collaborative Nature of Qohelet’s Experiment. Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 9(19):1-26. (Download from journal)

2009. So-Called First-Conjunct Agreement in Biblical Hebrew. Pp. 105-29 in Afroasiatic Studies in Memory of Robert Hetzron: Proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of the North American Conference on Afroasiatic Linguistics (NACAL 35), ed. C. Häberl. Newcastle on Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars. (Download PDF file)

2009. Word Order and Information Structure in Ruth and Jonah: A Generative-Typological Analysis. Journal of Semitic Studies 54(1):111-39. (JSS website; Download PDF file)

2008. The Relative Clause in Canaanite Epigraphic Texts. Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 34(2):1-34. (JNSL website; Download PDF file)

2008. The Restrictive Syntax of Genesis i.1.Vetus Testamentum 58(1):56-67. (VT website; Download PDF file)

2007. The Etymologies of Hebrew ’ăšer and šeC-. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 66(3):177-91. (JNES website; Download PDF file)

2006. The Story of Ancient Hebrew אשׁר. Ancient Near Eastern Studies 43:9-28. (ANES website; Download PDF file)

2006. Issues in the Linguistic Analysis of a Dead Language, with Particular Reference to Ancient Hebrew. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 6(11):1-21. (Download from journal)

2003. Habakkuk 3:16—Where Did the אשׁר Go? Hebrew Studies 44:129-38. (Download PDF file)

2001. Headlessness and Extraposition: Another Look at the Syntax of אשׁר. Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 27(1):1-16. (JNSL website; download PDF file)

2000. The Phonology of Classical Hebrew: A Linguistic Study of Long Vowels and Syllable Structure. Zeitschrift fur Althebraistik 13(2):145-56. (Download PDF file)

d. Review Articles

2003. Adjusting Our Focus (review of Katsuomi Shimasaki, Focus Structure in Biblical Hebrew: A Study of Word Order and Information Structure). Hebrew Studies 44: 203-15. (Download PDF file)

e. Reviews

2011. Review of A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature, by Joseph A. Fitzmyer (Eerdmans, 2008). Dead Sea Discoveries 18(1):91-92. (Download PDF file)

2011. Review of What are the Dead Sea Scrolls and Why Do They Matter?, by David Noel Freedman and Pam Fox Kuhlken (Eerdmans, 2007). Dead Sea Discoveries 18(1):92. (Download PDF file)

2011. Review of The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Short History, by Weston W. Fields (Brill, 2006). Dead Sea Discoveries 18(1):93-94. (Download PDF file)

2010. Review of Alan S. Kaye, ed., Morphologies of Africa and Asia (2 Volumes). Review of Biblical Literature. (Download from journal)

2009. Review ofWilliams’; Hebrew Syntax. Third Edition Revised and expanded by John C. Beckman. University of Toronto Quarterly’s ‘Letters in Canada’ 78/1:156-58.  (UTQ website; Download PDF file)

2009. Review ofWord Order Variation in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, by Nicholas Lunn. Journal of Semitic Studies 54(1):283-85. (JSS website; Download PDF file)

2008. Review ofAncient Place Names in the Holy Land: Preservation and History, by Yoel Elitzur. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 67(4):307-308. (JNES website; Download PDF file)

2008. Review of William Schniedewind and Joel Hunt,A Primer on Ugaritic Language, Culture, and Literature. Review of Biblical Literature. (Download from journal)

2008. Review of The Cambridge Biblical Hebrew Workbook: Introductory Level by Nava Bergman. Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 8. (Download from journal)

2006. Review of Verb Movement in Biblical Aramaic, by Adriaan Lamprecht.Hebrew Studies 47:436-39. (Download PDF file)

2006. Review of Reading Hebrew: The Language and Psychology of Reading It, by Joseph Shimron. The Linguist List (Download from journal)

5. Conference Papers and Invited Lectures

2011. The Nexus between Text Criticism and Linguistics: A Case Study from Leviticus. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, Fredericton, NB, May 30.

2010. The Holmstedt-Abegg Syntactic Database of Ancient Hebrew: Underlying Principles. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, November 21.

2010. Understanding and Using the New Syntax Searching Capabilities in Accordance 9. Paper presened at the Accordance User’s Conference, Dallas, September 25.

2009. Historical Linguistics and Biblical Hebrew Syntax: A Study in Method. Paper presented in the National Association of Professors of Hebrew meeting (in conjunction with SBL), New Orleans, November 22. (revised and forthcoming in Zevit and Miller-Naudé)

2009. ‘Tripartite Nominal Clause’ or Pronominal Copula? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, New Orleans, November 22. (under revision)

2009. Dating the Language of the Book of Ruth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies. Ottawa, May 23. (Download PDF draft)

2008. The Syntax and Pragmatics of Pronouns in Northwest Semitic Epigraphic Texts, ca. 1000-500 B.C.E. Paper presented at the annual meeting of SBL. San Diego, Nov. 22. (revised and forthcoming in Holmstedt and Schade)

2008. Explorations in Linguistics and Biblical Studies: Pronoun Problems. Lecture delivered in the Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame, March 11.

2007. Pronominal Syntax in the Book of Qoheleth. Paper presented at the Association of Jewish Studies Annual Meeting. Toronto, Dec. 17. (revised and published in JHS)

2007. The Relative Clause in Northwest Semitic Epigraphic Texts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of SBL. San Diego, Nov. 18. (revised and published in JNSL)

2007. The Ancient Hebrew Relative Clause in Typological Context. Paper presented at the annual meeting of SBL. San Diego, Nov. 18.

2007. Agreement Issues in Biblical Hebrew. Paper presented at the 35th North American Conference on Afroasiatic Linguistics. San Antonio, March 16. (published in NACAL 35 proceedings, ed. C. Häberl)

2006. The Distribution of אשׁר and שׁ in Qoheleth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of SBL. Washington, D.C., Nov. 19. (revised and f.c. in Boda, Longman, and Rata)

2006. The Restrictive Syntax of Genesis 1.1. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies. Toronto, May 28. (revised and published in VT)

2006. ʾăšer and šeC-: Are They Related or Not? Paper presented at the 34th North American Conference on Afroasiatic Linguistics. Seattle, March 17. (revised and published in JNES)

2005. What Linguistics Has to Offer Ancient Hebrew Studies (and What it Doesn’t). Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association of Jewish Studies. Washington, D.C., Dec. 19. (revised and published in JHS)

2005. Topic and Focus in Biblical Hebrew if it is an SV Language. Paper presented at the annual meeting of SBL. Philadelphia, Nov. 20. (revised and published in JSS)

2004. The Diachronics of אשׁר. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of SBL. San Antonio, Nov. 21. (revised and published in ANES)

2003. Word Order and Information Structure in Proverbs. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of SBL. Atlanta, Nov. 24. (revised and published in Fox FS)

2002. Resumption in Biblical Hebrew Relative Clauses. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of SBL. Toronto, Nov. 21.

2002. Resumption in Biblical Hebrew Relative Clauses. Linguistics Seminar, Department of English, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Apr. 6.

2002. Resumption and Restrictiveness in Biblical Hebrew Relative Clauses. Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, Jan. 10.

2001. Is Biblical Hebrew a VS or SV Language? Paper presented at the Annual meeting of SBL. Denver, Nov. 19.

2001. Invited Lecturer, The Biblical Hebrew Relative Clause. Advanced Hebrew Grammar Seminar, Dept. of Hebrew and Semitic Studies, Univ. of Wisconsin, Feb. 5.

2000. אשׁר: A Generative Syntactic (Re-) Analysis. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of SBL. Nashville, Nov. 20. (revised and published in JNSL)

2000. Dislocation and Topicalization in Biblical Hebrew: A Generative Syntactic-Pragmatic Analysis. Paper presented at the Midwest meeting of SBL. Chicago, Feb. 14.