Decoding Biblical Language and Culture with Jeff A. Benner

Welcome to Grafted: Jewish Roots of Christianity! Host Stephanie Pavlantos interviews researcher, author, and Biblical Hebrew instructor Jeff Benner. Jeff is the founder of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center and the membership site Excavating the Bible, which offers tiered masterclasses from “Bible reader” to “Bible translator.” Benner argues the Bible is best understood through the language and concrete worldview of its Hebrew authors and says translations often “pave over” Hebraic nuance. He gives examples: tikva as “rope/hope,” nefesh as “creature/soul,” and a Hebrew term rendered “for” that he says literally means “under/in place of,” affecting “life for life.” He discusses word origins, gendered nouns, and re-readings of the Aaronic blessing, “name” as character, and “image” as shadow. Benner recounts lesser-known Dead Sea Scrolls history, access controversies, and how the scrolls confirm textual stability while restoring missing material such as an acrostic verse in Psalm 145. Jeff's Links The Ancient Hebrew Research Center Excavating the Bible Jeff A. Benner - YouTube Facebook Stephanie's Links Discovering Our Hebrew Roots | Facebook stephanie🐾 (@stephanie_dianne) | TikTok Stephanie Pavlantos – YouTube