Greek and Hebrew reccomendations

Keener's Background Commentary of the NT is a good resource, too.

Mark Barnes said:

In the NT, your best bet is the Louw-Nida lexicon. In the reverse interlinears each word is keyed to a Louw-Nida number. For many words the Louw-Nida lexicon has several definitions, depending on context. Each 'context' (semantic meaning) is given a different number. So when you click on a Louw-Nida number in a reverse interlinear these numbers will take you to the definition of the word that the Logos editors believe best fits this context.

Unfortunately there's no equivalent of Louw-Nida in the OT. All you can do in that case is search your Hebrew lexicons for the Bible verse you are examining, and hope that one of them uses it as an example. Picking a word/verse entirely at random, I would construct the search like the screenshot below. Note I'm including both the manuscript and lemma form of the Hebrew word.

You could also fire up L3 and use the reference browser to find any entries for the passage in BDAG.  When it appears in the entry for the word you are interested in, that is the place to look.  Frankly, I rarely ever use Louw-Nida since BDAG if far superior.  (BTW:  you could also do that search in L4 with the "cited in" function, but I find it easier in L3).

There is a resource for the OT using semantic domains (2 actually):  Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains:  Hebrew and Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains:  Aramaic.  I still prefer BDB and Köhler-Baumgartner just as I prefer BDAG over Louw-Nida.  Köhler-Baumgartner provides the latest information, but BDB is still very useful (at times even preferable).

You might find THE LEXHAM ANALYTICAL LEXICON TO THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT useful for the Greek side of things. If I have understood your requirements correctly then I think it does what you need. It's also tied in the the Louw-Nida numbers. But I may have misunderstood what you need.

To be honest with you, I doubt any one resource for Greek & Hebrew is really enough. I'm much more of a student of Greek than Hebrew, and the resources I use for word definitions are, in my order preference:

• Liddell & Scott's Lexicon (unabridged)
• BDAG
• Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Spiqc) - but be aware this only covers a subset of Greek words. When it has an entry, though, it's worth reading
• VOCABULARY OF THE GREEK TESTAMENT by Moulton and Milligan
• Louw-Nida

In general, this preference order reflects my desire for 'theologically agnostic' works (if there be such a thing) where interpretation is not factored into the word definitions. Additionally, the first four draw on definitions from outside of the NT, which helps me to see how the people in general were using these words at the time that the NT was penned. As the NT is a comparatively tiny body of work compared to the secular Greek of the time, these definitions help to prevent circular reasonings or just listing of how these words are typically translated...

That's my approach, anyhow.

TimEngwer said:

John Fugh, Jr. said:

Keener's Background Commentary of the NT is a good resource, too.

I looked this up on Logos but can't find it.  Is that the exact title?

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary : New Testament. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

michael.aubrey@logos.com said:

George Somsel said:

It doesn't seem to be in Logos (which seems strange since it is from IVP).  http://www.amazon.com/IVP-Bible-Background-Commentary-Testament/dp/0830814051/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274735709&sr=1-1

http://www.logos.com/products/details/1516

I just noted that you apparently now work for Logos.  Good for you.

michael.aubrey@logos.com said:

I just started a couple weeks ago -- I'm doing prepubs (after spending quite a bit of time doing contract work on the LXX interlinear... if you can forgive it)

I think that is the unforgiveable sin.   [;)] Congratulations anyway. 

below is an example of how the UBS Handbook helps me where the dictionaries I have didn't:  re 

USB Handbook:

 Romans 5:4.

The word rendered God’s approval is a relatively rare term and is used in the New Testament in only three other places (2 Corinthians 2:9; 9:13; Philippians 2:22). This word is related to the verb used in 2:18, and it describes something that is put to the test and then is approved if it passes the test (see NEB “proof that we have stood the test”). In the present context both testing and approval are involved, and it is God who makes the judgment. For that reason it is proper to make the meaning of the term explicit, as God’s approval. It is also possible to take this word in the sense of that which receives approval, in this context one’s character (so RSV, Goodspeed, Moffatt). On the meaning of hope, see verse 2.

The relation between endurance and God’s approval is likewise one of cause and effect. It may be rendered in some languages as “because we are better in enduring, God approves of us” or “God approves of us because we have learned how to endure.” The same relation of cause and effect is to be found in the connection between his approval and hope. Therefore one may translate: “because he approves of us, we have hope.” In some cases, however, one must make explicit certain components of approval—for example, “because God has tested us and seen that we are fit.”

It's worth saving for.  Maybe get it in 2 stages, OT then NT, or vice versa.  I don't have Scholars base pack as it's full of material I can't see myself using.  So I spend my money on the sort of commentaries that help me.  I don't need those that go into a vast apparatus criticus.  Tho I've invested in a couple of books on textual criticism.  We weren't taught about that when I did my theology degree, and it will be good to know something about it, particularly as I work among Muslims, many of whom claim we have changed the Bible.  If they want to know, I open my NT at random and show them that the variants are small and don't affect the main message of the Bible.  (Bible scholars, don't throw up your hands in horror at an oversimplification!)

Todd Phillips said:

TimEngwer said:

The UBS series looks really good but unfortunately it's out of my price range right now.

If you decide that you want them in the future, I would suggest that you don't buy them alone--the UBS Handbooks are part of the Scholars Gold package.  Since you already have Scholars Silver, the cost to upgrade to Scholars Gold should be much less than buying the UBS handbooks alone.  Plus you'll also get the NIGTC commentaries.

I think Todd has given you good advice here.  If I were to upgrade to Gold it would cost me $450.  If I were to buy the two sets of handbooks it would cost me about $400 APIECE.  Of course, I would need to get them to give me a discount if I'm required to take the interlinears.  Also, the handbooks are about the only things in the upgrade that I don't have but might desire.

Steven Runge said:

Look for the OT version of the discourse resource to pop up on prepub some time in the next couple week.

Cool!

What about a Discourse Grammar of the Hebrew Old Testament: A Practical Introduction for Teaching and Exegesis (and translation)? Would that be your next project?