Key Bible and Theological Reference Tools: Lexicons

This post is a re-blog of my post at Rolfing Unshelved.

This post is part of a series entitled Key Bible and Theological Reference Tools. This series seeks to provide one with an introduction to some key Biblical and theological reference tools. In this series one will find basic explanations, significant examples, and other information about these reference tools.

Basic Description of Lexicon

A Biblical lexicon is a reference tool that provides meanings, semantic ranges, and significant uses of Biblical words in their original language. This data is organized according to an inventory of lexemes (i.e., a meaningful linguistic unit). Lexicons are particularly helpful in word studies.

Key Old Testament (Hebrew) Lexicons

The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT) – Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner

The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (BDB) – F. Brown; S. Driver; C. Briggs

Key New Testament (Greek) Lexicon

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG) – Frederick William Danker; Walter Bauer

TDOT & TDNT

Although not lexicons, these resources are primarily useful for conducting word studies. They provide background information and theological reflection on Biblical Hebrew and Greek words.

Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament – G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament – Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich