Reading Greek with Jonah

Reading Greek with Jonah gives beginners the opportunity to engage directly with a work of ancient literature in their first year of Greek. It takes as its subject and parameters the Septuagint translation of the book of Jonah, using a core vocabulary of fewer than three hundred words and introducing grammar and syntax through readings quoted or adapted from Jonah and other books of the Greek Bible.

The foundational grammar of Ancient Greek is presented in traditional terms, but in an original sequence intended to minimize difficulties in learning new word forms and grammatical concepts. No prior knowledge of Greek is assumed. The principles of verb conjugation, noun declension, and tense formation are illustrated through sentences and short readings of gradually increasing complexity. Repetition of vocabulary an-Coud sentence structures throughout the lessons aids in building memory and comprehension.

Once they have encountered the essential grammar and vocabulary, students can read the book of Jonah with the help of the included lexicon and notes on advanced grammatical topics. An anthology of forty passages from the Septuagint and the New Testament provides opportunities for further reading and additional context for the language and themes of Jonah.

Suitable for classroom use or for independent study, Reading Greek with Jonah may serve as a standalone Greek course or as the first in a sequence, to be followed by additional grammar study or an intermediate reader in Koine, Attic, or Homeric Greek.

Joseph McDonough has taught Latin and Greek at the high school level for twenty years. He currently teaches at Deerfield Academy.