Shalom, my name is Jeff A. Benner. My wife Denise and I have five children, four boys and one girl. Three of our boys are still at home and are homeschooled as well. My wife and I were born and raised in California but now reside in Mississippi. On a part time basis I work as an Engineer for a company based in Chicago but travel to nuclear power plant around the country. When not working as an Engineer, I work at home, building our home on two acres, and doing my research into the Ancient Hebrew language of the Bible.

While being raised in a Christian home, the son of a Lutheran minister, I have always had an interest in the Bible, but never seriously studied it. That is until the early 1990's when I first acquired a thirst to study the Bible for myself. Every available moment was spent studying various aspects of the Bible. During the process I purchased a Concordance to my Bible and for the first time was able to see the Hebrew and Greek words behind the translations.

It didn't take me long to discover that the translations I had been using were not a literal word for word translation of the original texts. In fact, I found that the translators were not concerned with a consistent translation of the words. As an example, I found that the Hebrew word nephesh was translated with many "very" different English words including, soul, life, person, mind, heart, creature, body, dead, desire, man, appetite, lust, thing, self, beast, pleasure, ghost, breath and will.

Using any concordance, you can find that the Hebrew word hhayah is also translated with a wide variety of English words including, live, life, beast, alive, creature, running, living, raw, springing, old, quick, lifetime, troop, appetite, lively, congregation, company and maintenance.

Because of the inconsistent manner in which the Bible has been translated, improper interpretations have been made. As an example, in Genesis 1:24 we read, in most translations, "And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind." Now compare that with Genesis 2:7 where we read "and the man became a living soul". I have often heard it debated that only man has a soul but not animals. This theological assumption can be supported by with these two verses, but not in the original Hebrew text. The phrase "living creature" from the first verse, and "living soul" in the second verse are identical in Hebrew - nephesh hhayah. If this phrase was translated the same way in both verses the theological idea that only man has a soul (nephesh) would never have occured.

I asked myself, "If one wishes to do a serious study of the Bible, how is one to sort through this conglomeration of word translations?" I realized that there was only one answer to this question, I needed to learn the original language for myself so that I did not have to rely on the translators opinions of what the text meant.

My first introduction to Hebrew came through a "Learn the Hebrew alphabet" course that was being offered at a local synagogue. Through this course, I came to acquire a deep interest in the Hebrew language and continued my studies in learning this fascinating language. In addition to the language, I found myself studying the Hebrew and Jewish cultures of the Bible as I found that the language and culture were closely tied together.

In 1999 my wife and I created the "Ancient Hebrew Research Center" as a means of teaching the Ancient Hebrew alphabet, language and culture of the Bible. With the vast amount information that I had collected, sifted through, and compiled on the original Hebrew language of the Bible, I published my first major work in the Ancient Hebrew language in 2005, the "Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible."

With the completion of the Lexicon, it was decided that a new translation of the Hebrew Bible was needed which used the Lexicon as its foundation. Work then began on the "Mechanical Translation of the Book of Genesis" which was published in 2007.

• Compose and publish the monthly "Biblical Hebrew E-Magazine." (2004 to present)
• Author various articles on Biblical Hebrew (1999 to present)
• Ancient Hebrew Research Center Administrator (1999 to present)

• Learn to Read Biblical Hebrew-Volume 2 (2011)
• Genesis, Zen and Quantum Physics (2011)
• New Testament Greek to Hebrew Dictionary (2011)
• Ancient Hebrew Torah (2010)
• Ancient Hebrew Dictionary (2009)
• A Mechanical Translation of the book Exodus (2009)
• A Mechanical Translation of the book Genesis (2007)
• Hebrew Text and Lexicon of Genesis (2007)
• The Living Words, Volume 1 (2008)
• His Name is One (2003)
• The Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet (2004)
• Learn to Read Biblical Hebrew (2004)
• Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible (2005)

• A History of Hebrew (2011)
• An Introduction to Ancient Hebrew (2009)
• The Four Stages of Biblical Transmission (2009)
• The Semitic Origins of the New Testament (2009)
• The Ark of the Covenant (2009)
• The Aaronic Blessing (2009)
• Genesis Chapter One (2009)

• Ancient Hebrew Seminar: Surrey, BC(2010)
• Ancient Hebrew Seminar: Vancouver, Wa(2010)
• Ancient Hebrew Seminar: Glenwod Springs, Co(2009)
• Restoration Conference: Portland, Or (2008)
• Kol Korey B'midvar Congregation: Covington, La (2007)
• Shasta Messianic Fellowship: Yreka, Ca. (2007)
• Shema Emet Congregation: Eagle Point, Or (2007)
• Colonial Messianic Israel Assembly: Redding, Ca (2007)
• Havurah Synagogyue: Ashland, Or (2007)
• Olive Tree Messianic Fellowship: Chico, Ca (2007)
• St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church: Camp Verde, Az (2007)
• Shomer Torah Congregation: Livingston, Tx (2006)
• Word of Salvation Hebraic Congregation: Hartville, Oh (2006)
• My Father's House Ministries: Miami, Fl (2006)
• Hebraic Eyes Ministry: Charlotte, NC (2006)
• Benai El Chay: Bellvue, Ne (2005)

• Adjunct Professor - Georgetown Wesleyan University of the Americas (2008 to present)
• On-line teaching - Proper Biblical Interpretation through Hebrew thought (2004 to present)
• On-line teaching - How to read Biblical Hebrew (2004 to present)
• Beyt Hakadosh Congregation, Pa (2000 to 2004)

• The Exodus Conspiracy: Consulting on specific artifacts and documentary facts, which is scheduled to air in 2011. (2010)
• National Geographic: Produced a column of first century Hebrew text from the book of Revelation to be used in the National Geographic Channel special "Secrets of the Book of Revelation" which aired in June, 2007. (2006)

• Honorary Doctor of Ministry degree in Hebrew Language Studies, Georgetown Wesleyan University of the Americas (2008)

• Transco Products Inc: Project Manager, Field Engineer, Quality Control Inspector (1999 to present)
• Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant: Fire Captain, Fire Protection Specialist (1991 to 1999)
• California Dept. of Forestry: Firefighter (1987 to 1991)