Illustrated figure raising both arms at sunset beside a palm tree and chickens, a donkey and rider in the distance

Hebrew Training Course

Client: Institute for Biblical Languages and Translation
Services: Illustration

Over 400 illustrations for a Hebrew translation training course, bringing simple Bible stories to life to help students learn the language.

Bible Story Illustrations

Illustrated Bible story scene of an elderly, white bearded man resting against a stack of pottery jars while two other men talk nearby — One of the simple, everyday scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a girl celebrating outside a stone doorway at sunset, arms raised, as a rider on a donkey approaches in the distance — A family reunion scene, illustrated at sunset.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a man striding after a fleeing child, holding a wooden staff, as a golden cloth blows away in the wind behind him — A larger scale story scene, illustrated with the same everyday style.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of a caravan of laden camels entering a walled city through its gate — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a donkey lying collapsed on sandy desert ground — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of two horses at night, with a figure carrying a torch — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a family travelling by ox cart in daylight, children waving, camels alongside — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a desert camp at sunset, with camels, a tent and a palm tree — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of chariots and soldiers advancing — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of a huge crowd gathered below a city wall — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of three robed figures standing in conversation — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of a small figure standing before large open city gates — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of two armoured kings exchanging a scroll — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a shepherd confronting a wolf standing over a fallen sheep — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of two kings riding together in a horse drawn chariot — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a man hurling a spear at a wolf at night — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of soldiers surrounding a walled city — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a man asleep against a tree trunk — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of two figures tending a fire at an altar — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a building on fire, smoke rising — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a family opening city gates to greet an approaching crowd — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of soldiers and chariots at the edge of a river — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene of soldiers and chariot wheels submerged in water — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of a king presenting stone tablets to a kneeling priest — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of a shepherd boy with a ram on a rocky outcrop — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of soldiers and chariots at a river crossing — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of an eagle above a seated elderly man — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene of two figures working a field, one carrying a large stone — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in line art, of an elderly man climbing a slope with a staff — A line art scene from the same illustrated set.

Illustrated Bible story scene, in silhouette, of two warriors clashing swords — One of the illustrated scenes used to teach vocabulary from the stories.

The Brief

The Institute for Biblical Languages and Translation, working with the 4.2.20 Foundation, runs a course that brings students from all over the world to Israel to learn to translate the Bible from its original Hebrew. Cumi was asked to create over 400 illustrations for the course, bringing to life the simple biblical and non biblical stories used to teach particular words and phrases, some as small as a man and his money, others as large as kings leading armies to war.

What Cumi Created

We developed a style that was fun but not overworked, so the illustrations could be produced at the scale the course needed within its budget, a family walking home together carrying water, firewood and a fresh cut branch; an elderly man resting against a stack of pottery jars while two others talk nearby; a girl celebrating outside a stone doorway as a rider approaches on a donkey at sunset; a man striding after a fleeing child as a golden cloth blows away behind him. As always, once the drawing starts it's hard to stop; the stories kept pulling more illustrations out of us than the budget accounted for.

Credits

Illustration: Cumi
Client: Institute for Biblical Languages and Translation
Partner: 4.2.20 Foundation