(Heinrich Friedrich) Wilhelm Gesenius, 1786–1842

Wilhelm Gesenius was a German Orientalist and Bible scholar whose comprehensive knowledge of Hebrew and desire to open Semitic to scientific study aroused controversy.  After studying philosophy and theology at the University of Helmstadt, he became increasingly convinced of the necessity of approaching the Hebrew Bible with the same critically-accepted techniques that were applied to any other text.  This view, as well as his moderately rationalistic biblical commentary, led him to be opposed by conservative Christians.  His most famous works are Hebräische Grammatik (1813) and Neues hebräisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch über die Schriften des Alten und Neuen Testaments (1815).