Large Language Models and Biblical Hebrew: Limitations, pitfalls, opportunities

HIPHIL Novum, vol. 9, pp. 46–55

Abstract

Researchers have been relying on computational methods to study Biblical Hebrew for a long time already. The recent improvements to and easy availability of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT prompt the question whether these models can be useful for our work as well. This paper tempers the expectations, showing that a critical analysis of earlier work exposes fundamental issues with methods involving GPT. However, depending on the task at hand a way forward with machine learning methods is possible, once we are aware of the limitations.

Authors 1

1. Camil Staps corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University · Radboud University Nijmegen

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University / Radboud University Nijmegen