The Hebrew Bible and Its Interpretation

Hebrew Bible and Its Interpretation is dedicated to the study of the Hebrew Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern contexts and the history of its interpretation in ancient, medieval, and contemporary interpretive modalities. It encompasses the history of ancient Israel and Judah; archaeology, history and the languages and literatures of the Ancient Near East; the study of ancient and medieval Jewish exegesis; and the full range of modern historical-critical methodologies and modern literary theories.

Bible offers an undergraduate major, a master’s program, and two doctoral programs, the PhD and

DHL degrees. Bible is also a significant area of study for students in the JTS Rabbinical School, Cantorial School, and Davidson School. Bible faculty serve as mentors and instructors for students enrolled across these various schools and programs.

Core Faculty

  • Alan Cooper, Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies, Bible
  • Robert Harris, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages
  • Amy Kalmanofsky, Blanche and Romie Shapiro Professor, Bible, Dean of List College and the Kekst Graduate School
  • Yael Landman, Assistant Professor of Bible
  • Benjamin D. Sommer, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages

Associated Instructors

  • Stephen P. Garfinkel, Emeritus Professor of Hebrew Bible and its Interpretation
  • David Marcus, Professor Emeritus of Bible and Masorah
  • Stephen A. Geller, Irma Cameron Milstein Professor Emeritus in Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages
  • David Moster, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Bible
  • Steven Fassberg, Adjunct Professor, Hebrew University Caspar Levias Chair in Ancient Semitic Languages
  • Miriam Feldmann Kaye, Adjunct Associate Professor, Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Jewish Studies  

Bachelor of Arts

The undergraduate program in Bible features the study of Bible in its ancient Near Eastern setting using a variety of historical critical methodologies and incorporating the history of its exegesis.

Undergraduate Learning Outcomes

By graduation, Bible majors will be able to…

  1. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the structure, content, and themes of the Hebrew Bible.
  2. Apply a range of technical skills to interpreting biblical texts, including through demonstrating familiarity with critical scholarship relating to the texts and composition of the Hebrew Bible.
  3. Demonstrate a core understanding of the ancient Near Eastern context in which biblical literature was composed.
  4. Read Biblical Hebrew, following the narrative of Genesis through Kings without significant use of a biblical lexicon.
  5. Write expository essays that have clear structure, composition, and consistent citational style, and that incorporate primary and/or secondary sources to develop the argument of the essay.

BA Major Requirements for Bible Majors

The BA degree requires 30 credits (generally 10 courses) towards the major, beyond the core curriculum requirements. Courses are chosen in consultation with the major advisor. Students may apply to write a senior thesis, completed through the year-long List College Thesis Seminar; if accepted, the thesis fulfills the final requirement of the major. Course requirements are distributed as follows:

  • BIB 5560: Biblical Grammar (3 credits)
  • BIB 3009: Historical Critical Methodologies (3 credits)
  • One course (3 credits) covering all or part of the Torah and appropriate secondary literature
  • One course (3 credits) covering all or part of the Nevi’im and appropriate secondary literature
  • One course (3 credits) covering all or part of the Ketuvim and appropriate secondary literature
  • One course (3 credits) on Rabbinic Exegesis/Parshanut (e.g., Miqra’ot Gedolot, Pentateuch with Rashi)
  • Three courses (9 credits) of Bible electives chosen in consultation with the major advisor
  • One course (3 credits) senior seminar, senior thesis or an upper level elective in Bible

Master of Arts

The MA degree in Hebrew Bible, administered through the Gershon Kekst Graduate School, consists of 30 credits and is designed to be completed within two years of full-time study. 

Master of Arts Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for the MA in Hebrew Bible build upon those for the BA, with the understanding that the BA outcomes are reinforced and mastered through the MA program.

Upon completion of the MA degree in Bible, students will be able to…

  1. Use a thorough understanding of the contents of the Hebrew Bible and the modern methodologies of its study to compose academic essays that make significant interpretations and well-evidenced arguments related to biblical texts
  2. Define the major modern historical-critical methodologies for studying the Hebrew Bible, including: text criticism, source criticism, form criticism, and literary criticism.
  3. Describe the impact of archaeology on the study of the Hebrew Bible.
  4. Relate the study of the Hebrew Bible to core Ancient Near Eastern cognate literature.
  5. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of Biblical Hebrew grammar, including a strong grasp of the core vocabulary of the Hebrew Bible.
    1. Students should be able to translate any prose passage 
    1. Students will be able to distinguish between prose and poetry, including through identifying the distinct syntax that characterizes each.
  6. Participate in professional academic and disciplinary events, developing proficiency in professional norms and discussions through regular attendance at Bible area lectures and lunch seminars and contributions to the annual Society of Biblical Literature conference.
  7. Utilize relevant software, search engines, bibliographic tools, and library resources to enhance their study.

Master of Arts Degree Requirements

Prerequisites

Students entering the program must meet the requirements for the Kekst Graduate School, including

Hebrew language proficiency. Any courses that a student must take in order to achieve the required Hebrew proficiency level may be taken while enrolled, but credits from these courses will not count towards the overall degree.

Courses

The MA requires 30 credits, including the core requirements of the Kekst Graduate School. The MA program is designed to be completed within 2 years of full-time study. The following courses are required:

  • MDS 5102: Classics of the Jewish Tradition or the equivalent (3 credits)
  • 7 courses (21 credits) in Bible, including one seminar
    • One course (3 credits) in medieval Biblical exegesis
    • One course (3 credits) of biblical Hebrew grammar
    • Two course (6 credits) of Hebrew Bible texts
    • One course (3 credits) with an emphasis on historical critical methodologies
  • Two courses (6 credits) of electives in Bible or related areas of study
    • RLC 5025: Introduction to Rabbinic Literature or an advanced course in rabbinic literatures commonly fills 3 credits of this requirement
    • Note that students who intend to pursue a doctorate in Bible should take most of these electives in Bible

To be awarded the MA degree, students complete these course requirements and must satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination, taken in the final semester of enrollment. 

MA Exams and Degree Completion

Students must complete an oral or written exam covering selected chapters in the Hebrew Bible and its academic study, developed in consultation with the MA advisor.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Through the PhD program, doctoral students refine their critical textual and content knowledge of the Bible and the culture of Ancient Israel and related civilizations. Students also advance their knowledge of the history of the reception of the Hebrew Bible in later cultures, and of its place in the development of Jewish culture as a whole. PhD graduates are prepared to hold academic appointments at the university level and to produce original scholarship in the field of biblical studies.

The PhD course of study is organized around two methodological approaches: Hebrew philology and another approach chosen by the student. As early as possible, a specialization will be selected from the following (with the guidance of a departmental advisor): anthropology, comparative law, comparative literature, hermeneutics (including traditional Jewish exegesis), historiography, linguistics (Hebrew/Semitic), literary criticism, religion/theology, Semitic philology, sociology, and textual criticism. 

Coursework provides training in the relevant methodological approaches, enabling students to pursue original analytic work and research in their area of interest for the dissertation. Following coursework, PhD students complete comprehensive examinations demonstrating their preparation for pursuing original research, then spend their final years in the program researching and writing a substantial piece of original scholarship while they also gain professional experience teaching Bible and actively participate in the academic life of the area and of the broader field. The PhD degree also includes thorough training in Semitic and other languages necessary for advanced philological, textual, and comparative study of the Hebrew Bible.

PhD Learning Outcomes

As with the MA, the PhD builds upon those outcomes defined for the BA and MA, which are understood to be mastered through the PhD. Furthermore, upon completion of the PhD program, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate advanced content knowledge of the Bible.
  2. Analyze the textual notes of Biblica Hebraica and of standard modern critical commentaries.
  3. Describe the major content and critical issues in all areas of Biblical Studies, including the history of the biblical text and Masoretica, biblical history and archaeology; law and institutions; major traditions and concepts of biblical religion (history of ideas and comparative religion); the reception of the Hebrew Bible (i.e. ancient and medieval rabbinic exegesis) and the history of the field.
  4. Author critical original scholarship in the field of Biblical Studies.
  5. Actively participate in academic debates and collegial activities with other scholars in the field.
  6. Use advanced Semitic language skills to evaluate existing scholarship that analyzes Akkadian, Aramaic, and Ugaritic texts and produce new scholarship that requires analysis of texts in these languages.
  7. Incorporate advanced knowledge and reading ability of the ancient versions of the Bible that were translated into Greek, Latin, and Aramaic into their research and teaching.
  8. Read and apply relevant scholarly literature in French, German, and Modern Hebrew.
  9. Effectively teach Bible and Biblical Studies at the university level.

PhD Degree Requirements

Prerequisite and Admissions Requirements

Students must have a master’s degree in Hebrew Bible or the equivalent prior to admittance. All students must demonstrate reading proficiency in German, Modern Hebrew, and one other modern research language.

Courses

In addition to courses required of all students in Gershon Kekst Graduate School, and a minimum of 30 credits beyond the MA (see above); the precise number of required courses will be assessed upon admission. Up to 12 credits (four courses) taken at the graduate level at another university may be counted toward this total. 

Depending on the proposed area of specialization, students will also be required to take ancient Semitic and/or classical languages necessary for their topic of study, determined in consultation with the doctoral advisor.

Required courses include:

  • Five courses in biblical texts (15 credits)
  • Two courses in biblical history, religion, or law (6 credits)
  • One course in medieval biblical exegesis (3 credits)

Note: Two of the above courses must be research seminars with major papers. The area coordinator can advise on which courses fulfill this requirement.

  • Two courses in biblical Hebrew or comparative Semitics (6 credits)
Comprehensive Examinations

The examinations proceed in two stages. First, a set of four oral examinations on Bible text, language, and content (beqi’ut): Torah, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, Writings. Each one is administered by a single faculty member. Students should be in contact with faculty members to determine a specific outline and contents requirement of the exam

For the remainder of the examinations, students must compose three essays on topics of their choosing, normally in the areas of biblical text criticism, history of Israel, and religion of Israel, respectively (the three areas are negotiable depending on the student’s specific interests). Following submission of these essays and assuming that they are deemed acceptable, there is a follow-up oral examination in which all associated Bible faculty may participate. The oral examination can include discussion/critique of the essays or range into other topics of the examiners’ choosing to test for general knowledge, probe potential areas of specialization, etc.

Dissertation

The dissertation should be a book-length monograph that offers an original contribution to the study of Bible and that applies the student’s selected discipline and any pertinent methodologies.

Following the completion of the comprehensive examinations, students complete a written proposal for their dissertation topic, in consultation with their advisor. 

At the onset or early in the process of proposing a dissertation, the faculty advisor creates a committee to supervise and ultimately judge the worthiness of the dissertation. This committee consists of five members: the dissertation advisor; a second reader; an additional faculty member of the JTS Bible faculty; a JTS faculty member outside of the Bible Department; an outside reader (if the second reader is either outside the Department or the Seminary faculty, an additional member of the Bible faculty will join the committee.

Upon completion of a first draft of the dissertation and upon the recommendation of the faculty advisor, and the second reader, the dissertation is distributed to the remaining three members of the committee. At a date to be determined by all parties, the student must formally defend the dissertation in the presence of the entire committee. Following the formal oral defense, the committee will meet in camera to either accept the dissertation as is; require minor or major revisions; or reject the dissertation. Rejection of a dissertation automatically terminates the student’s participation in the PhD program.

Following a successful defense, the dissertation shall be prepared in final form for deposit at least six weeks before the date on which degrees are conferred. Guidelines for the preparation and deposit of doctoral dissertations are available in the Gershon Kekst Graduate School Office. 

Doctor of Hebrew Literature

The DHL program offers a more generalist scope of study for aspiring Bible scholars. It can be completed on a part-time, low-residency basis and is ideally suited to those with significant academic and/or professional background in Bible who wish to obtain advanced knowledge and skills in its interpretation. Completion of the DHL in Bible indicates one’s ability to pursue advanced research and to teach at the undergraduate and extra-curricular levels.

DHL Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate thorough content knowledge of the Hebrew Bible.
  2. Explain the contours of biblical scholarship over time, defining major currents and trends in the field of biblical studies.
  3. Teach Bible and biblical studies at a level accessible to adult education and religious organizations.
  4. Read Biblical Hebrew with an advanced level of comprehension
  5. Use proficiency in modern Hebrew to contribute to their understanding of biblical studies and biblical scholarship.
  6. Produce critical examinations of biblical studies scholarship, synthesizing research on a given issue into an original analysis.

DHL Degree Requirements

Prerequisites

Students must have a master’s degree in Bible or Jewish Studies. Further course work may be required in the case of students who have an MA in Jewish Studies. Students must pass an examination in biblical Hebrew grammar before entering the program or early on in the student’s program of study.

Courses

In addition to courses required of all students in Gershon Kekst Graduate School, 30 graduate credits beyond the MA are required, to be selected from the following list:

  • Two advanced text courses (6 credits)
  • Two courses in biblical law, religion, or history (6 credits)
  • One course in medieval exegesis (3 credits)

Note: Two of the above courses must be research seminars with major papers.

  • One course in a Semitic language other than Hebrew (3 credits)
  • Two courses in electives in the area of specialization (6 credits)
  • Two additional courses, to be selected in consultation with the advisor (6 credits)

Students may be asked to audit courses in areas in which the advisor believes they require further background study. All students must display a basic familiarity with the particulars of biblical literature of the type implied by the traditional term beqi’ut (expertise), to be established by examination.

Comprehensive Examinations

The examinations proceed in two stages. First, a set of four oral examinations on Bible text, language, and content (beqi’ut): Torah, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, Writings. Each one is administered by a single faculty member. Students should be in contact with faculty members to determine a specific outline and contents requirement of the exam

For the remainder of the examinations, students must compose an essay on a topic of their choosing, normally in the area of their proposed dissertation topic.

DHL Dissertation

A candidate is required to write a dissertation in their field of specialization. The dissertation must be a contribution to the field of biblical studies and may be a synthesis of extant scholarship on a selected topic. A written proposal for the dissertation must be submitted for approval to a faculty advisor.  The dissertation is then to be written under the supervision of the faculty advisor who approved it. 

Upon completion of a first draft of the dissertation and the faculty advisor’s recommendation, the advisor and dean shall select and appoint one more reader. Upon final approval by both readers, the dissertation requirement shall be considered fulfilled. 

Thereafter, the dissertation shall be prepared in final form for deposit at least six weeks before the date on which degrees are conferred. Guidelines for the preparation and deposit of doctoral dissertations are available in the Gershon Kekst Graduate School Office.

Rejection of a dissertation automatically terminates the student’s participation in the DHL program.