Faculty

Jeffrey Stackert is a biblical scholar and literary historian who situates the Hebrew Bible in the context of the larger ancient Near Eastern world in which it was composed. His research focuses on the composition of the Pentateuch, ancient Near Eastern prophecy, cultic texts, and ancient Near Eastern law. His first book, Rewriting the Torah: Literary Revision in Deuteronomy and the Holiness Legislation (2007), addresses literary correspondences among the biblical legal corpora. It was honored with the 2010 John Templeton Award for Theological Promise. His second book, A Prophet Like Moses: Prophecy, Law, and Israelite Religion (2014), analyzes the relationship between law and prophecy in the pentateuchal sources and the role of the Documentary Hypothesis for understanding Israelite religion. Stackert’s latest monograph, Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch (2022), makes a new argument for what Deuteronomy is, how and when it originated, and how it should be read. Stackert has also edited several volumes, including the The Oxford Handbook of the Pentateuch. He is currently working on a commentary on the biblical book of Deuteronomy (with Joel S. Baden) and a monograph on pentateuchal Priestly literature. 

Stackert has published articles in various volumes and journals, and he serves on the editorial boards of the journals Maarav, Die Welt des Orients, and The Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. He also leads the digital humanities project, the Chicago Digital Bible. Finally, Stackert co-organizes the Chicago-Yale Pentateuch Colloquium.