Alexander Rofé

Alexander Rofé

Hebrew University

Prof. Alexander Rofé is Professor (Emeritus) of Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he held the Yitzhak Becker Chair in Jewish Studies and whence he received his Ph.D. in 1970. Among his many books are Angels in the Bible: Israelite Belief in Angels as Evidenced by Biblical Traditions (1979, reissued 2012), Prophetical Stories (1988), Introduction to the Composition of the Pentateuch(1999), and Deuteronomy: Issues and Interpretation (2002).

Last Updated: April 17, 2026

Books by the Author

Introduction to the Literature of the Hebrew Bible: Jerusalem Biblical Studies

Introduction to the Literature of the Hebrew Bible: Jerusalem Biblical Studies

Deuteronomy: Issues and Interpretation

Deuteronomy: Issues and Interpretation

Introduction to Composition of the Pentateuch

Introduction to Composition of the Pentateuch

The Prophetical Stories: The Narratives About the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, Their Literary Types and History

The Prophetical Stories: The Narratives About the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, Their Literary Types and History

Introduction to the Prophetic Literature

Introduction to the Prophetic Literature

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Articles by Author

Levites: A Transjordanian Tribe of Priests

Levites: A Transjordanian Tribe of Priests

Pre-exilic biblical texts describe Levites as landless priests who can serve in any holy site. The origin of this status can be found in ancient times, when the tribe of Levi lost control of their territory in the Transjordan, but remained in the vicinity serving in the Nebo temple, where their ancestor Moses was buried.
YHWH Is Enthroned at Gad’s Temple: The Site of Moses’ Tomb

YHWH Is Enthroned at Gad’s Temple: The Site of Moses’ Tomb

YHWH comes from the south to be enthroned by the tribes of Israel in Ashdot-hapisgah (Deuteronomy 33:2), a later name for the city of Nebo. The Mesha Stele documents the presence of a YHWH worship site, whose hieros logos is tied to the tomb of Moses, the “plot of the lawgiver” (v. 21) located in the territory of Gad.
The Account of Balaam’s Donkey: A Late Polemical Burlesque

The Account of Balaam’s Donkey: A Late Polemical Burlesque

Already in 1877, Marcus Kalisch, one of the first Jewish scholars to engage in the critical study of the Bible, noted that the story of Balaam’s donkey is a late insertion which contradicts the rest of the story, both narratively and ideologically. Indeed, in the main story, Balaam is a prophetic character to be respected, while the supplement lampoons him.
Balaam the Seer Is Recast as a Villain

Balaam the Seer Is Recast as a Villain

The oldest biblical sources see Balaam as a great seer, but as time goes on, biblical texts portray him in an increasingly negative light. The key to this shift lies in Deuteronomy’s attitude to Israel and gentiles.

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