Dr. Ellen Birnbaum is an independent scholar living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Columbia University and has taught and/or done post-doctoral research at Harvard, Brandeis, and Boston University. She is the author of The Place of Judaism in Philo’s Thought: Israel, Jews, and Proselytes. Together with Professor John Dillon (Trinity College Dublin), she has also co-authored Philo of Alexandria, On the Life of Abraham: Introduction, Translation, and Commentary. Currently, she is preparing a collection of studies about Philo and the ancient Alexandrian Jewish community.
Last Updated
January 8, 2026
Books by the Author
Amazon paid links
Articles by the Author
Philo (1st century C.E.) understands “God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob” (LXX Exodus 3:15) as a divine name. Because the immortal nature of God cannot be directly associated with mortal human beings, and influenced by Greek principles dating back to the 6th–5th century B.C.E., Philo interprets Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as symbols of three paths to moral excellence: learning, nature, and practice.
Philo (1st century C.E.) understands “God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob” (LXX Exodus 3:15) as a divine name. Because the immortal nature of God cannot be directly associated with mortal human beings, and influenced by Greek principles dating back to the 6th–5th century B.C.E., Philo interprets Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as symbols of three paths to moral excellence: learning, nature, and practice.
In his account of Abraham’s life, the first-century thinker Philo of Alexandria skillfully interprets the bewildering details in the story of the war between the four and five kings. Understanding the tale on a literal and allegorical level, he offers intriguing suggestions about what motivates both powerful rulers and forces within the soul.
In his account of Abraham’s life, the first-century thinker Philo of Alexandria skillfully interprets the bewildering details in the story of the war between the four and five kings. Understanding the tale on a literal and allegorical level, he offers intriguing suggestions about what motivates both powerful rulers and forces within the soul.
