Dr. Jeremy D. Smoak is a scholar of Hebrew Bible and ancient Israelite religion in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA, where he completed his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Northwest Semitics. His research focuses on the relationship between texts, ritual practices, and material culture in the ancient Near East. Smoak has participated in archaeological excavations in Egypt and Israel, including Wadi el-Natrun, Tel Dor, and Tel Dan. He is the author of The Priestly Blessing in Inscription and Scripture (Oxford University Press, 2015), and was honored with UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2016.
Last Updated
June 2, 2026
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Inscribed in silver and rolled into scrolls, the Ketef Hinnom amulets, ca. 6th century B.C.E., contain an early version of the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26). More than an important textual witness, they reveal that protective ritual practices were an integral part of Judahite religion, and show how divine blessing could be worn on the body, transforming sacred words into a tangible safeguard against danger, illness, and misfortune.
Inscribed in silver and rolled into scrolls, the Ketef Hinnom amulets, ca. 6th century B.C.E., contain an early version of the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26). More than an important textual witness, they reveal that protective ritual practices were an integral part of Judahite religion, and show how divine blessing could be worn on the body, transforming sacred words into a tangible safeguard against danger, illness, and misfortune.
