Jonathan Ben-Dov

Jonathan Ben-Dov serves as Professor of Bible and Second Temple Literature in the Department of Bible at Tel Aviv University. His academic work bridges traditional biblical scholarship with innovative approaches to ancient Jewish texts and practices.

His research interests focus on the intersection of biblical studies, calendrical systems, and Second Temple period literature. Ben-Dov examines how ancient Jewish communities understood time, ritual, and divine authority through textual analysis of biblical and extrabiblical materials. His work particularly emphasizes the Dead Sea Scrolls and their contribution to understanding Jewish thought during the Second Temple period.

Ben-Dov's publications reveal consistent engagement with how ancient communities interpreted divine commands regarding social justice, sacred space, and ritual practice. His work demonstrates how modern scholarship can illuminate ancient debates about power structures, religious authority, and calendar systems that continue to influence contemporary Jewish practice.

As co-author of Material and Digital Reconstruction of Fragmentary Dead Sea Scrolls (Brill, 2022) and author of multiple other scholarly books including Head of All Years: Astronomy and Calendars at Qumran in Their Ancient Context, Ben-Dov has established himself as a significant voice in the field of ancient Jewish studies, with particular expertise in calendrical systems and their theological implications.