Michael Alan Lyons

Michael Alan Lyons is a Senior Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew Bible and Director of Teaching at the School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. He joined in 2018, holding a PhD in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2005). His research focuses on text-referencing techniques in ancient Israelite and Second Temple-period literature, compositional strategies in prophetic texts like Ezekiel, and the history of scriptural interpretation. He teaches courses on Hebrew language, Old Testament literature, and textual criticism.

• Education: PhD in Hebrew and Semitic Studies (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005)

His research explores how ancient authors used earlier texts through quotation and allusion, analyzing production/reception dynamics, rhetorical functions, and social contexts. Key areas include intertextuality in Hebrew poetry and prophetic literature, and the role of scribal culture in identity formation. Recent work spans Ezekiel exegesis, Genesis-1 Kings intertextuality, and early Jewish-Christian exegetical practices.

He has published 30+ works including articles on Ezekiel's structure, edited volumes on Isaiah in early Judaism/Christianity, and book chapters on Pentateuchal formation. Active in academic networks, he has delivered invited lectures on topics like Genesis 3/Samuel allusions (2024), and participates in workshops on cognitive science approaches to biblical narratives.