In English

Fields of Interest

• Exegesis of the Old Testament, especially the book of Judges (I am working on a commentary in the series Historical Commentary on the Old Testament; look here for the format of the series and list of contributors)
• Intercultural Exegesis
• The history of the religion of Israel and the relations with Ugarit
• Byzantine Bible Manuscripts

Publications in English and German. As much as possible I shall make them available via this website.

• “From Joshua to Samuel: Some Remarks on the Origin of the Book of Judges”, in: J. van Ruiten, J.C. de Vos (eds), The Land of Israel in Bible, History, and Theology. Studies in Honour of Ed Noort (VTS 124), Brill: Leiden 2009, 137-149.
• Review of J.-M. Michaud (ed.), La Bible et l’héritage d’Ougarit, Montreal 2005, Bibliotheca Orientalis 65 (2008), 727-8.
• “Jonah, Nahum, and the Book of the Twelve: A Response to Jakob Wöhrle”, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 9 (2009), article 8.
• “Perverse Delight: Some Observations on an Unpleasant Theme in the Old Testament”, in: Bob Becking, Dirk Human (eds.), Exile and Suffering: A Selection of Papers Read at the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the Old Testament Society of South Africa OTSWA / OTSSA, Pretoria August 2007 (OTS 50), Leiden: Brill 2009, 147-160.
• “The Line-Acrostic in Nahum 1: New Evidence from Ancient Greek Manuscripts and from the Literary Analysis of the Hebrew Text”, in: R. de Hoop a.o. (eds), The Impact of Unit Delimitation on Exegesis (Pericope 7), Leiden 2009, 228-240.
• “Sanctioning Samson: Do Old Testament Stories about Violence Make Sense Today? Some Answers from the Perspective of Redaction Criticism and History of Research,” in: H. de Wit and G.A. West (eds), African and European Readers of the Bible in Dialogue: In Quest of a Shared Meaning, Leiden: Brill, 2008, 169-180.
• “The Delicate Balance Between Life and Death: Some Remarks on the Place of Mot in the Religion of Ugarit,” in: R.J. van der Spek (ed.), Studies in Ancient Near Eastern World View and Society (FS Marten Stol), Bethesda: CDL Press, 2008, 121-126.
• Lecture on Samson in Fine Art (you can see here the introduction and the presentation; the article shall be published in a book in the series Themes in Biblical Narratives [Brill])
• review of Martin Beck and Ulrike Schorn, eds., Auf dem Weg zur Endgestalt von Genesis bis II Regum: Festschrift Hans-Christoph Schmitt zum 65. Geburtstag, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2008).
• Review of G. Baumann, Gottes Gewalt im Wandel (2005), Theologische Literaturzeitung 133 (2008), 37-39.
• (mit C. Houtman), Jefta und Seine Tochter: Rezeptionsgeschichtliche Studien zu Richter, 11, 29-40 (Altes Testament und Moderne, Band 21), Berlin 2007.
• review of Gregory Wong, Compositional Strategy of the Book of Judges: An Inductive, Rhetorical Study, Review of Biblical Literature 2007.
• Review of A. Laato, J.C. de Moor, Theodicy in the World of the Bible (2003), Bibliotheca Orientalis 63 (2006), 353-356.
• “The Picture of Moses in the History of Interpretation”, in: R. Roukema e.a. (eds), The Interpretation of Exodus (Festschrift C. Houtman; CBET 44), Leuven 2006, 253-264.
• “Good Death and Bad Death in Ancient Israel According to Biblical Lore”, Social Science and Medicine 58 (2004), 987-995.
• (mit C. Houtman) Ein Held des Glaubens? Rezeptionsgeschichtliche Studien zu den Simson-Erzählungen, Leuven 2004 (283 blz.).
• “The Daughter of Jephtah: Changing Views on God, Man, And Violence in Plays and Oratorios since George Buchanan”, in: J. Bekkenkamp, Y. Sherwood (eds.), Sanctified Aggression. Legacies of Biblical and Post Biblical Vocabularies of Violence, London 2003, 10-21
• Review of J.S. Burnett, A Reassessment of Biblical Elohim, 2001, BiOr 60 (2003), 680-682
• Review of Z. Zevit, The Religions of Ancient Israel, 2001, BiOr 60 (2003), 672-675
• Review of D. Kinet, Geschichte Israels, Würzburg 2001, BiOr 60 (2003), 416-418
• Review of R.M. Shipp, Of Dead Kings and Dirges. Myth and Meaning in Isaiah 14:4b-21, 2002, in Review of Biblical Literature 06/2003
• Review of M. Arneth, Sonne der Gerechtigkeit. Studien zur Solarisierung der Jahwe-Religion im Lichte von Psalm 72, 2000, BiOr 59 (2002), 122-124
• Samson as the Suffering Servant: Some Remarks on a Painting by Lovis Corinthe’, in: F. Postma ea. (eds.) The New Things: Eschatology in Old Testament Prophecy (Feestbundel H. Leene; ACEBT Sup 3), Maastricht 2002, 219-224
• “Deborah: a Prophetess: the Meaning and Background of Judges 4:4-5”, OTS 45 (2001), 232-242
• “A Story to Weep at: Some Remarks on Judges 2:1-5 and its Context”, in: J. Dyk e.a. (eds.) ‘Unless Someone Guide Me…’ (ACEBT Sup. 2; Feestbundel K.A. Deurloo), Maastricht 2001, 87-94
• Review of H. Niehr, Religionen in Israels Unwelt, 1998, BiOr 57 (2000), 142-144
• Review of G. Del Olmo Lete, Canaanite Religion, 1999; Mitos, leyendas y rituales de los semitas occidentales, 1998; El continuum cultural Cananeo, 1996, BiOr 57 (2000), 134-135
• “The Incantations,” in: W.G.E. Watson, N. Wyatt (eds.), Handbook of Ugaritic Studies (Handbuch der Orientalistik I,39), Leiden 1999, 270-286
• Review of G. del Olmo Lete, Diccionaria de la lengua ugarítica, I, 1996, BiOr 55 (1998), 230-232
• “Down With Helel. The Assumed Mythological Background of Isa. 14:12,” in: M. Dietrich, I. Kottsieper (eds.), “Und Mose schrieb dieses Lied auf”: Studien zum Alten Testament und zum Alten Orient (Fs O. Loretz; AOAT 250), Münster 1998, 717-726
• “Acrostics in the Book of Nahum,” ZAW 110 (1998), 209-222
• Nahum, Historical Commentary on the Old Testament, Kampen 1997
• Review of B.B. Schmidt, Israel’s Benificent Dead, 1994, BiOr 53 (1996), 508-510
• Review of S.A. Wiggins, A Reassessment of Asherah, 1993, BiOr 52 (1995), 762-764
• “Baal of Peor, Dedan, Lord, Noble Ones, Rahab, Travelers,” in: K. van der Toorn e.a. (eds.), Dictionary of Deities and Demons, Leiden 1995 (herziene uitgave in 1999)
• “Synchronic and Diachronic Approaches to the Book of Nahum”, in: J.C. de Moor (ed.), Synchronic or Diachronic. A Debate on Method in Old Testament Exegesis, OTS 34, Leiden 1995, 159-186
• Review of G. del Olmo Lete, La religión Cananea, 1992, BiOr 51 (1994), 611-613
• Review of E. Bloch-Smith, Judahite Burial Practices and Beliefs about the Dead, 1992, BiOr 51 (1994), 141-143
• Review of R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Poetry, 1990, BiOr 50 (1993), 203-205
• “The Structure of Joshua 23 and 24. An Evaluation of William T. Koopmans’ Search for Poetic Prose,” in: J.C. de Moor & W.G.E. Watson (eds.), Verse in Ancient Near Eastern Prose, AOAT 42, Neukirchen-Vluyn 1993, 251-261
• Review of O. Loretz, Ugarit und die Bibel, 1990, BiOr 49 (1992), 458-461
• Review of J. Day, Molech, 1989, BiOr 49(1992), 207-210
• Review of D. Pardee, Les texts para-mythologiques, 1988, BiOr 48(1991), 601-605
• Review of A. Caquot e.a., Textes Ougaritiques, II, 1989, BiOr 48(1991), 606-608
• Review of Th.J. Lewis, Cults of the Dead in Ancient Israël and Ugarit,1989, BiOr 48 (1991), 234-240
• Review of D. Pardee, Ugaritic and Hebrew Poetic Parallelism. A Trial Cut, 1988, in BiOr 47 (1990), 446-449
• “The Legend of Kirtu (KTU 1.14-16). A Study of the Structure and its Consequences for Interpretation,” in W. van der Meer, J.C. de Moor (eds.), The Structural Analysis of Biblical and Canaanite Poetry. JSOT Suppl. 74, Sheffield 1988, blz. 62-82
• (with J.C. de Moor) A Cuneiform Anthology of Religious Texts From Ugarit. Semitic Study Series 6, Leiden 1987
• Beatific Afterlife in Ancient Israel and in the Ancient Near East, AOAT 219, Neukirchen-Vluyn 1986
• (with J.C. de Moor) “More on Demons in Ugarit (KTU 1.82)”, UF 16 (1984), 237-250
• (with J.C. de Moor) “Problematical Passages in the Legend of Kirtu”, UF 14(1982), 153-190
• (with M. Dijkstra en J.C. de Moor) review of M. Dietrich e.a., Die Keilalphabetische Texte aus Ugarit, 1967, BiOr 38 (1981), 371-380