Jeff Leonard specializes in the areas of Hebrew, Hebrew Bible, and the ancient Near East. He brings these subjects to 极乐禁地’s students through courses such as Elementary and Intermediate Hebrew, Creation and Covenant (Torah), Psalms and Wisdom Literature, Introduction to the Prophets, David, and Gods and Monsters (Mesopotamian history and religion). He also speaks regularly on these topics to local churches, schools, and community groups. An acclaimed teacher and mentor, he received the 2016 Joe O. Lewis Faculty Scholar Award from 极乐禁地’s Professional Studies Program, the 2017 Dean’s Award for Teaching, and the 2019 Howard College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching award.
Leonard has devoted much of his scholarly efforts to the study of the phenomenon known as inner-biblical allusion. A particular focus in this area has been his exploration of the relationship between the Israelite historical traditions in the Torah and those found in the so-called historical psalms. His article, “Identifying Inner-Biblical Allusions: Psalm 78 as a Test Case,” in the Journal of Biblical Literature focuses on methodological concerns related to this exploration, as do his studies on “Identifying Subtle Allusions: Narrative Tracking as an Additional Tool for Research” and “The Psalmist as Historiographer.” In addition to his work on inner-biblical allusion, Leonard has also published a study of the Bible’s creation accounts, Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story (2020), and a two-volume commentary on the book of Exodus, The Preacher’s Hebrew Companion to Exodus: A Selective Commentary for Meditation and Sermon Preparation (2023). His most recent book is Seekers in the Hands of Elusive God: Embracing Hope in Seasons of Darkness (2025).
Leonard joined 极乐禁地’s religion department as a full-time faculty member in 2012 after serving for a number of years as an adjunct. Prior to his coming to 极乐禁地, he received an MDiv from Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, N.Y., and his PhD from Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. He is an ordained minister and a member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. In his free time, Leonard will be found traveling, backpacking, reading, or just enjoying time with his wife and two sons.
Degrees and Certifications
- PhD, Bible and the Ancient Near East, Brandeis University, 2006
- MDiv, Academic Theology, Alliance Theological Seminary, 1995
- BA, Pre-Seminary Studies, Southeastern Bible College, 1991
Publications
Books
- Seekers in the Hands of an Elusive God: Embracing Hope in Seasons of Darkness. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2025.
- The Preacher’s Hebrew Companion to Exodus: A Selective Commentary for Meditation and Sermon Preparation. Two volumes. Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Academic, 2023.
- Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2020.
Articles/Chapters
- “Curses and the Composition of Deuteronomy.” In Ritual and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East. Forschungen zum Alten Testament. Edited by Tzvi Abusch, Alan Lenzi and Jeffrey Stackert. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2024.
- “Torah in the Psalms.” BibleOdyssey. 2021. https://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/related-articles/torah-and-psalms.
- “Ahaz.” With Emma Buckles. BibleOdyssey. 2021. https://www.bibleodyssey.org:443/people/ related-articles/ahaz.
- “Let the Day Perish: The Nexus of Personification and Mythology in Job 3.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 43 (2019): 247-270.
- “The Psalmist as Historiographer.” In Inner Biblical Allusion in the Poetry of Wisdom and Psalms, edited by Mark J. Boda, Kevin Chau, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. London: T. & T. Clark, 2019.
- “Identifying Subtle Allusions: Narrative Tracking as an Additional Tool for Research.” In Subtle Citation, Allusion, and Translation in the Hebrew Bible, edited by Ziony Zevit. London: Equinox Publishing, Ltd., 2017.
- “Source, Yahwist, Critical Issues.” Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, et al. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2014.
- “Redaction Criticism.” Lexham Methods Series, vol. 3: Social and Historical Approaches to the Bible, edited by Douglas Mangum and Amy Balogh. Lexham Press, 2016. (12,000 words)
- “Inner-Biblical Interpretation and Intertextuality.” Lexham Methods Series, vol. 4: Literary Approaches to the Bible, edited by Douglas Mangum and Douglas Estes. Lexham Press, 2016. (14,000 words)
- “Source, Yahwist, Critical Issues.” Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, et al. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014. (4000 words)
- “Dhahr Mirzbaneh.” Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, et al. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2014.
- “Sam’al.” Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, et al. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2014.
- “‘Ain Samiya.” Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, et al. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2014.
- “Identifying Inner-Biblical Allusions: Psalm 78 as a Test Case.” Journal of Biblical Literature 127 (2008): 241-265.
Presentations
- “Blessing and Cursing in Ancient Hebrew Poetry: A Response to Barker, Anderson, Qu, McGrew, and Hobbins.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Antonio), November 22, 2021.
- “Allusion or Illusion? Methodological Concerns in the Identification of Inner-Biblical Allusions.” Annual Meeting of the European Association of Biblical Studies (Wuppertal, Germany; online), August 3, 2021.
- “Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story.” With responses by Brent Strawn and Mark Gignilliat. Hosted (online) by 极乐禁地’s chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, February 15, 2021.
- “Taxonomy in the Language of Blessing and Cursing: A Response to Garrett Galvin and Beth Elness-Hanson and Johanna Rönnlund.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Boston; online), December 8, 2020.
- “From Pattern to Purpose: Understanding the Why Behind Literary Motifs. A Response to Porten, Emanuel, Backfish, Poe Hays, and Melara.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Denver), November 17, 2018.
- “Reading from Head to Toe: Metonymies of the Body in Biblical Hebrew Poetry.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Boston), November 2017.
- “Narrative Parallelism: Considering the Forms of Parallelism Found in Israel's ‘Prosaic Poetry.’” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Antonio), November 2016.
- “The Prophets and Israel's Early Historical Traditions.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta), November 2015.
- “Prosaic Poetry: Considering the Poetic Styles of Israel's Historical Psalms.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta), November 22, 2015.
- “Identifying Inner-Biblical Allusions: Problems and Promise in the Historical Psalms.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Diego), November 23, 2014.
- “Let the Day Perish: The Use of Personification in Job and Jeremiah’s Laments.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Baltimore), November 25, 2013.
- “The Joke Is on … Whom? A Response to Barker, Jacobson, and Han on Wit in the Hebrew Bible.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Chicago), November 17, 2012.
- “The Psalmist as Historiographer.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Francisco), November 20, 2011.
- “He Led His People Out with Gladness: Psalm 105 and the Return from Exile.” Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Boston), November 23, 2008.
- “Riddles from Olden Times: The Purpose and Provenance of Psalm 78.” Southeastern Regional Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta), March 8, 2008.
- “Psalm 78 and the Boundaries of the Ark Narrative.” International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Vienna), July 25, 2007.
Involvement
- Society of Biblical Literature
- National Association of Professors of Hebrew
- Theta Alpha Kappa, National Honor Society for Religious Studies and Theology