Richard Hess

Richard Samuel Hess (born 17 December 1954) is an American Old Testament scholar. He is Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Denver Seminary.

Hess has degrees from Wheaton College, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Hebrew Union College. He previously taught at International Christian College, Glasgow, and the University of Roehampton, London.

Hess is editor of the Denver Journal, and founder and Editor of the Institute for Biblical Research's BBR Supplement Series and Dissertation Series. He was previously editor of the Bulletin for Biblical Research. He is a member of the New International Version's Committee on Bible Translation.

Works Thesis

Books

——— (2008). Joshua: an introduction and commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Vol. 6. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Reprinted, 2008. ——— (2009). Studies in the personal names of Genesis 1-11. Alter Orient und Altes Testament. Vol. 234. Kevelaer; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Verlag Butzon & Bercker; Neukirchener Verlag. Reprinted, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2009.

Books Co-Authored

——— “Joshua,” pp. 2–93 in J. H. Walton, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Volume 2. Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009. ——— "Leviticus," pp. 563–826 in T. Longman III and D. E .Garland eds., The Expositor's Bible Commentary Revised Edition 1: Genesis–Leviticus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008. ——— Names in the Study of Biblical History: David, YHWH Names, and the Role of Personal Names, co-authored with Francis I. Andersen; Buried History Monograph 2; Melbourne: Australian Institute of Archaeology, 2007.

Books Edited

——— NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, co-editor with Don Carson, Douglas Moo, and Desmond Alexander, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018. Originally published as NIV Zondervan Study Bible, 2015.

Chapters

Research Articles

——— “In the Garden of Xerxes’ Palace: A New Examination of the Pavement in Esther 1:6,” Vetus Testamentum (2023) 1-11 online. ——— “History of Ancient Israelite Religion,” in Christopher Mathews ed., Oxford Bibliographies in Biblical Studies (New York: Oxford University Press, May 2023) . ——— “Deities in the Ammonite Personal Names,” pp. 177–82 in James K. Hoffmeier, Richard E. Averbeck, J. Caleb Howard and Wolfgang Zwickel eds., “Now These Records Are Ancient:” Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr. (Ägypten und Altes Testament Band 114; Münster: Zaphon, 2022). ——— “Did Josiah Enact a Monotheistic Reform? Debating Belief in One God in Preexilic Judah Through 2 Kings 22-3: “Engagement: 2 Kings 22-3: Belief in One God in Preexilic Judah?” pp. 135–50; “Continuing the Dialogue on Monotheism: Response to Nathan MacDonald,” pp. 177–81; “Final Reflections: Some Observations on Nathan MacDonald’s Response,” pp. 185–87; “(With Nathan MacDonald) Some Joint Concluding Reflections on Monotheism,” p. 191; in Rebecca S. Watson and Adrian H. W. Curtis eds., Conversations on Canaanite and Biblical Themes: Creation, Chaos and Monotheism (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2022). ——— “Appendix 2: Apologetic Issues in the Old Testament,” pp. 717–31 in Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (2nd edition; Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2022). ——— “Cultural Contexts Compared: The Onomastic Profiles of the Books of Joshua and Judges,” pp. 413–22 in Ralph K. Hawkins, Erasmus Gaß, and Dror Ben-Yosef eds., wtljn: A Memorial Volume for Adam Zertal (Alter Orient und Altes Testament Band 454; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2021). ——— “The COVID-19 Virus, Illness, and Biblical Interpretation in Its Ancient Context,” Canon and Culture: A Journal of Biblical Interpretation in Context 14.2 (2020): 51-83.