Jack Sasson
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Jack M. Sasson (born 1941) is the Mary Jane Werthan Professor of
Jewish Studies Jewish studies (or Judaic studies; ) is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history (especially Jewish history), Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, ...
and
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
. '' Vanderbilt Divinity School, Emeritus and previously Professor of
Classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...
at
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
.Vanderbilt Divinity School Faculty Pages
/ref> From 1977 to 1999, he was a professor at the
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...
. His research focuses primarily on
Assyriology Assyriology (from Greek , ''Assyriā''; and , ''-logia''), also known as Cuneiform studies or Ancient Near East studies, is the archaeological, anthropological, historical, and linguistic study of the cultures that used cuneiform writing. The fie ...
and Hebrew Scriptures, writing on the archives from eighteenth century BC found at
Mari, Syria Mari (Cuneiform: , ''ma-riki'', modern Tell Hariri; ) was an ancient Semitic people, Semitic city-state in modern-day Syria. Its remains form a Tell (archaeology), tell 11 kilometers north-west of Abu Kamal on the Euphrates, Euphrates River ...
, by the
Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...
, near the modern-day Syria-Iraq border as well as on
biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Jewish usage and the Christian Bible including the can ...
.


Biography

Born in Aleppo, Syria, on October 1, 1941, Sasson immigrated to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in 1955 after a significant stay in
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
where he attended the Alliance Israélite Universelle schools. In the United States, Sasson enrolled in Abraham Lincoln High School in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, and then
Brooklyn College Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn in New York City, United States. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls nearly 14,000 students on a campus in the Midwood and Flatbush sections of Brooklyn as of fall ...
, which later became a constituent school of the
City University of New York The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...
college system. He received his B.A. in history in 1962 from
Brooklyn College Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn in New York City, United States. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls nearly 14,000 students on a campus in the Midwood and Flatbush sections of Brooklyn as of fall ...
. Immediately after completing his undergraduate education, Sasson accepted a scholarship to pursue his graduate studies at
Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...
. At Brandeis, he focused first on
Islamic Studies Islamic studies is the academic study of Islam, which is analogous to related fields such as Jewish studies and Quranic studies. Islamic studies seeks to understand the past and the potential future of the Islamic world. In this multidiscipli ...
, earning an M.A. in Mediterranean Studies in 1963. He went on to earn his doctorate in
Ancient Near Eastern The ancient Near East was home to many cradles of civilization, spanning Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran (or Persia), Anatolia and the Armenian highlands, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. As such, the fields of ancient Near East studies and Ne ...
Studies in 1966, writing his dissertation under Cyrus Gordon. Sasson taught at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...
, moving up the rank and becoming a full professor of Religious Studies in 1977.Klebba, Caryn E. ''Directory of American Scholars 2002''. 10th ed., vol. 4, 437. In 1991, Sasson was appointed to the prestigious William R. Kenan Chair in Religious Studies where he remained until joining the faculty of
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
in 1999. Sasson served as president of the
American Oriental Society The American Oriental Society is a learned society that encourages basic research in the languages and literatures of the Near East and Asia. It was chartered under the laws of Massachusetts on September 7, 1842. It is one of the oldest learned ...
from 1996 to 1997 and of the International Association for Assyriology from 2005 to 2009.Jack M. Sasson's Curriculum Vitae
/ref> He also established and directed the
Jewish Studies Jewish studies (or Judaic studies; ) is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history (especially Jewish history), Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, ...
program at
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
from 2002 to 2005.


Selected works


Books

* * * * *


Articles and chapters

*
Absalom's Daughter: An Essay in Vestige Historiography
" ''
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament The ''Journal for the Study of the Old Testament'' (JSOT) is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering the field of Biblical studies. The editors-in-chief are David Shepherd (Trinity College Dublin) and Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer ( Örebro School of Theol ...
'' 343 (2001): 179-196. *
Albright as an Orientalist
''The Biblical Archaeologist''. 56.1 (1993): 3-7. *
An Apocalyptic Vision from Mari: Speculations on ARM X:9
''Mari: Annales de Recherches Interdisciplinaires''. 1 (1982): 151-67. *
Biographical Notices on Some Royal Ladies from Mari
''Journal of Cuneiform Studies''. 25.2 (Apr 1973): 59-78. *
The Blood of Grapes: Viticulture and Intoxication in the Hebrew Bible
''Drinking in Ancient Societies; History and Culture of Drinks in the Ancient Near East''. Ed. Lucio Milano. Padua: Sargon srl, 1994. 399-419. *
Bovine Symbolism in the Exodus Narrative
''
Vetus Testamentum ''Vetus Testamentum'' is a quarterly academic journal covering various aspects of the Old Testament. It is published by Brill Publishers Brill Academic Publishers () is a Dutch international academic publisher of books, academic journals, and ...
''. 18.3 (Jul 1968): 380-7. *
The Burden of Scribes
Tzi Abusch, ed. ''Riches Hidden in Secret Places: Studies in Memory of Thorkild Jacobsen''. (2002): 211-28. *
Canaanite Maritime Involvement in the Second Millennium B.C.
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).Divine Providence or Human Plan?
''Interpretation''. 30 (1976): 415-419. *
Forcing Morals on Mesopotamian Society
''Studies in Honor of Harry A. Hoffner, Jr., on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday''. Eds. Gary Beckman Richard Beal, and Gregory McMahon. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003. 329-40. *
Instances of Mobility Among Mari Artisans
''
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research The ''Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research (BASOR)'', formerly the ''Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research'', is one of three academic journals published by the American Society of Overseas Research. It began as t ...
''. 190 (Apr 1968): 46-54. *
Isaiah LXVI 3-4a
''
Vetus Testamentum ''Vetus Testamentum'' is a quarterly academic journal covering various aspects of the Old Testament. It is published by Brill Publishers Brill Academic Publishers () is a Dutch international academic publisher of books, academic journals, and ...
''. 26.2 (1976): 199-207. *
The King and I: A Mari King in Changing Perceptions
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).Love's Roots: On the Redaction of Genesis 30:14-24
''Love and Death in the Ancient Near East: Essays in Honor of Marvin H. Pope''. Eds. John H. Marks and Robert M. Good. Guilford, CT: Four Quarters Publishing Company, 1987. 205-09. *
A Major Contribution to Song of Songs Scholarship
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).Mari Dreams
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).Musical Settings for Cuneiform Literature: A Discography
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).Of Time & Immortality: How Genesis Created Them
''Bible Review''. 21.3 (Summer 2005): 32-41, 52-54. *
Old Babylonian Tablets from Al-Rimah
''
Journal of the American Oriental Society The ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the American Oriental Society since 1843. The editor in chief is Peri Bearman (Harvard University).On the Use of Images in Israel and the Ancient Near East
Barry M. Gittlin, ed. ''Sacred Time, Sacred Place: Archaeology and the Religion of Israel''. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2002. 63-70. *
Oracle Inquiries in Judges
''Birkat Shalom: Studies in the Bible, Ancient Near Eastern Literature, and Postbiblical Judaism Presented to Shalom M. Paul on the Occasion of His Seventieth Birthday''. Eds. Chaim Cohen Victor A. Hurowitz, Avi Hurvitz, Yochanan Muffs and others. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2008. 149-68. *
The Posting of Letters with Divine Messages
''Florilegium marianum'', 2: ''Recueil d'études à la mémoire de Maurice Birot'' 'Mémoires de N.A.B.U.'', 3 Eds. D. Charpin and J.M. Durand. Paris: ''Nouvelles assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires'', 1994. 299-316. *
The Road to Vanderbilt
''The Spire''; Vol. 22 No. 01, 2001. 28-32. *
The Search for the Hebrew God
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 23 Sept 2001. Lecture. *
The Servant's Tale: How Rebekah Found a Spouse
''Journal of Near Eastern Studies''. Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press. 65.4 (2006): 241-265. *
Should Cheeseburgers Be Kosher?
''Bible Review''. 19.6 (Dec 2003): 41-43, 50-51. *
Sketch of North Syrian Economic Relations in the Middle Bronze Age
''Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient''. 9.3 (Dec 1966): 161-81. *
Thoughts of Zimri-Lim
''Biblical Archaeologist''. 47.2 (June 1984): 110-20. *
The Treatment of Criminals at Mari: A Survey
''Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient''. 20.1 (Jan 1977): 90-113. *
Untold Stories: The Bible and Ugaritic Studies in the Twentieth Century
'' Jewish Quarterly Review''. 93.1/2 (2002): 314-316. *
Utopian and Dystopian Images in Mari Prophetic Texts
''Utopia and Dystopia in Prophetic Literature''. Ed. Ehud Ben Zvi. Helsinki: Finnish Exegetical Society, 2006. 27-40. *
Who Cut Samson's Hair? (And Other Trifling Issues Raised by Judges 16
''Prooftexts''. 8.3 (1988): 333-339. *
Year: Zimri-Lim Dedicated His Statue to Addu of Halab, Locating One Year in Zimri-Lim's Reign
''Mari: Annales de Recherches Interdisciplinaires''. 5 (1987): 577-89. *
Year: Zimri-Lim Offered a Great Throne to Shamash of Mahanum: An Overview of One Year in Mari, Part 1: The Presence of the King
''Mari: Annales de Recherches Interdisciplinaires''. 4 (1985): 437-52. *
Zimri-Lim Takes the Grand Tour
''Biblical Archaeologist''. 47.4 (1984): 246-52. *
Zimri-Lim's Letter to Tish-ulme
''Nouvelles assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires''. 3.116 (1989): 91-92.


References


External links


Personal Homepage

Sasson's digital publication archive (DiscoverArchive)

Vanderbilt Divinity School biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sasson, Jack M. American Assyriologists Syrian emigrants to the United States Brooklyn College alumni Brandeis University alumni University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty Vanderbilt University faculty Hebrew Bible studies Biblical archaeology Living people 1941 births Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn) alumni Syrian Jews