Dr. Uri Gabbay

Dr. Uri Gabbay

Hebrew University

Prof. Uri Gabbay is Associate Professor of Assyriology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Department of Archaeology. He received his Ph.D. in Assyriology from the Hebrew University in 2008. He edited (with Shai Secunda) the book Encounters by the Rivers of Babylon: Scholarly Conversations between Jews, Iranians and Babylonians in Antiquity.

Last Updated: April 17, 2026

Articles by Author

Commentaries Were Written as Soon as Ancient Texts Were Composed

Commentaries Were Written as Soon as Ancient Texts Were Composed

The creative exegetical methods of reading texts both literally and non-literally are not limited to the interpretation of the Bible. Commentaries on ancient cuneiform literature from Mesopotamia have been found dating all the way back to the end of the 8th century B.C.E.
The Genre of Lamentations

The Genre of Lamentations

In the ancient Near East, laments were written to mourn past destructions or to prevent future destructions. With which type of lament were the authors of Lamentations familiar?
Understanding Idolatry

Understanding Idolatry

Theologians of the ancient Near East made sense of idolatry through the ritual dedication of the statues that made them into gods.