History of the prize
The award was established in 1923 following the decision of Professor Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864–1935), elected a Fellow of the Academy in 1905, to strike a number of bronze medals for presentation by the Academy to scholars of biblical studies. After his death in 1935 the awards became known as Burkitt Medals. The medal was first awarded in 1925.
Eligibility
In 2023 eligible nominations must be for special service to Hebrew Bible studies.
How to nominate
Nominations for the Burkitt Medal for Biblical Studies are currently closed and will open again on 1 December 2023.
If you have any queries about submitting a nomination, please email [email protected]
2023 winner
Professor Sara Japhet is awarded the 2023 Burkitt Medal for her pioneering contribution to the study of post-exilic Hebrew literature, particularly the books of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah.
Sara Japhet is the Yehezkel Kaufmann Professor of Bible (Emerita) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She was born and raised in Israel, and received all her academic education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Sara Japhet began her academic career as a Lecturer in Haifa (1962/3) and Tel-Aviv (1963/4-1965), and was then appointed as assistant and instructor at the Bible Department of the Hebrew University (1966-1973). After receiving the Ph.D., she was appointed as Lecturer (1973), Senior Lecturer (1977), Associate Professor (1981) and, finally, Professor (1987). In 1996 she was appointed to the distinguished Yehezkel Kaufmann Chair of Biblical Studies.
Sara Japhet's research interests focus on the history, society, religion and literature of Israel in the biblical period; the history and literature of the Restoration Period; the writing of history in the biblical period; biblical law and legal traditions; the history of the interpretation of the Bible, in particular the classical Jewish exegesis of the Middle Ages; the study of the Bible in modern Israel, and more.
She is the author and editor of numerous books, which include the following: her Ph.D. dissertation, The Ideology of the Book of Chronicles and its Place in Biblical Thought (Hebrew: 1977; English: 1989, 1997, 2009); I and II Chronicles - a Commentary (London: SCM Press, 1993), which also appeared in German in two volumes (2002, 2003); The Commentary of Rabbi Samuel ben Meir on the Book of Job (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 2000); The Commentary of Rabbi Samuel ben Meir on the Song of Songs (Jerusalem: The World Union of Jewish Studies, 2008); with co-author R. B. Salters, The Commentary of Rabbi Samuel ben Meir (Rashbam) on Qoheleth (Hebrew and English: Magnes Press, 1985, 2007); A Commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah (Jerusalem, 2019).
Furthermore, Sara Japhet has received several awards for her research. In 2004, she was awarded the Israel Prize for Biblical Studies, the highest award in Israel. In 2007, her colleagues presented her with a Jubilee volume, Shai le-Sara Japhet: Studies in the Bible, its Exegesis and its Literature. And in 2010, Sara Japhet awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York.
"The news that the British Academy decided to choose me as the recipient of the Burkitt Medal for 2023 came to me as an absolute surprise! And – to say the truth – I am still under the impression of this feeling of surprise. What an honour! I dedicated my life to Biblical Studies in all their aspects, and I am still going on with full force. The fact that the esteemed colleagues of the world-famous British Academy recognize and appreciate my contribution is the best sign of international recognition that I have ever received, or even dreamt of receiving.
Please accept my heart-felt thanks! To the anonymous colleagues who brought up my nomination, and to the distinguished Members of the Academy who approved it and endowed me with this exceptional honour: "May your labour be your reward" (after Jeremiah 31:16)."
- Professor Sara Japhet, August 2023
Previous winners
2022 Emeritus Professor Richard B. Hays, Duke Divinity School
2021 Professor Rainer Albertz, University of Münster
2020 Professor Beverly Gaventa, Baylor University
2019 Professor John J. Collins, Yale Divinity School
2018 Professor Christopher Rowland, University of Oxford
2017 Professor Takamitsu Muraoka, University of Leiden
2016 Professor Dr Dr h.c. Barbara Aland, University of Münster
2015 Professor David J A Clines, University of Sheffield
2014 Professor N Thomas Wright, University of St Andrews
2013 Professor Ronald Ernest Clements DD, King's College London
2012 Professor Christopher Tuckett, University of Oxford
2011 Professor Andrew Mayes, formerly Erasmus Smith Professor of Hebrew, Trinity College, Dublin
2010 Professor Ulrich Luz, Emeritus Professor of New Testament Studies, University of Bern
2009 Revd Professor Ernest Nicholson FBA, formerly Provost of Oriel College, Oxford
2008 Professor Richard Bauckham FBA, FRSE, Professor of New Testament Studies and Bishop Wardlaw Professor, University of St Andrews
2007 Professor Jan Alberto Soggin
2006 Professor Graham Stanton
2005 Revd Professor Pierre-Maurice Bogaert, OSB
2004 Professor Morna D Hooker
2003 Professor Bertil Albrektson
2002 Professor Gerd Theissen