Biblica Hebraica

work by Kittel and Kahle

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June 22, 2026

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Biblica Hebraica is a critical edition of the Hebrew Bible, first published in 1906 and 1912 by German scholars Rudolf Kittel and Paul Kahle. It became a significant work in biblical studies, eventually displacing earlier editions.1

The third edition, completed by Albrecht Alt and Otto Eissfeldt, marked a departure by using the Leningrad Codex as its textual basis instead of the traditional Ben Hayyim text. This edition also featured a dual critical apparatus, distinguishing between textual emendations and variants from manuscripts and ancient versions.1

The study of biblical texts, including the Hebrew Bible, involves textual criticism to understand the history of the text and attempt to reconstruct its original form. This process considers variants among different versions and manuscripts, as well as potential causes of corruption. Hebraica refers to things Hebraic, particularly literary or historical materials.23

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biblical literature
Printed editions
…was soon displaced by the Biblica Hebraica (1906, 1912) by Rudolf Kittel and Paul Kahle, two German biblical scholars. The third edition of this work, completed by Albrecht Alt and Otto Eissfeldt (Stuttgart, 1937), finally abandoned Ben Hayyim’s text, substituting that of the Leningrad Codex (B 19a). It has a…
Read More
…was soon displaced by the Biblica Hebraica (1906, 1912) by Rudolf Kittel and Paul Kahle, two German biblical scholars. The third edition of this work, completed by Albrecht Alt and Otto Eissfeldt (Stuttgart, 1937), finally abandoned Ben Hayyim’s text, substituting that of the Leningrad Codex (B 19a). It has a…
Read More

biblical literature
The Megillot (the Scrolls)
…third and subsequent editions of Biblica Hebraica edited by Rudolf Kittel are based, the five are grouped together but in a historical order. Nevertheless, their appearance usually follows the order of the liturgical calendar:
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…third and subsequent editions of Biblica Hebraica edited by Rudolf Kittel are based, the five are grouped together but in a historical order. Nevertheless, their appearance usually follows the order of the liturgical calendar:
Read More