Instructions to Authors
- Only original papers written in English will be considered. Manuscripts must be word-processed on a computer using WORD format only.
- Do NOT use the ENDNOTES feature of WORD.
- The entire MS. must be in plain text with no special formatting.
- Do NOT include tables or graphics.
- MSS. must be double-spaced. Authors are requested to email an attached file to info@jewishbible.org and to include the author’s full name, postal mailing address, phone number and a short, 2–3 line biographical sketch. A printed page in the JBQ is approximately 34 lines long, with approximately 80 characters to a line. Thus, the submitted MS. should be no longer than 12 pages. There are no page charges.
References
References should be cited consecutively in the text as superscript numerals (raised 3 points) and listed on the last page in numerical order. Any references found through the use of AI, ChatGPT and similar programs must be double checked by authors, as these are notorious for generating fictitious and inaccurate sources. Failure to do so will result in a desk rejection. Each reference should contain, in order, the following:
Author (initial or first name, last name), “Title of article” (in quotation marks), Title of Periodical in italics followed by volume number (year of publication) inclusive page numbers.
Example: S. Bakon, “Biblical Monotheism: Some of its Implications,” Jewish Bible Quarterly 19 (1990) pp. 83–91.
Author (initial of first name, last name), Title of Book in italics (place of publication: publisher, year of publication) page numbers.
Example: N. Sarna, JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989) p. 330. To check proper formatting, see examples of the most recent issue of the journal.
Quotations
Quotations from the Bible should follow one of the Jewish Publication Society translations, unless a special point is being made by the author for the purpose of his article. Biblical quotations should be checked by the author for accuracy. Biblical quotations should be in italics. No quotation marks are used except for dialogue, which takes single quotation marks [‘]. Quotations from the Septuagint or other versions are not in italics. In general, quotations from any source other than the Bible are not in italics or underlined. When a book of the Bible is mentioned in the text, the name of the book is written in full, followed by chapter and verse. In a direct quotation, the citation is in parentheses at the end of the quoted text, using the short forms below – e.g., (Gen. 12:1–3). Place period after numbers or reference.
Example: Exodus 6:1–9; 6:30; 7:3. – and this too will be given you (Gen. 29:27). Source references to the Talmud should appear thus: TB Berakhot 15a.
Hebrew words
Hebrew words transliterated into English should be in italics, except those in very common use, such as Tanakh and Midrash. Where a Hebrew word is used followed by an English translation, or vice-versa, the translation is in brackets. Hyphenate prefixes such as be- and ha-. The following are Hebrew transliterations: Alenu, hodesh, kadosh, tzaddik, va-yehi. Hebrew should be used very sparingly and only if absolutely vital to the article.
The following transliteration guidelines, though non-academic, are simple and widely accepted:
- א and ע
- = assume the sound of the accompanying vowel (e.g., Amen, Ayin, Eretz, Olam)
- ח
- = H (e.g., huppah, Heshvan)
- כּ and ק
- = K (e.g., Ketuvim, Kadosh)
- כ and ך
- = Kh (e.g., Melekh)
- צ
- = Tz (e.g., Tzaddik)
- ◌ֵ
- = E (e.g., Ken, Esh)