Dr Kevin Chau received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California-Irvine in 1994, M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1998, M.A. in Hebrew and Semitics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001, and Ph.D. in Hebrew and Semitics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. During his Ph.D. studies, he was an undergraduate lecturer for “Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Poetry” and also worked as a teaching assistant in the department of Chemistry. He is currently a senior lecturer at the University of the Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa) in the department of Hebrew, where he teaches in the B.A. and B.A. Honours programs.   

 

Kevin Chau is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL North America) steering committee for the section of Biblical Hebrew Poetry (2004-present) and also a member of the Ethnic Chinese Biblical Colloqium (2007-present).

 

Kevin Chau’s research is primarily in biblical Hebrew poetry, specifically in metaphor, literary methods, and linguistic methods. His dissertation (A Poetics for Metaphor in Biblical Hebrew Poetry) demonstrates how understanding the poetics of metaphor (i.e., how metaphors are formed and operate) in biblical poetry can provide biblical scholars innovative tools and procedures for interpreting metaphors. He is currently co-editor and contributor to two edited volumes that are derived from special sessions in the SBL Biblical Hebrew Poetry section: Allusion and Intertextuality in Wisdom and Psalms (Sheffield Phoenix Press) and Poetic Approaches to the Song of Song (Eisenbrauns). He has presented multiple conferences papers over the years: “Finding Metaphor’s Long Lost Brother: A Survey of Metonymy in Biblical Hebrew Poetry” (Jan 2014, New Research in Hebrew Language and Culture: African Perspectives; University of the Free State, South Africa); Respondent for the session of ‘Wit in Biblical Hebrew Poetry’ (Fall 2012, SBL North America- Chicago, IL); “A Survey of Metonymy in Biblical Hebrew Poetry” (Fall 2009, SBL North America - New Orleans, LA); “Untangling Metaphors and Text-critical Problems in Jer 6.27-30” (Fall 2007, SBL North America - San Diego, CA); “Identifying the Invaders in Joel 2.1-11” (Spring 2007, Upper Midwest SBL- St. Paul, MN).

HEB344: Grammar of Syriac

NBL608: Near Eastern and Biblical Literature

NBT608: Near Eatern and Biblical Languages

NOS618: Introduction to Near Eatern Studies

NOS648: Research Report (Hebrew) Honours