Barry J. Beitzel


Barry J. Beitzel is an Old Testament scholar, geographer, cartographer, and translator of the Bible. In 2025 he resides in Woodstock, Georgia.

Education and scholarship

Following a BA in Bible and an MA in Old Testament from Bob Jones University, Beitzel studied languages at the Fuller Theological Seminary and the University of Pennsylvania. He then enrolled at The Dropsie University, where he earned a PhD degree in ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literatures in 1976; his dissertation is titled The Place-Names in the Mari Texts: An Onomastic and Toponymic Study. He obtained a post-doctorate in ancient Near Eastern Geography at L'Université de Liège, where he worked with the doyen of Near Eastern geography, J.-R. Kupper, and Assyriologist Georges Dossin.
Beitzel's academic areas of interest include the geographic and spatial dimension of the biblical storylines within the context of their physical world. His primary archaeological work relates to the geographic context and socio-spatiality of the network of paved communication and transportation arteries and unpaved thoroughfares across the ancient Near East, more recently focusing on the structure and location of ancient roadways and milestones in the southern Levant east of the Jordan River ; he also spent one season in eastern Syria, with the UCLA team excavating the site of Tell Ashara, where he was also a member of Giorgio Buccellati's geographical team surveying the terrain and searching for undiscovered ancient sites in the Middle Euphrates and Lower Habur River valleys.
Beitzel's professional work has taken him to Western Asia and the greater Mediterranean on more than 50 occasions. He has also lectured in various countries, and contributed to serial publications, chapters to various monographs, and essays in festschriften. Beitzel served as senior translator for the New Living Bible. He is a former board member of the American Oriental Society, Middle West region. He is a member of The American Schools of Oriental Research, The Association of American Geographers, The National Association of Professors of Hebrew and The Society of Biblical Literature.
Some of his maps are now on permanent display in the Library of Congress.

Academic career

Barry J. Beitzel has been a member of the Department of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School since 1976, as assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and professor emeritus. He was associate academic dean between the years 1986–1996 and executive vice president/provost throughout 1996–2004.

Family

Dr. Beitzel is married to Carol ; they have three children.

Awards

Selected publications

  • Barry J. Beitzel. The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985..
  • Winner, 1986 American Congress on Surveying and Mapping Map Design Competition, sponsored by the Association of American Geographers; Finalist, 1986 Evangelical Christian Publishers Gold Medallion Book Award for the "Bible and Reference Study" category.
  • Barry J. Beitzel, chief consultant and cartographer. ' 'Biblica, the Bible Atlas: A Social and Historical Journey Through the Lands of the Bible.' ' Camberwell, Australia & London: Viking & Penguin Books Ltd., 2004..The New Moody Atlas of the Bible. Chicago: Moody; Oxford: Lion Hudson, 2009.. Revised edition, 2025. Updated and Revised, Moody Bible Atlas. Chicago: Moody Press, 2025. . Winner, 2010 Evangelical Christian Publishers Gold Medallion Book Award for the "Bible Reference and Study" category. "2010 Best in Category" in the Book/Atlas category at the 37th Annual Map Design Competition sponsored by the Cartographic and Geographic Information Systems of the Association of American Geographers.
  • General Editor and Author, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software and Lexham Press, 2016, 2018. . Winner, Christianity Today "2019 Book Award in Biblical Studies."
  • General Editor and Author, Lexham Geographic Commentary on Acts through Revelation
  • General Editor and Author, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software and Lexham Press, 2023. ; . 2024 TGC Book Award of Distinction in Biblical Studies.
  • Barry J. Beitzel, ' 'Where Was the Biblical Red Sea? Examining the Ancient Evidence.' ' Studies in Biblical Archaeology, Geography & History 1. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020..
  • Barry J. Beitzel, general editor and author, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books, volume 1: Joshua to Ruth. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software and Lexham Press, 2025. ; .
  • Barry J. Beitzel, general editor, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books, volume 2: 1 Kings to 2 Chronicles. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software and Lexham Press, 2026.

Maps

He has contributed to the production to a collection of maps by his supervision:A Short History of Ancient Israel Logos Electronic Atlas of the Bible ESV Bible Atlas
His map has appeared in:Atlas of the Ancient World
  • National Geographic maps:
  • * 189.4
  • * 214.6
  • * 218.6
  • * 221.3
  • * 232.6.