The title of The Hebrew Bible and its Contexts underlines the fact that the Hebrew Bible can and should be studied with the same methods and approaches as other textual corpora of the ancient Near East. Biblical studies in France are unfortunately not very developed, due to a certain understanding of secularism. In recent years, the need for close collaboration between philological, historical and archaeological studies has become increasingly apparent, and the team has strengthened contacts with the archaeology department of Tel Aviv University.

Most of the Chair's lectures have focused on the various literary ensembles that are at the origin of the Torah (Pentateuch), and thus of the Hebrew Bible: the traditions about Abraham, the book of Exodus, the story of Joseph (Gen 37-50) and the book of Numbers. Contrary to the traditional documentary model (still in vogue in many North American universities), it now seems more than plausible that the origin of the Pentateuch lies in the Exodus narrative, which was originally a northern tradition, and was first written down in the 7th century BC, in the kingdom of Judah. Recent lectures on the history of the Ark have confirmed this hypothesis, which is currently being tested in a three-year lecture course: Birth of the Bible.