Rainer Kessler (Lindschied / Taunus, today Bad Schwalbach, Germany, 1944) studied evangelical theology in Mainz, Hamburg and Heidelberg. After obtaining a doctorate in theology from the latter University in 1972, he developed pastoral duties as an ordained minister of the Evangelical Church in various cities. From 1993 until his retirement in 2010, he has been professor of Old Testament at the Philipps University of Marburg. She currently teaches courses at universities in Europe and America.

Among his works we can mention, apart from its more than 200 articles and contributions, Die Querverweise im Pentateuch, 1972; Staat und Gesellschaft im vorexilischen Juda, 1990; Gotteserdung. Beiträge zur Hermeneutik Exegese und der Bibel Hebräischen, 2006; Samuel. Priester und Richter, Königsmacher und Prophet, 2007; Studien zur Sozialgeschichte Israels, 2009.