Rudolf Kittel (28 March 1853, in Eningen, Württemberg – 20 October 1929, in Leipzig) was a German Old Testament scholar.

Kittel studied at University of Tübingen (1871–76). He was a professor of Old Testament studies at the universities of Breslau (1888–98) and Leipzig (1898–1923). In 1917 he was appointed rector at the University of Leipzig.^[1]

He produced commentaries and histories of the Israelites and the Near East, but his most enduring work was his critical edition of the Hebrew scriptures, Biblia Hebraica, which has remained a standard text.

Kittel's son was the theologian and Nazi apologist Gerhard Kittel.^[2]

Literary works

• Geschichte der Hebräer, 2 volumes, 1888–1892 – History of the Hebrews.
• Biblia Hebraica (BHK), 1909. (Hebrew Bible).
• Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft in ihren wichtigsten Ergebnissen mit Berücksichtigung des Religionsunterrichts, 1910 – Old Testament science and its most important results.
• Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft in ihren wichtigsten Ergebnissen dargestellt, 1917 – Old Testament science and its most important results; with regard to religious instruction.
• Die Religion des Volkes Israel, 1921 – The religion of the people of Israel.
• Geschichte des Volkes Israel, 1923 – History of the people of Israel.
• Gestalten und Gedanken in Israel, 1925.