Conference Presentation
Zechariah's Donkey and the Gospel Entry into Jerusalem: Hebrew Semantics, Messianic Prophecy, and New Testament Reception
Prof. Mony Almalech, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Professor
New Bulgarian Studies
New Bulgarian University
Bulgaria
ORCID: 0000-0002-1382-2826
Presentation Date & Time
9 November 2026
13:00 CET (Serbia time)
Special Additional Day
Conference
New Discoveries and New Directions in Biblical, Hebrew, and Theological Studies
European Hebrew Journal International Online Conference
Format
Live online via Zoom
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Abstract
The presentation examines the Messiah's donkey as a culturally charged sign in Hebrew tradition, showing how linguistic structures, biblical narratives, and semiotic processes converge to shape its meaning across ancient texts and later interpretive frameworks. It outlines and explains the unusual nature of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a foal.
Keywords
Hebrew • world-view • Bible • donkey • signs • traditions • translations
Research Context: The Biblical Donkey, Messianic Prophecy, and Hebrew Semantics
Prof. Mony Almalech has conducted extensive linguistic and semiotic research on biblical Hebrew, biblical symbolism, and the terminology and cultural meanings associated with the donkey in the Hebrew Bible.
His monograph Biblical Donkey examines the linguistic and semiotic complexity of biblical donkey terminology and its relationship to royal, messianic, and theological symbolism.
Of particular relevance to his EHJ Conference 2026 presentation is his study The Old Testament Prophecy about the Ass's Foal of the Messiah and Donkey-Terminology, which examines the Hebrew terminology associated with the messianic donkey tradition and its later reception in accounts of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
This earlier research provides an important scholarly context for his conference presentation on Zechariah's donkey, Hebrew semantics, messianic prophecy, and New Testament reception.
Academic Profile
Prof. Mony Almalech, Ph.D., D.Sc., is a Bulgarian linguist, Hebraist, semiotician, and Professor at New Bulgarian University, where he is affiliated with the Department of New Bulgarian Studies.
His scholarship spans general and comparative linguistics, applied linguistics, Hebrew language and grammar, biblical studies, biblical semiotics, psycholinguistics, and the semiotics of colour.
A substantial part of his research investigates how linguistic meaning, cultural symbolism, and semiotic structures operate in the Hebrew Bible, including the semantic fields of colours, biblical terminology, symbolic animals, and the relationship between Hebrew lexical meaning and later interpretive traditions.
His work combines linguistic, comparative, psycholinguistic, and semiotic approaches to biblical texts and has contributed particularly to scholarship on biblical Hebrew, colour terminology, and biblical symbolism.
He is also the author of a Hebrew–Bulgarian dictionary and studies connecting Hebrew linguistics with Bulgarian and comparative language research.
ORCID: 0000-0002-1382-2826
Education and Academic Qualifications
1977
Master's degree in Bulgarian Philology, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski".
Second specialization: Philosophy.
1990
Doctoral degree in General / Structural / Applied Linguistics.
Institute for Bulgarian Language, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Doctoral research: Semantics of noun constructions in contemporary Bulgarian.
2005
Doctor of Sciences in General and Comparative Linguistics / Applied Linguistics.
Research associated with the linguistic worldview and secondary nomination of colour terminology in the Old Testament, based on Hebrew, Bulgarian, and comparative linguistic evidence.
2007
Appointed Professor in General and Comparative Linguistics / Applied Linguistics at New Bulgarian University.
Selected Academic Positions
1990–1992
Research Fellow, Institute for Bulgarian Language, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
1993–1994
Research Fellow, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
1995–2003
Research positions, Institute for Bulgarian Language, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2003
Joined New Bulgarian University as Associate Professor
2007–present
Professor, New Bulgarian University, Department of New Bulgarian Studies
2010–2012
Head, Department of New Bulgarian Studies, New Bulgarian University
Research Expertise
- • Biblical Hebrew
- • Hebrew Linguistics
- • Hebrew Grammar
- • Hebraistics
- • Biblical Studies
- • Biblical Semiotics
- • Hebrew Semantics
- • General Linguistics
- • Comparative Linguistics
- • Contrastive Linguistics
- • Applied Linguistics
- • Psycholinguistics
- • Semiotics
- • Semiotics of Colour
- • Biblical Symbolism
- • Hebrew Lexicography
- • Messianic Symbolism
- • Bible and New Testament Reception
Selected Publications, Articles, and Open-Access Research
Mony Almalech
Colors as a Semiotic Tool for Bible Analysis
Sign, Method and the Sacred: New Directions in Semiotic Methodologies for the Study of Religion. De Gruyter, 2021, pp. 243–266.
A methodological study applying semiotic analysis to biblical language and symbolism.
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit Blue in the Old Testament
Language and Semiotic Studies 9(2), 2023, pp. 185–223.
DOI: 10.1515/lass-2023-2001
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit Red in the Old Testament
Language and Semiotic Studies 9(1), 2023.
DOI: 10.1515/lass-2022-2010
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit White – Prototype Terms
Language and Semiotic Studies 9(4), 2023, pp. 510–560.
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit Black in the Old Testament
Open Access – NBU Research Repository • Author's Research Copy • Author's Academic Website
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit Green in the Old Testament
Official Publisher Record • Open Access – NBU Research Repository
Mony Almalech
Cultural Unit Yellow in the Bible. Lack of Sign is a Sign
Open Access – NBU Research Repository • Author's Research Copy
Additional Open-Access Biblical Studies
Books and Major Scholarly Works
Mony Almalech
The Colours in the Pentateuch: Linguistic Relativity on Hebrew, Bulgarian, Latin, Greek and Other Languages
Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" Press, Sofia, 2006.
A comparative linguistic study of colour terminology in the Pentateuch, with particular attention to Hebrew and cross-linguistic semantic structures.
Mony Almalech
Hebrew–Bulgarian Dictionary
26,000 Hebrew entries. First edition: Trud Publishing House, Sofia, 2004. Second edition: 2011.
A major Hebrew–Bulgarian lexicographic work reflecting Prof. Almalech's long-standing research and teaching expertise in Hebrew linguistics.
Mony Almalech
Biblical Donkey
Kibea Publishing, Sofia, 2012.
A monograph examining the linguistic and semiotic meanings of donkey terminology and symbolism in biblical tradition, including its royal and messianic dimensions.
Mony Almalech
The Old Testament Prophecy about the Ass's Foal of the Messiah and Donkey-Terminology
In: Biblical Donkey. Kibea Publishing, Sofia, 2012, pp. 1–18.
A study especially relevant to Prof. Almalech's EHJ presentation, examining biblical Hebrew donkey terminology, messianic prophecy, and traditions connected with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Additional Books and Author Resources
Prof. Mony Almalech has authored additional scholarly works in Bulgarian, including titles on light, color symbolism, darkness, archangels, and biblical narratives. These books are available through the following catalogues:
Prof. Mony Almalech – Articles and Academic Resources
Academic Profiles and Verified Sources
Official New Bulgarian University Academic Profile
New Bulgarian University — Department of New Bulgarian Studies
New Bulgarian University Research Repository — Mony Almalech
Biblical Donkey — NBU Research Repository
The Old Testament Prophecy about the Ass's Foal of the Messiah and Donkey-Terminology — NBU
Conference Participation
Prof. Mony Almalech presents at the European Hebrew Journal International Scholarly Online Zoom Conference 2026 on 9 November 2026 at 13:00 CET (Serbia time), during the Special Additional Day, with the presentation titled "Zechariah's Donkey and the Gospel Entry into Jerusalem: Hebrew Semantics, Messianic Prophecy, and New Testament Reception."
Suggested Citation
Almalech, Mony. "Zechariah's Donkey and the Gospel Entry into Jerusalem: Hebrew Semantics, Messianic Prophecy, and New Testament Reception." Presentation at New Discoveries and New Directions in Biblical, Hebrew, and Theological Studies, European Hebrew Journal International Scholarly Online Zoom Conference, 9 November 2026.
Attend Prof. Mony Almalech's Presentation
Join Prof. Mony Almalech for his presentation on Hebrew semantics, messianic prophecy, biblical donkey symbolism, and New Testament reception at the European Hebrew Journal International Scholarly Online Zoom Conference on 9 November 2026 at 13:00 CET.
The Special Additional Day is included at no additional charge for all registered conference attendees, with live Zoom access, Q&A, and twelve months of access to the conference recording library.