Twilight of the Gods: Polytheism in the Hebrew BibleWestminster John Knox Press, 1 ian. 2005 - 108 pagini Since the middle of the twentieth century, one of biblical scholarship's chief assumptions has been that ancient Israel evolved out of the polytheism of surrounding cultures into an ethical monotheism. However, this consensus has fallen apart in recent years. Scholars now know that early Israel was surrounded by a very polytheistic culture and that many Israelites thought of Yahweh as the chief God among many gods. Furthermore, archaeology has shown that Yahweh was worshiped along with other gods throughout the period after the exile, when many shrines were in honor of "Yahweh and his Asherah." David Penchansky's Twilight of the Gods is the first accessible book that shows a historical Israel where polytheism and monotheism existed simultaneously in great conflict. He provides a historical introduction, followed by close readings of key Old Testament passages, where he demonstrates how to interpret difficult biblical texts that depict other gods or claim Yahweh is the only God within this new understanding of Israelite religion. |
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... biblical texts write of these gods as rivals for the affec- tion of the Israelites . Some texts regard these other beings as Yahweh's inferiors , his assistants or servants . References to the divine council describe the bene ' elohim ...
... biblical scholarship has tended to see these two ideologies chronologically , with paganism displaced over time by monotheism . However , the struggle was more an ongoing process , with back - and - forth movement . The ancient ...
... biblical texts portray fathers doing similar things . In stark terms , the writer reports that Asa caused the " passing [ of ] his children through the fire " ( 2 Kgs . 16 : 3 ) , but there is no indication of a military crisis to ...
... biblical passages that portray Yahweh in heavy competition , as one who meets stiff opposition in the divine arena . This passage , 2 Kings 3 , portrays Yahweh as first winning , and then losing in a pitched battle with Chemosh , god of ...
... biblical narrative obstinately permits " ( 1997 , 226-27 ) . Israel , by this view , evolved from belief in many gods , to belief in only one , moving from offering fearful and desperate sacrifices to frightening deities , to obeying ...
Cuprins
3 | |
Miqreh Happenstance in Ancient Israel | 13 |
Benê Elōbîm The Divine Council | 23 |
The Dissolution of the Divine Council | 33 |
AntiIdol Polemic An Attack on the Gods of Israel | 41 |
The Goddesses of Ancient Israel | 49 |
Lady Zion The Beautiful Goddess | 67 |
Asherah and Archaeology | 75 |
Conclusion | 91 |
Index of Scripture | 101 |