Originally Posted by Savage_Hunter
Originally Posted by DBT
Originally Posted by Savage_Hunter
Originally Posted by DBT
The evolution of Yahweh as the god of the tribe of Israel.

Quote:

''Although the Bible, and specifically the Book of Exodus, presents Yahweh as the god of the Israelites, there are many passages which make clear that this deity was also worshipped by other peoples in Canaan. Amzallag notes that the Edomites, Kenites, Moabites, and Midianites all worshipped Yahweh to one degree or another and that there is evidence the Edomites who operated the mines at Timnah converted an earlier Egyptian temple of Hathor to the worship of Yahweh.

Although the biblical narratives depict Yahweh as the sole creator god, lord of the universe, and god of the Israelites especially, initially he seems to have been Canaanite in origin and subordinate to the supreme god El. Canaanite inscriptions mention a lesser god Yahweh and even the biblical Book of Deuteronomy stipulates that “the Most High, El, gave to the nations their inheritance” and that “Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob and his allotted heritage” (32:8-9). A passage like this reflects the early beliefs of the Canaanites and Israelites in polytheism or, more accurately, henotheism (the belief in many gods with a focus on a single supreme deity).

The claim that Israel always only acknowledged one god is a later belief cast back on the early days of Israel’s development in Canaan.''

Yahweh in the Canaanite Pantheon

''The biblical narrative, however, is not as straightforward as it may seem as it also includes reference to the Canaanite god El whose name is directly referenced in `Israel’ (He Who Struggles with God or He Who Perseveres with God). El was the chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon and the god who, according to the Bible, gave Yahweh authority over the Israelites:

When the Most High [El] gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the Sons of God. For Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9, Masoretic Text).

The Canaanites, like all ancient civilizations, worshipped many gods but chief among them was the sky-god El. In this passage from Deuteronomy, El gives each of the gods authority over a segment of the people of earth and Yahweh is assigned to the Israelites who, in time, will make him their supreme and only deity; but it is clear he existed beforehand as a lesser Canaanite god.
Yahweh, as the actual name of the supreme being, seems to have remained in use until the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BCE. ''


Most people have a misunderstanding about the names of God. God utilizes progressive revelation. IOW, As you travel thru the centuries, God is revealing Himself more and more fully and in various situations until the fullest revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ.

The reason "Yahweh" is not found in Genesis, is because God had not yet revealed Himself as Yahweh until God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush episode. He revealed that He would deliver Israel, but they must become "His people" under the covenant.

Exodus 6 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.” 2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.

Yahweh is the covenant Name of God. Prior to that, He was know as El or Elohim and the many compound names found throughout the Bible.


It's more complicated than what can be said in this forum. It is clear that the tribe of Israel borrowed ideas and beliefs from surrounding cultures and modified them in order to build their own religion and identity as a people. There is an evolution of belief on the nature of Yahweh from the early period, tribal god of war to universal creator.

The Hebrew God wasn't invented by Moses or Abraham. He existed and was worshiped by numerous people groups prior to Abraham. Noah passed down to his sons and they passed down.

Concerning these Canaanite people groups, most of them were all related and many of those people groups worshiped "the god of Abraham" which is the same God that was God before Abraham.
There were "God believers" from many people groups. The early descendants of Ishmael worshiped the same God as the Hebrews, so it would be surprising if they didn't use the same "common" name of God, "El" or "Elohim".

So, I don't know if anyone can say that the Hebrews "borrowed" these or if they simply shared them in common from a point in time and then various religions changed over time.

Originally Posted by Savage_Hunter
Originally Posted by DBT
Originally Posted by Savage_Hunter
Originally Posted by DBT
The evolution of Yahweh as the god of the tribe of Israel.

Quote:

''Although the Bible, and specifically the Book of Exodus, presents Yahweh as the god of the Israelites, there are many passages which make clear that this deity was also worshipped by other peoples in Canaan. Amzallag notes that the Edomites, Kenites, Moabites, and Midianites all worshipped Yahweh to one degree or another and that there is evidence the Edomites who operated the mines at Timnah converted an earlier Egyptian temple of Hathor to the worship of Yahweh.

Although the biblical narratives depict Yahweh as the sole creator god, lord of the universe, and god of the Israelites especially, initially he seems to have been Canaanite in origin and subordinate to the supreme god El. Canaanite inscriptions mention a lesser god Yahweh and even the biblical Book of Deuteronomy stipulates that “the Most High, El, gave to the nations their inheritance” and that “Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob and his allotted heritage” (32:8-9). A passage like this reflects the early beliefs of the Canaanites and Israelites in polytheism or, more accurately, henotheism (the belief in many gods with a focus on a single supreme deity).

The claim that Israel always only acknowledged one god is a later belief cast back on the early days of Israel’s development in Canaan.''
[b]
Yahweh in the Canaanite Pantheon

''The biblical narrative, however, is not as straightforward as it may seem as it also includes reference to the Canaanite god El whose name is directly referenced in `Israel’ (He Who Struggles with God or He Who Perseveres with God). El was the chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon and the god who, according to the Bible, gave Yahweh authority over the Israelites:

When the Most High [El] gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the Sons of God. For Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9, Masoretic Text).

The Canaanites, like all ancient civilizations, worshipped many gods but chief among them was the sky-god El. In this passage from Deuteronomy, El gives each of the gods authority over a segment of the people of earth and Yahweh is assigned to the Israelites who, in time, will make him their supreme and only deity; but it is clear he existed beforehand as a lesser Canaanite god.
Yahweh, as the actual name of the supreme being, seems to have remained in use until the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BCE. ''


Most people have a misunderstanding about the names of God. God utilizes progressive revelation. IOW, As you travel thru the centuries, God is revealing Himself more and more fully and in various situations until the fullest revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ.

The reason "Yahweh" is not found in Genesis, is because God had not yet revealed Himself as Yahweh until God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush episode. He revealed that He would deliver Israel, but they must become "His people" under the covenant.

Exodus 6 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and [b]under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.” 2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.

Yahweh is the covenant Name of God. Prior to that, He was know as El or Elohim and the many compound names found throughout the Bible.


It's more complicated than what can be said in this forum. It is clear that the tribe of Israel borrowed ideas and beliefs from surrounding cultures and modified them in order to build their own religion and identity as a people. There is an evolution of belief on the nature of Yahweh from the early period, tribal god of war to universal creator.

The Hebrew God wasn't invented by Moses or Abraham. He existed and was worshiped by numerous people groups prior to Abraham. Noah passed down to his sons and they passed down.

Concerning these Canaanite people groups, most of them were all related and many of those people groups worshiped "the god of Abraham" which is the same God that was God before Abraham.
There were "God believers" from many people groups. The early descendants of Ishmael worshiped the same God as the Hebrews, so it would be surprising if they didn't use the same "common" name of God, "El" or "Elohim".

So, I don't know if anyone can say that the Hebrews "borrowed" these or if they simply shared them in common from a point in time and then various religions changed over time.


We only have the words of Hebrew writers to tell us that their god exists.

Other people believed in other gods. Before the tribe of Israel formed their theology, there was no belief in the God of Abraham.