Excellent4.8 out of 5On Trustpilot
  1. Academic Bible Study/
  2. Old Testament Theology

Origins Of Biblical Monotheism

Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts

  • Hardback
  • 352 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • 15.3 x 22.9 x 2.4 cm

£83.90

Save 16% | Free UK Delivery

Available - Usually dispatched within 4 days

Buying for a school or church? Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account

As the Bible tells us, ancient Israel's neighbours worshipped a wide variety of Gods. It is now widely accepted that the Israelites' God, Yahweh, must have originated as among these many, before assuming the role of the one true God of monotheism.

Mark Smith here seeks to discover more precisely what was meant by 'divinity' in the ancient near-East, and how these concepts apply to Yahweh. Part One of the book offers a detailed examination of the deities of ancient Ugarit, known to us from the large surviving group of relevant extra-biblical texts.

In Part Two, Smith looks closely at four classic problems associated with four Ugaritic deities, and considers how they affect our understanding of Yahweh. At the end of the book he returns to the question of Israelite monotheism, seeking to discover what religious issues it addressed, and why it made sense at the time of its emergence.

He argues that within the Bible, monotheism is not a separate 'stage' of religion but rather represents a kind of rhetoric reinforcing Israel's exclusive relation with its deity.

Readership: Students and scholars of Hebrew Bible

Origins Of Biblical Monotheism and Exodus
ExodusOrigins Of Biblical Monotheism
  • Author

    Mark S Smith

  • Book Format

    Hardback

  • Publisher

    Oxford University Press

  • Published

    August 2001

  • Weight

    632g

  • Page Count

    352

  • Dimensions

    15.3 x 22.9 x 2.4 cm

  • ISBN

    9780195134803

  • ISBN-10

    019513480X

  • Eden Code

    1006516

Over 14,000 churches and schools have upgraded to an Advance Account and we‘d love to welcome you into this free program. We know that church volunteers and school teachers often use their own money, then have claim it back on on an expense form. We can take all of that hassle away by invoicing your church or school directly and delivering your order straight away.

Opening an account is quick and easy, with most accounts being approved and setup within a few hours of filling in the form below (on weekdays, not weekends). As soon as we‘ve approved the application we‘ll send you an email to let you know that its done.

Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account
Open Doors Ad