Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Thomas L. Thompson" <tlt AT teol.ku.dk>]

> Yahwistic monotheism as early as the exilic period? 
> 
This discussion is a bit undisciplined. One doesn't necessarily describe
anything by describing the Hebrew Bible as monotheistic, not because it
isn't but because our understanding of monotheism derives from this
literature. Moreover, monotheism/ henotheism/ polytheism are not things
which exist but they are descriptions scholars give to concepts and belief
systems and they are relative terms. 

Moreover, "exilic period" is primarily a literary reference, not a
chronological one (compare Ezra, Nehemiah, Damascus covenant).

Finally, as this is a scholarly forum, one should remember that there is a
considerable literature on this question and it might be referenced with
profit. It might be useful, for example, to open a discussion of monotheism
with reference to H. Niehr's Der hoechste Gott (BZAW 1992).
Thomas

Thomas L. Thompson
Professor
University of Copenhagen