Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

Henry (welcome back, btw),
> I'm not sure what the point of positing a strong opposition between "El"
> and YHWH is.  In Canaanite languages, "El" is both a general word for "a
> god", and also the proper name of the god who is vaguely conceived of as
> the highest god, or overall ruler of the pantheon (without any
> particularly close approach to a monotheistic theology).  YHWH is the
> name of the god of Israel.  As the god of Israel comes to be considered
> the highest (or even only) god, some of the "El" high-god terminology
> naturally becomes associated with YHWH (though in the Bible "El"
> standing by itself is not as frequently used to refer to YHWH as is "El"
> in special compounds and phrases -- and of course the related but
> different "Elohim" is more common by far).  

I notice the phrase "As the god of Israel comes to be considered
the highest (or even only) god" and wonder if you see this as a 
diachronic development as some do.  I confess I have problems 
with the idea, because I don't see any necessity for it.  We have 
the Ugarit materials that show us a pantheon headed by El, but 
when we overlay this on the Hebrew biblical materials it seems to 
me that we assume an evolution from this pantheon to the 
monotheistic approach of the Israel of the monarchy (usually by 
late-dating at least some texts).  Do you think it's possible that 
Hebrew culture, however it may have developed, *began* as an 
experiment in monotheism?  This would account for the repeated 
slippage back into idolatry and polytheism that is denounced from 
Joshua onwards (obviously I'm assuming a certain degree of 
historicity for some of the accounts in this question, which I know 
will raise some hackles).  I'd be interested to know your view on 
this.

Again, good to have you back!


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.
                                   Psalm 86:11