The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (2002)
By: Mark S. Smith with Foreword by Patrick D. Miller

(Book Thread)

https://archive.org/details/theearlyhistoryofgod.yahwehandtheotherdeitiesinancientisrael/mode/2up

In this remarkable, acclaimed history of the development of monotheism, Mark S. Smith explains how Israel's religion evolved from a cult of Yahweh as a primary deity among many to a fully defined monotheistic faith with Yahweh as sole god.

Repudiating the traditional view that Israel was fundamentally different in culture & religion from its Canaanite neighbors, this provocative book argues that Israelite religion developed, at least in part, from the religion of Canaan.

Drawing on epigraphic & archaeological sources, Smith cogently demonstrates that Israelite religion was not an outright rejection of foreign, pagan gods but, rather, was the result of the progressive establishment of a distinctly separate Israelite identity.

This thoroughly revised second edition of "The Early History of God" includes a substantial new preface by the author & a foreword by Patrick D. Miller.

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