Historicity of the Old Testament and the development of God?

[thephilosopher6]

Recently I’ve been reading a lot of Old Testament scholarship discussing the historicity of the Old Testament. I actually find it quite fascinating and want to run it by some of you guys here on CAF and see what you think. I’ll just give you a general overview of what scholars believe.

So, it is believed that Yahweh was originally a deity that a group called the Kenites worshiped, originating somewhere in Edom or Midian, or possibly even Moab. He is not native to Canaan, that’s for sure, and scholars instead point to traditions in the Bible that seem to indicate he did originate in the south. For example, Moses’s family, his wife Zipporah, and his father-in-law, Jethro, are said to be Kenite worshipers of Yahweh living in Midian. Another example found in the Bible is that of Israel and Edom being depicted as twin brothers through Esau and Jacob. A third example found in the Biblical text is that of Mt. Sinai, which was probably in the south Levant or northern part of Arabia, and some scholars believe Yahweh was originally worshiped on it and that this location lived on in the Israelite memory and made its way into the Exodus narrative. There are also some verses in the Bible indicating Yahweh came from the south. Take the Song of Deborah (Judges 5), for example, some scholars believe this portion predates the rest of Judges, and one section of it reads:

LORD, when You went out from Seir,
When You marched from the field of Edom,
The earth trembled and the heavens poured,
The clouds also poured water;
The mountains gushed before the LORD,
This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel.
(Judges 5:4-5)

(Note: Seir is synonymous with Edom)

Take also Habakkuk 3:3 which reads:

God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.

And finally take Deuteronomy 33:2, which reads as:

“The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran.”

(CONTINUED BELOW)

 

[thephilosopher6]

Now, there is some archaeological evidence to also suggest southern origins. Two Egyptian inscriptions from the 14th and 13th century BC mention the “Shasu of Yhw.” Scholars aren’t sure if “Yhw” is a place name, or the name for a deity, but if it’s the latter, then this is the earliest reference to Yahweh ever found. Egyptian text seem to describe the Shasu as a nomadic people, inhabiting places around Edom and Moab. Many scholars believe they did eventually migrate north into Canaan at some point, possibly bringing Yahweh with them. Another piece of evidence is an inscription found on the Sinai peninsula, called the “Kuntillet Ajrud”, and is dated to the 9th century BC. It has the inscriptions on it, “Yahweh of Samaria and his Asherah, Yahweh of Teman and his Asherah”, Teman being a town/clan in Edom, which suggest that the Edomites did worship Yahweh at some point. A final piece of archaeological evidence is that of Edomite deity called “Qos”, which many scholars actually just believe to be an Edomite title given to Yahweh sometime during the 8th century BC. Indeed, Qos is unusually never condemned in the Bible, and in fact there is even a character in in the Bible named Kushaiah (1 Chronicles 15:17), and his name seems to mean, “Qos is Yahweh.”

(CONTINUED BELOW)

 

[thephilosopher6]

All this evidence does tie in nicely, and many scholars do believe Yahweh must have southern origins. It is believed that by the 13th century BC, Yahweh was brought north by immigrants from the south, which is probably where the memory of the Exodus and the wandering in the desert comes from, though heavily mythologized later on and combined with other traditions in the Torah (Pentateuch). They certainly came in peacefully, not violently like what is described in the Book of Joshua, and it was probably something that happen gradually over time through centuries. It’s possible a Moses or Moses like figures existed, though of course, they were later mythologized. Now, the Canaanite inhabitants already had their own pantheon though, and began to appropriate Yahweh into it. El was heavily appropriated into Yahweh, (El was head of the Canaanite pantheon), and in fact the name “Israel” is not Yahwehistic, but rather it is in reference to El. Much of El’s titles began being absorbed to Yahweh, and later Biblical writers present El as being Yahweh all along, as a way of combining the two origin stories of Israel into one. Indeed, if we read Exodus 6 we see God say to Moses:

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as [El Shaddai], but by my name [Yahweh] I did not make myself fully known to them. - Exodus 6:3

Indeed, the Biblical text suggest that Canaanite inhabitants worshiped Yahweh as El before he fully arrived into the north, we see this with characters like Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of El Elyon (Genesis 14:18-24).

Yahweh became the national God of Israel and Judah, and eventually Yahweh only prophets, like Elijah (9th century BC), Amos and Hosea (8th century BC), arose in the north. When the Assyrians conquered Israel (8th century BC), refugees fleeing to the south brought Yahweh only worship with them into Judah. Kings like Hezekiah (8th century BC) and Josiah (7th century BC) enacted heavy religious reforms, and this is when the first parts of the Torah began to be written by a school of thought known as the Deuteronomist, who are responsible for Deuteronomy through 2 Kings, as well as the Book of Jeremiah. They developed a lot of covenantal theology surrounding Yahweh and Israel. Now, before the exile, they were’t entirely monotheistic. They were probably strongly monolatristic, not denying other gods existence, but proclaiming Yahweh as all powerful, and the only God worthy of worship. By the time of the exile though (6th century BC), the religious authorities began to deny the existence of other gods altogether, and monotheism and Judaism was born. Yahweh was finally proclaimed as the only God in existence.

So, what does CAF think of all of this?

 

[ericc]

So, it is believed that Yahweh was originally a deity that a group called the Kenites worshiped, originating somewhere in Edom or Midian, or possibly even Moab. He is not native to Canaan, that’s for sure, and scholars instead point to traditions in the Bible that seem to indicate he did originate in the south.

You wrote a lot but you don’t provide references. You said “it is believed” and my response to that is “who believed”? You mentioned unnamed scholars which no one in CAF can possibly guess who they are and with no literature quoted on what they wrote. If these unnamed scholars have written some stuff, were there any rebuttals to their writings? Anyone can weave a story out of any historical incidents or writings aka Dan Brown style. Anyone can have their pet theory. I think you will find very little responses unless you provide specifics.

Also you mentioned “some scholars” in several places of your piece, Unfortunately, different groups of scholars each have their own pet theories. To have a fairer perspective on the subject, you should include dissenting or contrarian or alternative views as well. It is extremely difficult to say with certainty which views truly can tell what really happened in those ancient days.

It is true ancient people worshiped several gods which are pretty much location-based except for the God of Abraham who is not geo-constrained. If those other gods existed, they are certainly not strong enough to overcome the God of Abraham. Egyptian gods, Sumerian gods, nature gods, Canaanite gods are all gone for most intent and purposes. The behaviour of people may be in actuality against the teachings of that religion. Some people may think of buying insurance by having a few gods so that he doesn’t offend any. Hence, one may find evidences of worshiping multiple gods. The Israelites have been shown again and again to go down that route even though Yahweh prohibited that practice in the very first commandment. That didn’t stop them at all till after multiple misfortunes later.

 

[ericc]

we see this with characters like Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of El Elyon (Genesis 14:18-24)

The Bible is a story of God’s interaction with the Israelites/Jews and later with the world. It is certain that God can and have interactions with other peoples. We may not have written records of those interactions but the Bible indicated that other people such as Melchizedek do have interaction. It is not clear whether Esau and his descendants had any interactions with God but we should not argue from silence. We know from Deuteronomy 2:5 that God recognised that Mount Seir was given to Esau and prohibited Moses from taking over them. Since the Edomites were descendants of Esau, it is possible that they too may have worshiped the God of Issac (Esau’s father) as well. Whether God had a different name there Qos or otherwise is not critical.

 

[De_Maria]

If scholars contradict Catholic Teaching, they need to be ignored. It is to the Catholic Church that God gave the charism of infallibility.