The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (Biblical Resource Series) | 
|  | | | Title: | The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (Biblical Resource Series) | | Author: | Mark S. Smith | | Publisher: | Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | August, 2002 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 080283972X / 9780802839725 | | List Price: | $26.00 | | You Save: | $8.84 | | Amazon Price: | $17.16 | |
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Customer Reviews:
• Not So Much 08 October, 2005
This book is chock full of excellent references to both biblical and non-biblical texts. The combined references make a convincing case that the Isrealite tradition was originally steeped in the early canaanite polytheism. Smith's book would be an excellent reference but is not itself a satisfying read. Smith frequently sites verses in books as old as Psalms (written in the 11th century bce? Smith doesn't say) in the same paragraph with verses in books as new as the Talmud (written in the 3rd centry ce?). That is, he gives us no historical context to understand how people in the time the Psalms were writen would have understood the polytheistic references vs. how poeple in the time when the Talmud began to form would have understood polytheistic references.
A large percentage of the pages have only a few lines of text with small-print reference notes, albeit good ones, occupying the remainder of the page. Smith supplies ample biblical references throughout this book, often dozens in a single paragraph, but he rarely includes any quotes from the references. The reader has to look them up if he is to understand the argument.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2VGGPT6RD4EQ7
• How "god" Got Started 25 July, 2006
excellent disclosure of the evolution of the understanding of God in early Israelite history. book assumes a high degree of previous knowledge of early Israelite history within an historical / critical understanding of biblical studies. If you are a "literalist," save your money ... you won't like it!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1XL79GPO84FMQ
• More Of A Brilliant Mind 09 May, 2007
See my review of The Memoirs of God. This is the same.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2OQQYW42QE6NP
• Excellent Synthesis Of 20th Century Scholarship 13 August, 2007
This is a fantastic synthesis of 20th Century scholarship on the religion of Israel in the period of the Judges and early monarchy. The Smith surveys the literature and provides his own theory of the the relationship between Israelite religion and that of other Canaanites. (One thing you will learn is that contrary to the way the situation is portrayed in the Bible, there is little to distinguish between the Israelites and Canaanites.) It deals with the issue of monolatry versus monotheism, did God have a wife?, are there various names of God in the Bible because originally they stories were about different gods?, and what of the ritual and cult in early Israelite religion.
Smith definitely draws heavily on the scholarship of Frank Moore Cross, Jr. and Marvin H. Pope, and their students, such as John Day (e.g., Molech: a god of human sacrifice in the Old Testament) and W.R. Garr (e.g., Dialect Geography of Syria-Palestine: 1100-586BC).
The book is extremely well footnoted, making it valuable even if you don't buy all his arguments.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1OW9D03ZV6I81
• Saturated With Interesting Information 18 August, 2008
With copious footnotes referring to a great number of scholarly articles, Smith's book could be a University course study guide. EHG is a must read for anyone wishing to learn about Israel's early religions.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A14J919YUOJ2YH
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