From Monolatry to Monotheism: The Changing Face of the Biblical Pantheon
Exclusive worship of a single god defied the religious norms of the ancient world. So how did Yahweh’s followers push their deity to the top of the divine hierarchy?
What is a God in the Hebrew Bible? Part 2: Characteristics and Hierarchy
Multiple characters in the bible can be classified as gods. What characteristics make them gods, and what is the relationship between them?
David and Solomon’s Kingdom as a State: An Archaeo-Historical Anachronism
Archaeologists have spent much time and energy looking for ‘states’ in the past, including in ancient Israel. Not surprisingly, they find them. But what is a 'state', and how d
From Texts to Scribes: Evidence for Writing in Ancient Israel
What do we know about ancient Israel’s scribal culture? Can two words in the biblical text, the verb ‘write’ (katav) and the noun ‘scribe’ (sofer) help us understand the