Description
Book SynopsisA Story of YHWH investigates the ancient Israelite expression of their deity, and tracks why variation occurred in that expression, from the early Iron Age to the Persian period.
Through this text, readers will gain a better appreciation for the complexities and contexts in the development of YHWH, from its earliest origins to the Persian period. Two interpretive frameworkscultural translation and subversive receptionare offered for filtering through the textual data and contexts. Comparative study with ancient Near Eastern deities and select biblical texts lead readers through early YHWHism, YHWH's original outsider status, and the eventual impact of urbanization on the expression. Perceived and real pressures then challenge urbanite YHWHism and invite new directions for forming a unique expression of divinity in the ancient world.
This book is intended for those interested in the study of ancient divinity
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Chapter 1: Purpose and scope; Chapter 2: Competing narratives of early origins; Chapter 3: The rise of YHWH and Jerusalem on the international stage; Chapter 4: YHWH as Israel’s only God: YHWH in the exilic period; Chapter 5: Persian period: the afterlives of YHWHism; Chapter 6: Conclusion and assessment; Bibliography; Index
