7 August 2025 - The Changing Face of the Biblical Pantheon
From Monolatry to Monotheism: The Changing Face of the Biblical Pantheon, FOA Cyprus Tour, plus the usual round-up of news, books, and other media.
From Monolatry to Monotheism: The Changing Face of the Biblical Pantheon
By Michael B. Hundley
As we saw in the previous post, biblical Israel’s pantheon likely resembled those of its neighbors more than we might expect. However, it also differed and developed in meaningful ways, especially because of its commitment to monolatry — the worship of one god, without denying the existence of others. Exclusivity lies at the heart of Israel’s covenant or contract with their god, setting them apart from their neighbors whose gods rarely make covenants with humans or demand exclusivity. Biblical monolatry resembles a monogamous marriage. While I recognize the existence of many other women, my marriage contract requires me to be exclusively committed to my wife. In his marriage-like relationship as in my own, YHWH expresses commitment and care for his “spouse” – the people of Israel. While a marriage is preferably permanent, my infidelity would give my wife grounds for dissolving the relationship in divorce. Likewise, while the text acknowledges the existence of other gods, the divine contract requires that the Israelites worship their “jealous god” alone. In fact, their faithfulness determines their welfare as a people and worshiping other gods leads to their eventual exile.
Editor’s note: This is the final article in our 4-part series on the nature of God in the Ancient Near East and the Bible. If you missed the first three, you can find them here:
What is a God in the Ancient Near East?
What is a God in the Hebrew Bible? Part 1: The Divine Cast of Characters
What is a God in the Hebrew Bible? Part 2: Characteristics and Hierarchy
Friends of ASOR Cyprus Tour
Friends of ASOR invites you to venture to the sea in 2026 and join an unforgettable journey through Cyprus, where archaeology meets breathtaking Mediterranean beauty. Next summer, join 15+ ASOR archaeologists and immerse yourself in behind-the-scenes tours with scholars, archaeologists, excavators, and museum curators who will personally guide the group through a curated itinerary of sites and museums. Tour highlights include exploring Idalion with Dr. Pamela Gaber, investigating the new excavation areas around Kalavasos with Dr. Kevin Fisher, conversing with Dr. William Dever over dinner, and touring and dining at the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute with Dr. Lindy Crewe.
Learn more about the tour here or reserve your place now!
In the News:
Spanish discovery suggests Roman era ‘church’ may have been a synagogue (The Guardian)
Archaeologists unearth over 6,000-year-old settlement near Erbil (Rudaw.net)
Revealed: how a secret rescue operation helped preserve Syria’s heritage (The Art Newspaper)
Archaeologists uncover lavish Bronze Age burial of young woman in Greater Khorasan (phys.org)
We can learn a lot from Troy’s trash (The Conversation)
Archaeologists find ‘missing’ Canaanite stone blade factory in Southern Israel (Haaretz)
New Books to Explore:
Reading Creation Myths Economically in Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel, by Eric J. Harvey. (free to download until August 18!)
Archaeology, History, and Formation of Identity in Ancient Israel, by Filip Çapek
People of the Image: Jews and Art, Marc Michael Epstein
Museum Exhibits:
The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece (J. Paul Getty Museum)
Latest Podcasts:
Ancient Tactical Magic (Ancient /Now)
Protecting Heritage in Times of Conflict with Isber Sabrine (Peopling the Past)
How and Why was the Old Testament Bible Written? (Digging Up the Past)
Latest YouTube:
Why this Assyrian king hunted exactly eighteen lions (British Museum Curator’s Corner)
Abandoned Ancient Berber Cities, Tunisia (Amazing Places)
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From the Archives:
Fish Sauces – The Food that Made Rome Great
By Benedict Lowe
Fish sauce was an important source of protein. Affordable and with good preservative qualities fish sauce formed a staple part of the Roman diet. Read more here.
Sponsored: BASONOVA/BAF Lecture, The Heartland of Judah: Excavations at Biblical Libnah
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 8 pm via Zoom: Steven M. Ortiz, Lipscomb University
Friends of ASOR is pleased to share information on BASONOVA & BAF lectures. Tel Burna, often identified with the biblical town of Libnah (e.g., Josh 15:42), is strategically located on the western border of Judah. Fifteen years of investigation of the site have shed light on the settlement’s economic, religious, and military role within the Judahite and broader Southern Levantine landscape.
As a fortified settlement overlooking the Philistine plain, Tel Burna provides a unique vantage point for understanding border dynamics, cultural interactions including trade, and identity formation during the Iron Age.
Tel Burna experienced several destructions throughout its history. The most significant were likely in the 10th century BCE, linked to the invasion of Pharaoh Shishak as recorded in the Hebrew Bible, and in the late 8th century BCE, possibly connected to Sennacherib's campaign.
Excavations have also revealed extensive evidence of multiple occupations spanning the Late Bronze Age through the Persian period, with particular focus on Canaanite cult, trade and daily life in the Late Bronze Age, and on Iron Age II fortifications, domestic areas, and agricultural installations.
To register for this Zoom event, click here. Questions? Email info@basonova.org
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Published with the assistance of The Lanier Theological Library and Stevan Dana