JoyJuice

Hi everyone, if I may, does anyone know what language the Canaanites spoke?

Is Hebrew a offshoot dialect from the Canaanites?

The Canaanites refered to their supreme God as 'El' could that be the very same God that is found in the Hebrew Scriptures?

Were the early Hebrews really monotheistic, or did they believe that many Gods existed, and they came to understand that 'El' was the only God that should be worshipped?

Thanks

YHWHtruth

Although the Bible record clearly shows the Canaanites to be Hamitic, the majority of reference works speak of them as of Semitic origin. This classification is based on the evidence of a Semitic language spoken by the Canaanites. The evidence most frequently appealed to is the large number of texts found at Ras Shamra (Ugarit) written in a Semitic language or dialect and considered to date from as far back as the 14th century_B.C.E. However, Ugarit apparently did not come within the Biblical boundaries of Canaan. An article by A._F. Rainey in The Biblical Archaeologist (1965, p. 105) states that on ethnic, political, and, probably, linguistic bases “it is now clearly a misnomer to call Ugarit a ‘Canaanite’ city.” He gives further evidence to show that “Ugarit and the land of Canaan were separate and distinct political entities.” Hence, these tablets provide no clear rule by which to determine the language of the Canaanites.

Many of the Amarna Tablets found in Egypt do proceed from cities in Canaan proper, and these tablets, predating the Israelite conquest, are written mainly in cuneiform Babylonian, a Semitic language. This, however, was the diplomatic language of the entire Middle East at that time, so that it was used even when writing to the Egyptian court. Thus, it is of considerable interest to note the statement in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (edited by G._A. Buttrick, 1962, Vol. 1, p. 495) that “the Amarna Letters contain evidence for the opinion that non-Semitic ethnic elements settled in Palestine and Syria at a rather early date, for a number of these letters show a remarkable influence of non-Semitic tongues.” (Italics ours.) The facts are that there is still uncertainty as to the original language spoken by the first inhabitants of Canaan.

It is true, however, that the Bible account itself appears to show that Abraham and his descendants were able to converse with the people of Canaan without the need of an interpreter, and it may also be noted that, while some place-names of a non-Semitic type were used, most of the towns and cities captured by the Israelites already bore Semitic names. Still, Philistine kings in Abraham’s time and also, evidently, David’s time, were called “Abimelech” (Ge 20:2; 21:32; Ps 34:Sup), a thoroughly Semitic name (or title), whereas it is nowhere contended that the Philistines were a Semitic race. So, it would appear that the Canaanite tribes, over a period of some centuries from the time of the confusion of tongues at Babel (Ge 11:8,_9), apparently changed over to a Semitic tongue from their original Hamitic language. This may have been because of their close association with the Aramaic-speaking peoples of Syria, as a result of Mesopotamian domination for a period of time, or for other reasons not now apparent. Such a change would be no greater than that of other ancient nations, such as the ancient Persians, who, though of Indo-European (Japhetic) stock, later adopted the Semitic Aramaean language and writing.

“The language of Canaan” referred to at Isaiah 19:18 would by then (eighth century_B.C.E.) be the Hebrew language, the principal language of the land.

YHWHtruth

It is now known that El was considered the chief god of these pagan Canaanites (el in Hebrew means “god”). On a stele found at Ras Shamra the god El is shown seated upon a throne, with the king of Ugarit presenting an offering before him. The god is represented as mature in age, paternal and majestic in appearance. The wife of El is Asherah, the counselor of the gods, the goddess of fertility represented in symbol by a sacred pole. (1_Ki. 18:19, footnote c) To complete the trinity of major gods, El and Asherah had an outstanding son, Baal, also considered a god. Baal was a god of the rain and the storm and is represented on a Ras Shamra stele brandishing a mace in his right hand and holding in his left hand a stylized thunderbolt ending in a spearhead. One of Baal’s titles is “Zebul [the Exalted] Lord of the Earth.” This doubtless has survived in the name of the god Baal-zebub in 2_Kings 1:2 and the reference to Satan as Beelzebub at Mark 3:22. The sister of Baal is the goddess Anath, represented as “the virgin.” Baal’s wife is said to have been the goddess Ashtoreth (Astarte) made mention of at Judges 2:13 (see footnote c).

The clay tablets found at Ras Shamra reveal the “Myth of Baal.”3 (Baal in the Canaanite dialects and in Hebrew means “owner, master.”) From the account it is obvious that this pagan myth seeks to represent religiously the alternation of the seasons in Canaan. Baal was supposed to control the rain and thus energize the soil to give birth to vegetation. Since the Canaanites were entirely dependent on the regularity of the rain and vegetation, it was from a materialistic viewpoint that they considered Baal an exceedingly important factor. From April to the end of October there is no rain in Palestine apart from a very occasional and unseasonable shower. Only those vegetables and plants can grow that can get what water they need from the heavy morning dew. Toward the end of October the rains begin and continue, on and off, throughout the winter to the end of April. The winter, therefore, is one general rainy season. Very early in the spring, about February, the grain is planted, and then harvested in May or June, though the exact time varies with the season and section of the country. In April, as a result of the rains, the whole countryside is covered with rich vegetation, including beautiful wild flowers of all sorts. By the end of May these have all disappeared, and the landscape is barren except for the trees and the occasional thornbush that can survive the dry season.4

The materialistic Canaanite mind personified the forces of nature to answer why these things should be. Rain and Storm (the god Baal) was killed each spring after a great battle with Death (Mot). Thus through the summer months Death reigned supreme. Why do the rains begin in the autumn? Because Death is conquered by Baal’s sister Anath and Baal comes back to life. Why does rich vegetation cover the land in the spring? Because of the mating of Baal and Fertility, his wife Ashtoreth.

Where does man on earth fit in with Baalism? This ancient religion was more of a public institution, a community way of life, than an individual experience. The god El was considered the supreme divinity who ruled an invisible society of gods, while Baal was his prime minister who ruled a visible society of humans in reflection of what was occurring in the invisible realm. The great Baal was also considered to be the total of many local Baals (baalim). The city or state community was married to its local Baal and was thus fertilized to produce. Individuals were merely part of the collective whole subject to Baal’s forces. Baal to them was a real, materialistic, dynamic force to energize. It was just like a husband who brings to sexual fulfillment and, so to speak, “energizes” his wife. So their great god Baal could energize the soil to produce vegetation and their local Baal could energize a living community of men and beasts. Thus the collective self of the city being considered part of the personification of a local Baal himself, many localities called themselves by his name, such as Baal-hermon, Baal-meon, Baal-hazor, Baal-zephon and others.

The Canaanites refered to their supreme God as 'El' could that be the very same God that is found in the Hebrew Scriptures?

From the above, No. Did the canaanites use the Divine Name?

Were the early Hebrews really monotheistic, or did they believe that many Gods existed, and they came to understand that 'El' was the only God that should be worshipped?

(Deuteronomy 6:4) “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.

Max

Toto

It looks like you copied this from some text that has a footnote c. Why don't you cite the book or webpage?

You cite one Bible verse to show that early Jews were monotheistic, but you ignore many more.

Farrell Till has an essay in the secweb library on this topic:

Yahweh, The God of Gods

YHWHtruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by YHWHtruth
. . . The wife of El is Asherah, the counselor of the gods, the goddess of fertility represented in symbol by a sacred pole. (1_Ki. 18:19, footnote c) .

Religions, 34pg.

I have about 20 copies of my book Vol II edition of "Religions" that I would be willing to send anyone interested for a minimal cost to cover S & H. I want to inform list-members that a new and updated edition of "Religions" will be coming out this fall. The edition I'm offering to send now is an older version and it is spiral bound. But the copies I have do contain a bibliography and a
glossary. If you are interested in receiving a copy, please email me off-list at Dprovo@aol.com

I stress, any interest in these books should be made
known to me via email. Please do not reply to this
message on this forum.

Max

YHWHtruth

(Joshua 22:22) “Divine One, God, Jehovah, Divine One, God, Jehovah, he is knowing, and Israel, he too will know. If it is in rebellion and if it is in unfaithfulness against Jehovah, do not save us this day.

BADG: Or, “The God of gods, YHWH, the God of gods, YHWH.” Heb., ´El ´Elo·him´ Yehwah´, ´El ´Elo·him´ Yehwah´, with the dividing stroke (pa·seq´) between the words. This expression ´El ´Elo·him´ Yehwah´ occurs, unrepeated, in Ps 50:1. Lat., For·tis´si·mus De´us Do´mi·nus, For·tis´si·mus De´us Do´mi·nus, “The Most Mighty God YHWH, The Most Mighty God YHWH.” The first word, ´El, of the Heb. expression we have rendered “Divine One.” It may also be rendered “God; Mighty One.”

(Exodus 15:11) Who among the gods is like you, O Jehovah? Who is like you, proving yourself mighty in holiness? The One to be feared with songs of praise, the One doing marvels.

“Among the gods.” Heb., ba·´e·lim´, pl. of ´el.

(Deuteronomy 3:24) ‘O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you yourself have started to make your servant see your greatness and your strong arm, for who is a god in the heavens or on the earth that does deeds like yours and mighty performances like yours?

(2 Samuel 7:22) That is why you are indeed great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah; for there is no other like you, and there is no God except you among all of whom we have heard with our ears.

(1 Corinthians 8:5) For even though there are those who are called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,”

(Psalm 86:8) There is none like you among the gods, O Jehovah, Neither are there any works like yours.

“Among the gods.” Heb., va·´elo·him´; Gr., the·ois´; Lat., di´is; T, “lofty angels.”

In verses_8-10 he focuses attention on the One who was the object of his worship, saying: “There is none like you among the gods, O Jehovah, neither are there any works like yours. All the nations whom you have made will themselves come, and they will bow down before you, O Jehovah, and will give glory to your name. For you are great and are doing wondrous things; you are God, you alone.”

In David’s day, as today, the nations had many gods. But with genuine appreciation David said to Jehovah: “You are God, you alone.” Jesus Christ emphasized the same truth. On the night before his death he prayed to his Father, addressing him as “the only true God.” (John 17:3)

Max

JoyJuice

Thanks for your response, when I asked:

And you replied:
I'm not sure where in your reply one can affirm it as being a No?

Haran

Many Hebrews did believe in other Gods as the Bible states. This is one of the reasons God would become angry with them.

How is this any different than a Christian today saying that God is greater than Allah? Does that necessarily mean that they believe in Allah as well, or is the person making the statement for the benefit of those who believe in Allah? I'm just not sure I see exactly what Ferrill sees in these statements.

Take for instance the case of Elijah in 1 Kings 18:27:
"At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.""

Perhaps we see this differently, but with his mocking demeanor, it doesn't sound to me like Elijah really believed there were other Gods. As Elijah seemed to expect from these non-existent Gods (judging by his lack of fear and respect for them), the Gods of the prophets of Baal were impotent.

Jack the Bodiless

There are some rather obvious references to other gods as actually existing: the Egyptian gods, in Exodus.

The priests of Egypt reproduce several of the Plagues, and convert their staves into serpents (but the staff-serpent of Moses kills the others).

I have seen Christians attempt to explain this by the actions of "demons", but according to the Bible itself the Egyptians worshipped gods, not demons. And these practitioners of magic were priests, not sorcerers.

The theory that the transition to strict monotheism was due to Zoroastrian influence makes a lot of sense. This would imply that the older books of the Bible have been retroactively edited, and the persecution of the worshippers of Baal and other Caananite deities represents the violent settlement of a schism between the old and new forms. Thus, the Bible has Deuteronomy 18:10, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire" (also Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2, referring to the sacrifice of children to Molech), but still contains Exodus 22:29, "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me". Sacrifice of the firstborn was a feature of Baal-worship.

YHWHtruth

Jack where does it say, for a sacrifice?

(Exodus 22:29) “Your full produce and the overflow of your press you must not give hesitantly. The firstborn of your sons you are to give to me.

(Exodus 13:2) “Sanctify to me every male firstborn that opens each womb among the sons of Israel, among men and beasts. It is mine.”

Since the firstborn sons among the Israelites were those in line to become the heads of the various households, they represented the entire nation. Jehovah, in fact, referred to the whole nation as his “firstborn,” it being his firstborn nation because of the Abrahamic covenant. (Ex 4:22) In view of his having preserved their lives, Jehovah commanded that “every male firstborn that opens each womb among the sons of Israel, among men and beasts,” be sanctified to him. (Ex 13:2) Thus, the firstborn sons were devoted to God.

Max