The historical origins of the biblical god Yahweh

Abstract

Abstract This article treats two separate but interrelated issues: (1) the historical origins of the deity YHWH (commonly rendered Yahweh), known from both biblical and non‐biblical sources and (2) the origins and development of YHWH's profile(s) in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, specifically as it pertains to the problem of YHWH's historical beginnings and early character. After some preliminary considerations regarding the Hebrew Bible's utility for historical reconstruction and the potential contributions of archeology, iconography, onomastics, and historical linguistics to the problem of YHWH's historical origins, the article: (1) examines the earliest written evidence for the god YHWH in the historical record, (2) offers a comparative historical treatment of early analogs to YHWH's character and profile as it appears in the Hebrew Bible, and (3) concludes with an analysis of the most important contemporary scholarly hypotheses regarding YHWH's historical origins.

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