The merging of two separate deities in ancient Israelite religion
Overview
Most scholars suggest that ancient Israel's god Yahweh was not identical to the older Canaanite high god El at the start1. Over time, Israelite religion incorporated El's titles and roles with Yahweh1. This pattern is reflected in passages that preserve a divine council worldview and shifting divine names.
Key terms
El: High god in Canaanite texts from Ugarit.
Yahweh (YHWH): Israel's national god, with southern/origin ties.
Divine council: Assembly of deities under a chief god.
How we know
El as Canaan's high god: Ugaritic tablets portray El as head of a divine council and "creator of the earth."
KTU 1.2 I 19-20; KTU 1.4 IV 20-24; KTU 1.4 VI 46
Deir Alla Inscription and Karatepe bilingual inscription referencing El as creator
Yahweh's southern origins: Early texts and Egyptian lists place YHW among Shasu groups in the south (Seir/Teman/Paran).
Name patterns shift: Personal names and titles alternate between El and Yahweh, converging over time.
El-names: Elijah, Elisha, Elimelech
Yahweh-names: Jeremiah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoiakim
Timeline
Period
What's happening
Late Bronze (1550-1200 BCE)
El dominant in Canaan; YHW attested among southern Shasu
Iron I (1200-1000 BCE)
Early Israel; Yahweh enters Canaan; local syncretism
United Monarchy (1000-930 BCE)
State cult develops; El-titles used for Yahweh
Divided Kingdom (930-586 BCE)
Regional varieties; inscriptions with "his asherah"; prophetic critiques
Exile & Persian (586-332 BCE)
Monotheism consolidated; textual redaction
Common questions
Were El and Yahweh the same from the start?
According to scholarly consensus, early texts and archaeology present El and Yahweh as distinct entities. Later textual layers increasingly associate Yahweh with El's roles and titles.
Does this mean the Bible teaches polytheism?
Early layers reflect a divine council worldview common in the region. Over time, Israel's literature increasingly portrays Yahweh above others, with later texts emphasizing exclusive monotheism.
What about "Yahweh is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4)?
Scholars interpret this as reflecting a later theological emphasis. Earlier passages preserve older conceptions; the biblical canon retains texts from both stages of development.
Are the "Yahweh and his asherah" inscriptions fringe?
These inscriptions are widely accepted in scholarship. Sites like Kuntillet 'Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom provide evidence of religious practices that changed following later reforms (e.g., 2 Kings 23).
References
Ugaritic KTU texts (esp. 1.2; 1.4; 1.5) for El's council and epithets
Egyptian Soleb and Amarah-West lists naming "Yhw" among Shasu
Kuntillet 'Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom Yahweh-Asherah inscriptions
Name evidence: prevalence of El- and Yahweh-theophoric names pre-exile
Iconography and temple elements (e.g., pillars, cherubim, "Bronze Sea")