Yahweh and the gods of Canaan

William Foxwell Albright

This analysis of contrasting faiths places the religions of Canaan (later Phoenicia) and Israel in their historical settings, treating them as distinct, yet interacting, beliefs. As a prelude to the description of the two religions, the author traces the evolution of poetic style from the Patriarchal Age to the United Monarchy, showing the value of orally transmitted verse for the validation of early Biblical historical tradition. He then demonstrates the Mesopotamian origin of the Patriarchal clans with the aid of new cuneiform date, and shows a close connection between the movement of the Hebrews from the Euphrates Valley through Palestine into Egypt and the work of Moses. Special attention is paid to the early Hebrew family law, the case law of Israel, and the hygienic rules (which are older than commonly thought by scholars). The nature of the Canaanite-Phoenician religion is much clearer than it was a few years ago; its influence on Israel was both greater and less than is usually thought. But the relation was reciprocal, and both gained much in the exchange which set in about the tenth century and continued until the fifth century B.C.