Were the Ancient Israelites Monotheistic?

The Ancient Israelites worshiped God within the broader context of religious expression in the ancient Near East and yet the Israelites are generally perceived as devoted to the biblical God YHVH exclusively. In this talk we will explore the conceptualization of deity in antiquity and particularly how ideas about divinity are reflected in the presentation of God in the Hebrew Bible. Join us as we evaluate what it meant to follow the one biblical God and gain a deeper understanding of the landscape of practice in the ancient world.

Bill T. Arnold (PhD Hebrew Union College) is Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore Kentucky. He is the author or editor of more than a dozen books including Ancient Israel’s History Who Were the Babylonians? Encountering the Old Testament Encountering the Book of Genesis Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax and a commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel.

Attend this event online via Zoom (register here: https://huc.edu/libraries/library-events/library-event-registration/) or in-person.

Host or Publisher Klau Library