Yahweh and the Sun

Biblical and Archaeological Evidence for Sun Worship in Ancient Israel

Bibliographic Data

ID3962085
AuthorsCarol Meyers (0000-0002-4277-4595), J Glen Taylor, Justin Taylor (0000-0003-2527-3489)
Year1995
Volume115
Issue4
Pages719
Publication date1995-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the American Oriental Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-0279 • E-ISSN: 2169-2289
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/604764
OpenAlexW2021614651
LanguageEN
Citations received7

This challenging provocative book argues that there was in ancient Israel a considerable degree of overlap between the worship of the sun and of Yahweh-even that Yahweh was worshipped as the sun in some contexts. As an object created not by humankind but by God himself, the sun as an object of veneration lay outside the bounds of the second commandment and was considered by many to be an appropriate 'icon' of Yahweh of Hosts. Through its ivestigation of 'solar Yahwism', this book offers fresh insight into several passages (e.g.Genesis 1;32.23-33; Joshua 10.12-14; 1 Kings 8.12; Ezekiel 8.16-18; Psalms 19;104) and archaeological data regarding the orientations of Yawistic temples, the lmlk jar handles ,horse figurines, and the Taanach cult stand. The book argues that the struggle between Yahweh and other deities in ancint Israel took place within the context of the development of Yahwism itself

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Theology · Worship · Ancient Near East History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · History · Philosophy

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