Mark S. Smith is Skirball Professor of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at New York University. His publications include The Pilgrimage Pattern in Exodus (1997), The Ugaritic Baal Cycle (1994), The Early History of God (1990), as well as several other books on the Hebrew Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and West Semitic mythology and literature.
"This is an important work which will alter the perspectives of
many."--The Bible Today
"Not only is the text wide-ranging and insightful at every turn,
but it is greatly complemented by the endnotes, which resume
arguments, develop tangential aspects, and offer a massive
bibliography for further exploration."--Journal of Near Eastern
Studies
"Brilliant, well-documented, well-organized, and very
discomforting. Biblical scholars now recognize that in the
pre-exilic era Asherah worship, infant sacrifice, solar veneration,
and other religious practices attacked by biblical authors
represented normal Israelite worship, while monotheism was a late
development in the Babylonian Exile and subsequent years. Smith and
others led the charge in this new scholarly perception of Israelite
religion. But with this
volume Smith has thrown down a gauntlet to challenge our
understandings even more. Smith has produced a seminal work with
which scholars must come to grips for years."--Journal of Hebrew
Scriptures
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