Religion, Identity and the Origins of Ancient Israel

Abstract

According to the Bible, early Israel originated as a group migrant slaves who escaped from Egypt, spent an extended time in the wilderness as pastoral nomads, and then fought their way into the highlands of Palestine. Because these events are not wholly confirmed by the archaeological and historical evidence, modern scholars are attempting to reconstruct Israel's early history on the basis of the archaeological evidence, ancient textual evidence, and a critical reading of the Bible. Scholars agree that the Israelites, or their ancestors, first appeared in the highlands of Palestine around 1200 bce. The key question is where these early highland settlers came from. At present, the most popular theory among scholars is that the settlers migrated into the highlands from the Canaanite lowlands, so that the earliest Israelites were essentially Canaanites. But that theory is now being questioned vigorously by scholars who accentuate the role of nomadic pastoralists in the highland settlements. In important ways, our understanding of Israelite religion and identity hinges on these important debates.

The Desert’s Role in the Formation of Early Israel and the Origin of Yhwh

“…10 A close and balanced view has been presented by K.L. Sparks (2007), finding cultural and religious roots in Israel as originating both in Cana'an and in the desert. A number of scholars see the desert groups as an essential element in this "mixed multitude."…”