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oa Joods syncretisme in Elefantine?
*Dit artikel is gebaseerd op ccn tweetal gastcolleges voor de Universiteiten van Heidelberg (3 juli 2001) en Tübingen (12 juni 2002).
- Amsterdam University Press
- Source: NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion, Volume 56, Issue 3, Jul 2002, p. 216 - 232
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- 01 Jul 2002
Abstract
Recently the view has been defended that amongst the inhabitants on the island of Elephantine in Southern Egypt a ‘heavily syncretistic’ form of Yahwism is found. This article surveys the existing evidence and arrives at the following conclusions: (1) The Yahwists of Elephantine cannot yet be depicted as Jews; (2) Yhwh/Yahȏ was the main deity of the group who had been recruitcd by the Persians from the province of Yehud; (3) Three other deities have been venerated by this group in connection with Yhwh/Yahȏ: Anath-Yahȏ/Bethel; Eshem-Bethel and Herem-Bethel. They should, however, not be classified as independent deities, but as aspects of the Israelite divine.