1. Use translation comparisons to analyze Asherah. To consider the religious activities of Israel's neighbors, one can perform translation comparisons, review archaeology(artifacts, pottery, remains, and epigraphs (things with writings on them), and literary analysis (specifically rhetoric). First, perform a translation comparison on the word "Asherah". In Judges 6:25, the KJV uses the word "grove", the NAS uses the word "Asherah", and the NIV uses the words "Asherah pole". These translations tell one that this is not just any grove, and it also is not a human being. The NIV shows that this is the image of a goddess (Asherah is a Hebrew transliteration, and so is Baal.), while "grove" is simply a translation. Baal and Asherah often go together.

In I Kings 18:19, the verse uses prophets of Baal and also the prophets of four hundred idols that eat at Jezebel's table. In this verse, the KJV uses "groves", and the NAS and NIV use "Asherah". Again, these translations use translation and transliteration, respectively. Exodus 34:13 has ten commandments but not the Ten Commandments, and that verse says destroy images and cut down idols. There, the KJV says "groves", the NAS says "Asherin" (plural for Asherah), and the NIV says "Asherah poles". These poles were probably a wooden representation of the idol.

2. Use archaeology to analyze Asherah. Archaeology can also be used to learn more about Asherah. She was an Egyptian god or at least very similar to one called "Hathor". Both were goddesses of fertility (love and childbirth). In those days, people had a strong fascination for sex, and they also wanted to have a lot of children. Both goddesses were strong and authoritative (often pictured standing on lions or holding an uplifted snake in her hands).

3. Using literary analysis, make the application about idolatry. Asherah was also a goddess of strength, the queen of the Canaanite gods, and a consort to Baal (Canaanite "baal" meant "lord"). Israel sometimes mocked Baal with the name Baal-zerub, which meant "lord of the flies". The Canaanites instead used the expression Baal-zerul, which meant "lord of the earth". The Israelites had changed the last letter as a put down. Baal was also the weather god. Polytheism does not allow for a single, all-powerful god, but the God of the Bible is exactly that. Baal was very strong (sent rain and caused flowers to bloom) and was often prayed to by barren women. Asherah could also be approached by a woman who wanted a child.

By way of application, (1) idolatry comes in many forms and is still tempting (God hates pride and idolatry more than all the other sins), (2) in literary interpretation, specific language brings conviction (Exodus 34:13 gives a specific command against a specific idol, and verse 14 gives a general principle against idolatry, (3) the attributes of a deity can constitute a temptation (Asherah on lion, Baal holding a thunderbolt creates the temptation for power), and (4) a reward from a deity constitutes a temptation (the gods repayed favors, but they were entitled to have a bad day on occasion).

4. How did the Israelites respond to the idolatry around them? They responded by polemical psalms (arguments intended to maintain a position. Opposite is "irenic" meaning "peace") which argued against the idols of the sun among others. Psalm 19:1-6 is General Revelation which shows that the sun is just a created entity. Psalm 139:7-13 talks about different parts of the world, and God is everywhere. In Hebrew, there is not a word for "west". The people are oriented towards the east, so they say "go behind me" or "go towards the sea (Mediterranean". This Psalm smacks at idolatry plus encourages the Israeli.

5. Name some related books on archaeology and idolatry. Some good books are: (1) Biblical Archaeology in Focus, but Keith Sobol (very good book on archeaology), (2) Megiddo (color photos) as part of "Cities of the Biblical World" series by Eerdsman, (3) Old Testament Parallel, by Victor Matthews (stories of the ancient Near East), and (4) Ancient Israeli Literature in Cultural Context, by John Walton (an excellent text).

6. Discuss archaeology and polytheism. The genre of history is narrative (Genesis, Judges, and Samuel, for example). Mr. Sobol says that less than 5% has actually been uncovered by archaeologists in Israel. The Israeli government has imposed heavy restrictions about excavations. Also, no other monotheistic cultures have ever been discovered.

7. State the case study for Lesson 10. The case study for Lesson 10 is in Genesis 9 looking for a book ending. Book endings also appear a lot in Psalms. A book ending is the same phrase or word at the beginning and the end of the passage.

				Tom of Bethany

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Lesson 11. Book Endings

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