Editing Henotheism (section)

==Canaanite religion and Yahwism==
[[Second Temple Judaism]] and [[Rabbinical Judaism]] are emphatically monotheistic; however, its predecessor—the cult of [[Yahweh]] as it was practiced in [[ancient Israel and Judah|ancient Israel]] during the 9th and 8th centuries BCE ([[Yahwism]])—has been described as henotheistic or [[monolatric]]. For example, the [[Moab]]ites worshipped the god [[Chemosh]], the [[Edom]]ites, [[Qaus]], both of whom were part of the greater [[Canaan]]ite pantheon, headed by the chief god, [[El (Canaanite god)|El]]. The Canaanite pantheon consisted of [[El (deity)|El]] and [[Asherah]] as the chief deities, with 70 sons who were said to rule over each of the nations of the earth. These sons were each worshiped within a specific region. [[Kurt Noll]] states that "the Bible preserves a tradition that Yahweh used to 'live' in the south, in the land of Edom" and that the original god of Israel was [[El Shaddai]].<ref name = "noll">[[Kurt Noll|K. L. Noll]] ''Canaan and Israel in Antiquity: An Introduction'', Continuum, 2002, p.123</ref>

Several biblical stories allude to the belief that the Canaanite gods all existed and were thought to possess the most power in the lands by the people who worshiped them and their sacred objects; their power was believed to be real and could be invoked by the people who patronized them. There are numerous accounts of surrounding nations of Israel showing fear or reverence for the Israelite God despite their continued polytheistic practices.<ref>David Bridger, Samuel Wolk et al., ''The New Jewish Encyclopedia'', Behrman House, 1976, pp.326-7</ref> For instance, in 1 Samuel 4, the [[Philistines]] fret before the second battle of [[Aphek (biblical)|Aphek]] when they learn that the Israelites are bearing the [[Ark of the Covenant]], and therefore Yahweh, into battle. The Israelites were forbidden to worship other deities;<!--See <ref>[http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=exodus+20:1-20:17&version=nrsv Exodus Chapter 20 Verse 3]</ref>--> according to some interpretations of the Bible, they were not fully monotheistic before the [[Babylonian captivity]]. The biblical scholar [[Mark S. Smith]] refers to this stage as a form of [[monolatry]].<ref name = "smith">Mark S. Smith, ''The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel'', Eerdmans Publishing, 2002, pp.58, 183</ref> Smith argues that Yahweh underwent a process of merging with El and that acceptance of cults of [[Asherah]] was common in the period of the Judges.<ref name = "smith"/> 2 Kings 3:27 has been interpreted as describing a human sacrifice in Moab that led the invading Israelite army to fear the power of [[Chemosh]].<ref name = "boyd">Gregory A. Boyd, ''God at War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict'', InterVarsity Press, 1997, p.118</ref>