THE PAGAN ORIGINS OF JUDAISM

Historical Context: The video examines the proto-Canaanites, who settled around 3500 BCE in Mesopotamia-based regions like Ebla and later in areas west of the Euphrates. 00:31

Geopolitical Significance: Canaan played a crucial role in the Late Bronze Age, sitting at the crossroads of Egyptian, Hittite, and Assyrian empires.
01:03

Religious Evolution: The Israelites' religion emerged from Canaanite polytheistic traditions, borrowing heavily from Babylonian and Egyptian influences. 01:34

Yahweh's Transformation: Yahweh originated as an epithet of El, the supreme Canaanite deity. Over time, the Israelite conception of God evolved into monotheism. 02:07

Shared Mythologies: The attributes of Yahweh and Baal, the Canaanite storm god, overlap significantly, particularly in imagery of divine battles, thunder, and lightning. 05:50

📖 Biblical Parallels: Ancient religious texts like the Ugaritic tablets reveal that biblical themes, laws, and rituals were adapted from pre-existing Mesopotamian and Canaanite sources. 09:15

Archaeological Insights: Sites such as Ugarit have been instrumental in understanding the Canaanite influence on early Israelite religion. 10:18

Insights Based on Numbers:

3500 BCE: Emergence of proto-Canaanite culture highlights the deep historical roots of this civilization. 00:31

1208 BCE: The earliest mention of "Israel" appears in the Merneptah Stele, linking its identity to Canaanite origins. 10:30

7th Century BCE: The J-source of the Torah reflects later propheti