YHWH, the name at the heart of Jewish and Christian traditions, didn’t emerge in a vacuum. This four-letter name, frequently pronounced Yahweh, is found in scattered ancient records, hinting at roots far from the later biblical center. Let’s look at what texts, inscriptions, and digs reveal about this shift, piece together what texts, inscriptions, and digs reveal about a god tied to rugged southern landscapes, storms, and metallurgy gradually transforming into a singular god of a people.
Yhw-a form of YHWH-was linked to nomadic groups in Edom and Midian, south of Canaan, in inscriptions in Egypt during Amenhotep III’s reign. The first traces date back to the 14th century BCE. A later Egyptian record under Ramesses II echoes this, placing Yhw among southern nomads. These Shasu were wanderers in arid zones, and this mention predates any Israelite texts by centuries. Here, there are no grand temples or urban cults-just a god of the fringes, perhaps invoked by herders or miners.
Biblical references in Deuteronomy 33:2 describe YHWH “shining forth from Mount Paran,” which is a nod to southern Arabian regions like Edom, Seir, or Teman. Moses encounters YHWH in the wilderness as a son-in-law of a Midianite priest, bringing the name northward, according to the Kenite hypothesis. Forging tools among volcanic terrain, YHWH might have been revered by the Kenites, linked to metallurgy. Think of Timna mines, where an Egyptian Hathor shrine was turned into YHWH worship. Some see storm-god traits, like thunderous marches from Edom in Judges 5:4-5. Others see solar echoes, such as YHWH “rising” like the sun in early poetry.
YHWH was not born in Canaan, but got woven into its fabric, and early Israelites, emerging from Canaanite culture around 1200 BCE, blended him with El, the father-figure of the pantheon. Asherah, YHWH’s consort, appeared in inscriptions from Kuntillet Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom, 8th century BCE: “Blessed be Uriyahu by YHWH and by his Asherah.” Baal’s storm motif also bled into YHWH. There is little distinction between Canaanite and Israelite ways at first-same pottery, same gods, just reshuffled. Polytheistic artifacts including bull icons from sites such as Dhahrat et-Tawileh indicate that YHWH or El might have been represented.
As the Iron Age progressed, YHWH became Israel’s national god. The Mesha Stele, circa 840 BCE, depicted the King of Moab seizing YHWH’s vessels for Chemosh, confirming the temple of YHWH in Israel. A lead curse tablet from Mount Ebal, around 1200 BCE, invokes “YHWH” in proto-Hebrew, matching Deuteronomy’s curses. By the 9th century BCE, Elijah pushed for monolatry, YHWH alone for Israel. In the Ein Gedi inscriptions, YHWH is described as the “Lord of Nations” as a result of Assyrian pressures in the 8th century.
A pivotal moment occurs during the Babylonian exile, from 586-539 BCE. Cut off from the temple, exiles redefine YHWH as the sole creator, absorbing all divine roles in texts like Isaiah 40-55. No more rivals; other gods disappear. After exile, under Persian rule, monotheism hardens. A supreme merciful god becomes apparent. As the name becomes too sacred to pronounce, Adonai (“lord”) takes over, becoming Christian “Lord” through Greek Kyrios. In Second Temple times, YHWH was the only god, confined to the temple until 70 CE’s destruction tore the faith asunder.
In this journey from nomad-god to universal force, crises and blends are evident. YHWH begins obscure, connected to the southlands and trades, then merges with Canaanite heavyweights, survives invasions, and emerges alone. There was no direct divine revelation in this story. However, enduring beliefs were forged that God used to teach and remind people of who the true creator and one true God is.
References:
- Earliest mention of ‘Yahweh’ found in archaeological dump – https://religionnews.com/2022/03/26/earliest-mention-of-yahweh-found-in-archaeological-dump/
- Tetragrammaton – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton
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- When and from Where did YHWH Emerge? – Entangled Religions – https://er.ceres.rub.de/index.php/ER/article/view/8776/8449
- The find could push the written record of “Yahweh,” one of God’s … – https://www.facebook.com/jewishsf/posts/the-find-could-push-the-written-record-of-yahweh-one-of-gods-biblical-names-back/10159185372743375/
- YHWH: The Kenite God of Metallurgy – TheTorah.com – https://www.thetorah.com/article/yhwh-the-kenite-god-of-metallurgy
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- r/AcademicBiblical on Reddit: Is there any evidence that Yahweh was originally from Midian? – https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/nfea68/is_there_any_evidence_that_yahweh_was_originally/
- r/AcademicBiblical on Reddit: What are the origins of Yahweh? Was he originally a Canaanite god of war? – https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/15yg0lv/what_are_the_origins_of_yahweh_was_he_originally/
- The Origins of Yahweh: The Kenite-Midianite Hypothesis – Discourses on Minerva – https://minervawisdom.com/2022/10/04/the-origins-of-yahweh-the-kenite-midianite-hypothesis/
- Yahweh (Canaanite deity) | Religion Wiki | Fandom – https://religion.fandom.com/wiki/Yahweh_%28Canaanite_deity%29
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- Jewish God Yahweh Originated in Canaanite Vulcan, Says New Theory – Archaeology – https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2018-04-11/ty-article-magazine/.premium/jewish-god-yahweh-originated-in-canaanite-vulcan-says-new-theory/0000017f-dc86-d3ff-a7ff-fda6aa390000
