RT Article
T1 The nature and extent of idolatry in eighth-seventh century Judah
JF Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
VO 69
SP 1
OP 13
A1 Milgrom, Jacob 1923-2010
LA English
PB College
YR 1998
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1650293283
AB Datable biblical texts of the eighth century accuse Israel of idolatry 15 times in contrast to 166 accusations in the seventh century. This lopsided imbalance is explicable by assuming that Jehu in Northern Israel and Jehoiada in Judah wiped out the Baal cult from the establishment sanctuaries during the ninth century (2 Kings 10:1—2; 11:7—18). Archaeological evidence for the distribution of cultic figurines during this period also confirms their virtual absence from these sanctuaries. However, figurines are found in profusion in the Judahite countryside, and especially in the city of David — in the shadow of the Temple — over the eighth to sixth centuries. Thus, the reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah were effective only with establishment sanctuaries but were failures regarding the private, popular cult. Also the prophets of the eighth century did not view private idolatry as a threat to the official worship of YHWH; hence the paucity of accusations. However the prophets of the seventh century, under the influence of Deuteronomy, demanded eradication of idolatry in all its forms, private as well as public — but to no avail.
K1 Götter
K1 Idololatrie