Evidence suggests that Asherah was observed in ancient Israel and Judah as early as the 12th century BC, to a few decades before the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah (587-588 BC), a time known as the pre-exilic period. Another word for terebinth (alla) and two words for oak (elon and allon) are also closely related. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. and the Cult of Yahweh in Israel. WebThe image of Asherah was a tree used by the Pagan Canaanites and Phoenicians. Help JWA continue to lift up Jewish womens stories, this month and every month, by. Generally speaking, biblical scholars assume that full-blown, radical, or philosophical monotheism came to Israel fairly late in its history, during the time of the exile in the sixth century b.c.e. In their minds, they thought it did not make any difference; it was not hurting anyone. What does it mean that God is a jealous God? This is because southern royal ideology typically described the kings metaphorical father as YHWH. How then did they worship? The sacred poles apparently stood upright and were made of wood, or at least contained wood, the Israelites being commanded to cut them down and to burn them. Asherah, along with Astarte and Anath, was one of the three great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon. (NLT). The account of the visitation by angels at the terebinth of Mamre (cult shrine centered on a sacred tree) has its parallel in the Tale of Aquat, who like Isaac, was blessed by a divine entity. and frequently mentions that they stood on every high hill and under every green tree (1 Kgs 14:23; 2 Kgs 17:10; 18:4; 21:3; 23:1314; 2 Chr 14:3; 17:6; 31:1; 33:3, 19; 34:3; Jer 17:2). In fact, the very notion of polytheism is inherent in the quest for Asherah. Our rescue isnt found in sticks. This fact suggests that Jehu perceived the sacred pole as appropriate in the worship of YHWH. In Hebrew, she is known as Asherah. Your email address will not be published. and the Cult of Yahweh in Israel. WebAn Asherah pole was a sacred pole (or sometimes a tree) that was used in the worship of the pagan goddess Asherah. He will uproot the people of Israel from this good land that he gave their ancestors and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, for they have angered the LORD with the Asherah poles they have set up for worship. WebAsherah poles were a representation of a Asherah, a Canaanite fertility goddess and consort of the gods. When you look at something logically, you have placed yourself at a distance from it (Innerspace by Aryeh Kaplan, p.58). From the site of Kuntillet Ajrud, in the eastern Sinai, come three ninth- or eighth-century B.C.E. Conversely, when destroyed, these cult symbols can be described as being cut down, hewn down, or uprooted; they can also be said to be burned, overturned, or broken. Ackerman, Susan. An eighth-century B.C.E. Very much like the lyrics of the famous She may be ancient Egypts most famous face, but the quest to find the eternal resting place of Queen Nefertiti has never been hotter. If you mean pieces of wood set up beside pagan altars on high hills, then that seems to have been pretty rooted out. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. I would guess that Eve was acquiring the attributes of the Queen of Heaven in a microcosmic way when she said, I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh (Genesis 4:1) and there is no longer mention of Elohim since the woman is a partner with Yahweh. It was closely associated with the worship of Baal: The Israelites did evil in the LORDs sight. Under These sacred poles were situated in various locations. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. Grove Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Asherah poles were erected at sacred sites and alongside altars throughout the land of Canaan on every high hill and under every green tree (1 Kings 14:23, ESV). Burial inscription from Khirbet el-Quom, 8th cent. They would mockingly show the inadequacy of worshipping sticks of wood (that you have to craft) that you created while rejecting the living God. (Viewed on March 4, 2023) . Their father was El, and it is from this deity that the name Elohim is derived, meaning God or gods (70 gods or offspring of El). For perhaps hundreds of years before Abraham migrated to what would become known as Israel, Asherah was revered as Athirat, Earth Mother and Fertility Goddess. Micah 5:14 shows God s anger towards them, [] #3. The degraded worship of Asherah came to be practiced in the very temple of Jehovah. An Asherah pole, like the ones found here, often represented trees associated with this mother goddess, but some archeologists believe they used living trees for these objects of religion. Yet despite these and other references associating Asherah with apostasy (for example, Exod 34:13; Deut 7:5; 12:3; Judg 3:7; 1 Kgs 18:19), and despite the fact that the Israelites are explicitly forbidden in Deut 16:21 to erect one of Asherahs sacred poles beside an altar of YHWH, there are multiple indications in biblical tradition that many in ancient Israel did regard Asherahs cult icon as an appropriate sacred symbol within the religion of YHWH. They must be replaced. (b) a construction similar, to the admittedly much later, Song of Songs 1:6 karmi elli. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. In the beginning of the history of Israel as well as the beginning of history of many peoples, it mentions that Abrahams wife was named Sarai which means princess and Nahors wifes name was Milcah which means queen but in Assyrian, Sarru means king and Malika/Malku means prince.When God changes their name in Genesis 17 Abraham is told that kings shall issue from him (17:6) using the term malekim for kings but in Sarahs case, she is told that rulers of people shall issue from her, using the term malekai and depending on which vernacular you are using, the y as a suffix can mean my ruler.. Indeed, unearthing a goddess who has been buried for close to two millennia has its distinct disadvantages. Or perhaps the more fundamental question iswhat in the world is an Asherah pole? WebIf you look at the Statue of Liberty you will notice that near her feet the robe resembles a tree trunk. Maybe you should read the Bible a little more for better understanding? If you only try to uproot them, they grow back; but they can be supplanted. No wonder those clay figurines were so popular, enabling immediate access to the goddess, while the serpent is planning his trap like acting inquisitive to find out which fruit is prohibited and she says something like Oh, I heard those cannabis cookies are a way too potent and those chocolate chip cookies are high in calories, and the serpent knows that the ingredient in chocolate makes her feel satisfied and she is not desiring for her husband (Genesis 3:16) It also states that God would put enmity between (bein) the woman and the serpent and between (bein) her descendants and serpent (Genesis 3:15), whose head is located at the lowest part of the human brain where the baser instincts are located. For example, one of Asherahs sacred poles stood next to YHWHs altar at Bethel, one of the two great cult sites of the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kgs 23:15). This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. What does asherah pole If a correspondence holds, then the trees of life and of knowledge in the Eden narrative may also reflect Asherah imagery. Let us be your passport to Laos and much more. Cut them down. Asherah poles do not make an appearance. Idols are alluring at times because we want something tangible. He rebuilt the high places and set up altars for Baal and an Asherah pole. The ruling elite propagandized against goddess worship by integrating the story of the fall of mankind to the tree which was clearlyassociated with Asherah. Reassessment of Asherah: A Study According to Textual Sources of the First In their mythology, the Canaanites (or Israelites of a certain Canaanite cult) sometimes paired Asherah with Yahweh, as though she was Yahwehs wife. The word itself is pronounced Ash-Ruh. Ash, like the stuff you have in the bottom of your fireplace, and ruh like the first part of Scooby-Doos ruh-roh. But what is it and what is the significance of it? I watched a documentary on this made by PBS which is now on You Tube if i may say the name ? Abraham prepares a calf for the visitors (Genesis 18:7) which happens to be the symbol of the fertility god Baal, who is noticably absent from the Tale of Aquat, perhaps off on a journey or just retired (1 Kings 18:27): That's essentially all I'm aware of The Holy Spirit the wife of God. The "asherahs" were usually upright wooden objects, often standing beside altars, and in at least eight instances they are described as carved. Trees were revered as symbols of life and nourishment in arid regions and so became associated with Asherah and her cult. An Asherah pole was a sacred tree or pole that stood near Canaanite religious locations to honor the pagan goddess Asherah, also known as Astarte. And the prophets began to exalt the fullness of the Lord and they would do so at the idols expense. Those raised in the Judeo-Christian tradition may be surprised to learn that the god we were told was singularly sacred once had a wife. Hezekiah also cut down the Asherah but Manasseh, his wicked son, rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed andmade an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done (2 Kings 21:3). This is always the remedy for idolatry. "Who Is Asherah in the Bible?" Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. What they sowed earned captivity. Her name means she who enriches. Asherah was mistranslated as grove in the King James Version of the Bible. While sorting through some 280,000 artifacts excavated from land reserved for a highway construction project running from Cambridge to the village of Huntingdon in eastern England, archaeologists affiliated with the Museum of London Archaeology discovered a miniature comb that was incredibly ancient and also made from a most unusual material. (2Ch 33:11-13, 15, 21-23) This made it necessary for righteous King Josiah, who succeeded Amon to the throne, to pull down the houses of the male temple prostitutes that were in the house of Jehovah, where the women were weaving tent shrines for the sacred pole.2Ki 23:4-7. Did the Ancient Israelites Think Children Were People. It's kind of like Seatlle, but windier and with more trees. 26 Jun, 2022 festival hearts of palm spaghetti costco fredi richter bodybuilder rivercrest country club membership cost. Atlanta: 1988. You bet. What does an asherah pole look like? - Answers was the goddess Asherah/Ashtoreth The story starts with Aquats father Daniel (Ezekial 15:14,20) who upon seeing the approach of the craftsman god Kothar wa-Khasis (skillful and clever), tells his wife to prepare a lamb. And why is she often found paired with Yahweh, the Hebrew god? No where in the Bible does it say God had a wife.. Do not take what great people have written in books and say it is right. Asherah The relation of the literary references to an asherah and archaeological finds of Judaean pillar-figurines has engendered a literature of debate. She was removed as queen mother and Asa cut down the Asherah and burned it in the river. They must be uprooted. The full hymn reads: YHWH came from Sinai and shone forth. at his right hand his own Asherah.. Archaeologists excavating an ancient cemetery in Israel have uncovered an idol which they believe dates the worship of the goddess Asherah back an incredible 7,500 years. ( The Met ). From torch to toe the Statue of Liberty resembles a pole. (2Ki 13:6, ftn) However, it is not always possible to determine whether a particular scripture is to be understood as referring to the idolatrous object or to the goddess. 10 Reasons Why the Trial of Jesus Was Illegal. Some scholars believe that asherim were not poles, but living trees (like the one depicted on the Tanaach Cult Stand). The Lord warns the people of Israel, portending the consequences of their idolatry: 1 Kings 14:15Then the LORD will shake Israel like a reed whipped about in a stream. Judges 6:26 describes the destruction of an Asherah pole by using it to fuel the fire of a sacrificial offering to the Lord: Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. : Monotheism in Ancient Israel and the Veneration of the Goddess Asherah (Biblical Seminar ) by Bob Becking, Meindert Dijkstra, Marjo C. A. Korpel, Karel J. H. Vriezen, Sheffield Academic Press 2001, p. 117. Yet increasingly, Asherahs influence in the region is becoming recognized by archaeologists and historians alike, with the expectation of further scrutiny and scholarship to come in this area. 31 December 1999. These appendages of idolatry, likely phallic symbols, were associated with grossly immoral sex orgies, as is indicated by the reference to male prostitutes being in the land as early as Rehoboams reign. Fairchild, Mary. Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? Archaeologists argue that these statues depict the goddess Asherah. This can easily happen in either the old Hebrew or the Aramaic script. In the time of Hezekiah, there was a similar revival to that of Asa. A number of modern Bible translations, though, have rendered the original-language word as sacred pole(s) [or post] but transliterated it when the reference is apparently to the goddess. ( Queen of Heaven ). The Talmudic explanation of Binah is understanding one thing from something dissimilar. It is related to the word Bein meaning between. Thus, Binah implies distance and separation. The main reason Israel was exiled was because of her sins of idolatry: 2 Kings 17:16They rejected all the commands of the LORD their God and made two calves from metal. During the reign of Josiah, the priest Hilkiah purged the images of Asherah from the Temple (2 Kings 23:6). When northern Israel was dispersed into the nations by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, they carried this "tree" custom with them. After all, Asherahs place in the pantheon is alongside Yahwehs, the supreme deity. like that of a bar magnet, with the north pole at earth's This is stretching it a bit. Only seven instances of Asherah are references to the goddess herself. Even while idolatry is reviled in the Hebrew Bible, ample archaeological evidence suggests that those living outside the metropolis idolized statuary and cult objects as part of their religion, leading one scholar to opine: Folk religion can be defined as everything that those who wrote the Bible condemned.. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? They portray a woman clutching her exaggerated breasts as if offering them to a nursing child. Is the Bible Trustworthy? Plaque depicting Asherah. Asherah was also worshiped as the goddess of love and war and was sometimes linked with Anath, another Canaanite In ancient times these altars were typically built under green trees. It was essentially a phallic symbol. I don't believe her name is Asherah I think from what I've learned from Enoch and Jubilees Asherah was so supposed to have been married to a bad angel name Baraqiel or Baraqel it means Lightening Giver in Hebrew Baraqiel name was shortened I believe to Baal a weather deity like Zeus or Marmaduke in Babylon. From Israels inception, God commanded His people not to worship idols or any other false gods (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). How do we know? A What was an Asherah pole Asherah is represented many times in various forms scattered throughout the region. In 2 Kings 17, we see how prominent the worship of Asherah and Baal had become throughout the land as they set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree. At this point, they were all-in on the worship of these false gods. The Jews had been commanded by the Lord to tear down and completely destroy all the high places and sacred sites throughout the territory. Tradition has it that Abraham chased the calf until it led him to the Cave of Macpelah which he later purchased from the Hittites, and they also worshipped a storm god that they borrowed from the Hurrians, Teshub. The mention of these deities in the plural may indicate that each locality had its Baal and Asherah. One of the primary reasons Israel fell to the Assyrians was because of Gods anger over their worship of Asherah and Baal (2 Kings 17:523). At times, to appease Baal and Asherah, human sacrifices were made. No dew, no rain; no welling up of the deep, no sweetness of Baals voice. They are idols that must be rooted out of Israelite worship. There is some biblical evidence that does see women as particularly attracted to goddess cults (for example, womens role in the cult of the queen of heaven, according to Jer 7:18 and 44:1719, 25), and the various female figurines found in domestic contexts at multiple Israelite sites might also suggest this, assuming, as many scholars do, that women played an especially important role in family-centered religious activities. Send us your question and well respond within 24 hours. what does an asherah pole look like It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. Both of these phrases are stereotypically used by the biblical writers to describe sites of idolatrous worship, implying, as does Judges 6, that the worship of Asherah was an apostate behavior in Israel and improper for followers of YHWH. Even their children go to worship at their pagan altars and Asherah poles, beneath every green tree and on every high hill. geographic south pole. Manasseh, King of Judah, followed the despicable practices of the pagan nations. That usage reflects a chain of associations. But who was Asherah to the ancient Israelites? Asherah Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. There are other Hera, also known by her Latin title as Juno, is best known in Western culture as the wife of Zeus, king of the gods. What is an Asherah Pole And nowhow much close can be Yahweh to Baal ? However, his son Amon resumed the degrading worship of Baal and Asherah, with its accompanying ceremonial prostitution. https://www.learnreligions.com/asherah-in-the-bible-6824125 (accessed March 4, 2023). Its our plight that moved the heavensit is the LORD Himself who would come and rescue us. But Israel disobeyed God and worshipped idols anyway, even bringing Asherah worship into the Temple in Jerusalem. There is also a connection with Abraham whom the Hittites referred to as a prince and an ancient tradition of self-governance in Canaan; Hear us my lord, you are the prince (nesi) of God among us (Genesis 23:6). Asherah is not Eve, nor is she the wife of God for God does not have a wife ( Jesus has a Bride ie the Church) . Put simply, an Asherah pole is a wooden idol (likely in the shape of a tree) used to worship the goddess Asherah. Mary Fairchild is a full-time Christian minister, writer, and editor of two Christian anthologies, including "Stories of Calvary.". It was essentially a phallic symbol. He was offended by what was going on. For example, one of the Canaanite epithets of Asherah, elat, goddess, is etymologically identical to the Hebrew word for the terebinth tree (ela). What we need is a living encounter with God. (Keller, Counterfeit Gods, 155). Correction: According to Ephraim Stern in Pagan Yahwehism; The Folk Religion of Ancient Israel in the May/June 2001 issue of BAR (p.28), it was the Jews in Judea (former Judahites) and the Samaritans (former mixed population settled in Samaria by the Assyrians) who discontinued the use of the clay goddess figurines, while it was the Idumaens (former Edomites) who also dwelt in the province of Judah and Galileans (populated by mostly Phoenicians) that continued the worship of the goddess during the period of the post-Exilic Persian Empire. The discussion of these texts revealed that scholars differ about the interpretation (of the Kuntillet el-'Ajrud inscriptions), reading either 'Asherata' or 'his Asherah' and also about the question whether only the sacred pole is implied. Whether women, more generally, were more likely to be devotees of Asherahs cult is unknown. Was Asherah Yahwehs wife, as many scholars now contend? As Owen would say, Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. We see from history that when the Israelites refused to cut down the Asherah poles it was an indicator that their hearts were not fully given over to the Lord. Combine a one-year tablet and print subscription to BAR with membership in the BAS Library to start your journey into the ancient past today! In the above article the author mentions Asherah as being the mother of the 70 gods of the Canaanite pantheon. 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In Ugaritic literature, she was called Lady Asherah of the Sea.. Let us know. Kevelaer, Germany: 1993. WebIts symbol was the stem of a tree deprived of its boughs, and rudely shaped into an image, and planted in the ground. You have proven without doubt the disobedience of the chosen people of , to run after the gods of other nations. The Asherah pole was often mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the ways the Israelites sinned against the Lord and worshiped other gods. an Asherah Pole By God himself, of course. This is one of the helpful points that the Puritan John Owen made in his work The Mortification of Sin. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. But the gospel teaches something different. Put simply, an Asherah pole is a wooden idol (likely in the shape of a tree) used to worship the goddess Asherah. However, there apparently was considerable overlapping in the roles of the three prominent goddesses of Baalism (Anath, Asherah, and Ashtoreth), as may be observed in extra-Biblical sources as well as in the Scriptural record. Both the Greek and Latin translations of the Bible, moreover, render the words asherah and asherim as grove or wood.. (1Ki 14:22-24; 2Ki 17:10) Only seldom did kings such as Hezekiah (and Josiah) come along, who removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars to pieces and cut down the sacred pole.2Ki 18:4; 2Ch 34:7. In the Bible, Asherah is both the Hebrew name of a pagan fertility goddess and the wooden cult object dedicated to her. In a related sense, an asherah could refer to a wooden pole, effectively an indoor stand-in for a tree. Archaeologists speculate that it is an image of an Asherah pole. None the less, they were and have been instructed not to do this by the WORD of . For those ancient Israelites who saw Asherah as YHWHs consort, this should suggest a correspondence between the queen mother, the wife of the kings biological father on earth, and Asherah, the wife of YHWH, who was the kings metaphorical father in the heavens. Article Images Copyright . This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com.