El Worship

Chapter Four considers the worship of El, the deity who appears in the name of the eponymous ancestor Israel. Sociologically, the concepts here are those of ancestral traditions, the so-called “God of the Fathers,” and family religion—standing apart from the religion of a centralized state and a hierarchical priestly cult. Each of the various “El” traditions are discussed in detail: El Berith, El Elyon, El Roi, El Olam, El Bethel, and the most famous, El Shadday. Key functions of El traditions are highlighted: El as father, divine kinsman, and benevolent protector as well as El’s role as the head of a mythological divine council. The chapter explores whether El was the original god of Israel, including associations with exodus traditions.