Die Entgrenzung JHWHs

The origins and the development of biblical monotheism are the subject of an ongoing scholarly debate. For the last three decades, this has broadened our insight into the development of the Israelite religion and its literature. However, up to now there has been little consensus on this subject. Based on an analysis of the relevant biblical texts themselves, this volume explores the development of the JHWH religion from the de facto monolatry of preexilic times to the monolatric program of Deuteronomy and the well thought-out monotheism in Second Isaiah. It also takes a look at its reception in Second Temple Judaism as described in the Book of Ezekiel, and depicts the breaking down of JHWH's confines from his being regarded as a local deity, then to a local dynasty, a people and finally to the belief that the God of Israel is the only God of heaven and earth.