In The “God of Israel” in History and Tradition, Michael Stahl examines the historical and ideological significances of the formulaic title “god of Israel” (’elohe yisra’el) in the Hebrew Bible using critical theory on social power and identity.

Provides a ground-breaking new interpretation with which to consider and contextualize the name Yahweh before its relationship with Israel.

In this history of the development of monotheism, the author explains how Israel's religion evolved from a cult of Yahweh as a primary deity among many to a fully defined monotheism with Yahweh as sole god. Repudiating the traditional scholarly premise that Israel was fundamentally different in culture and religion from its Canaanite neighbors, he shows that the two cultures were fundamentally similar.

This insightful work examines the variety of ways that collective memory, oral tradition, history, and history writing intersect. Integral to all this are the ways in which ancient Israel was shaped by the monarchy, the Babylonian exile, and the dispersions of Judeans and the ways in which Israel conceptualized and interacted with the divine-Yahweh as well as other deities.

"The Original Story" is a comprehensive and lively guide to the Old Testament, offering an essential introduction for readers of all faiths and none. It provides a complete course covering history, archaeology, geography, and textual interpretation.

Presented are seminal discussions by leading scholars covering a spectrum of tradition and providing valuable insights into the Ten Commandments.