



Produced by Al Haines









[Illustration: Cover]




  THE
  RELIGION OF ANCIENT
  PALESTINE

  IN THE SECOND MILLENNIUM B.C.

  _In the Light of Archaeology and the Inscriptions_


  By

  STANLEY A. COOK, M.A.


  EX-FELLOW, AND LECTURER IN HEBREW AND SYRIAC, GONVILLE AND CAIUS
  COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE; AUTHOR OF 'A GLOSSARY OF THE ARAMAIC
  INSCRIPTIONS,' 'THE LAWS OF MOSES AND THE CODE OF
  HAMMURABI,' 'CRITICAL NOTES ON OLD
  TESTAMENT HISTORY,' ETC.




  LONDON
  ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO LTD
  1908




{v}

PREFACE

The following pages deal with the religion of Ancient Palestine, more
particularly in the latter half of the Second Millennium, B.C.  They
touch upon the problem of the rise and development of Israelite
religion; a problem, however, which does not lie within the scope of
the present sketch (pp. 4, 114 _sq._).  The Amarna tablets, Egyptian
records, and the results of recent excavation form the foundation, and
the available material has been interpreted in the light of comparative
religion.  The aim has been to furnish a fairly self-contained
description of the general religious conditions from external or
non-biblical sources, and this method has been adopted partly on
account of the conflicting opinions which prevail among those who have
investigated the theology of the Old Testament in its relation to
modern research.  Every effort has been made to present the evidence
accurately and fairly; although lack of space has prevented discussion
of the more interesting features of the old Palestinian religion and of
the various secondary problems which arose from time to time.  {vi}
Some difficulty has been caused by the absence of any more or less
comprehensive treatment of the subject; although, from the list of
authorities at the end it will be seen that the most important sources
have only quite recently become generally accessible.  These, and the
few additional bibliographical references given in the footnotes are
far from indicating the great indebtedness of the present writer to the
works of Oriental scholars and of those who have dealt with comparative
religion.  Special acknowledgements are due to Mr. F. Ll. Griffith,
M.A., Reader in Egyptology, University of Oxford; to the Rev. C. H. W.
Johns, M.A., Lecturer in Assyriology, Queen's College, Cambridge, and
King's College, London; and to Mr. R. A. S. Macalister, M.A., F.S.A.,
Director of the Palestine Exploration Fund's excavations at Gezer.
These gentlemen enhanced their kindness by reading an early proof, and
by contributing valuable suggestions and criticisms.  But the
responsibility for all errors of statement and opinion rests with the
present writer.

STANLEY A. COOK.

_July_ 1908.




{vii}

CONTENTS


CHAP.

I. INTRODUCTORY:

The Subject--Method--Survey of Period and Sources--The Land and People,
... 1-12


II. SACRED SITES:

The Sanctuary of Gezer--Other Sacred Places--Their Persistence--The
Modern Places of Cult,... 13-23


III. SACRED OBJECTS:

Trees--Stones--Images and Symbols,... 24-32


IV. SACRED RITES AND PRACTICES:

General Inferences--Disposal of the Dead--Jar-burial--Human
Sacrifice--Foundation Sacrifice--Importance of Sacrifice--Broken
Offerings--'Holy' and 'Unclean'--Sacred Animals,... 33-49


V. THE WORLD OF SPIRITS:

Awe--Charms--Oracles--Representatives of Supernatural Powers--The
Dead--Animism--The Divinity of Kings--Recognised Gods,... 50-65


{viii}

VI. THE GODS:

Their Vicissitudes--Their Representative Character--In Political
Treaties and Covenants--The Influence of Egypt--Treatment of Alien
Gods,... 66-82


VII. THE PANTHEON:

Asiatic Deities in Egypt--Sutekh--Baal--Resheph--
Kadesh--Anath--Astarte--Ashirta Sun-de