@article{ART001612010},
author={SEUNG IL KANG},
title={The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2011},
volume={17},
number={4},
pages={146-166},
doi={10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146}
TY - JOUR
AU - SEUNG IL KANG
TI - The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2011
VL - 17
IS - 4
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 146
EP - 166
SN - 1229-0521
AB - The moon is the most prominent luminary in the night skies. This gives the moon a special place in Mesopotamian myth and ritual. Major time periods and holidays were set to the phases of the moon, the new, the quarter, and the full moons, and the king participated in the associated festivals along with the priests and the public. Accordingly, the moon-god enjoyed a high-ranking position in the Mesopotamian pantheon.
Some iconographic representations show that the moon god was worshiped in ancient Israel, too. They include the stele found at Hazor containing the symbol of a lunar deity in low relief with two human hands raised below the symbol, the bull-headed figure in a stele found at Bethsaida, and stamp seals with various lunar symbols with Israelite names, etc.
Biblical data condemning lunar cult mostly stem from the late pre-exilic period or thereafter, such as the Deuteronomistic texts and Jeremiah, which indicates that the cult of the moon became very popular during the 7th century BCE and onwards. Archaeology essentially reveals the same picture. The vast majority of seals with astral symbols originate from the period between 730 and 630 BCE.
Although the Assyrians did not impose religious obligations upon their vassals, it is likely that the imperial presence of the Assyrians in Palestine prompted the kings of Judah to voluntarily adopt the Assyro-Aramean religious practices. And this may have contributed to the resurgence of the worship of the lunar deity in Judah during the 7th centuries BCE.
KW - The Cult of the Moon God Astral religion The Moon God Sin Iconography Queen of the Heaven
DO - 10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
ER -
SEUNG IL KANG. (2011). The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 17(4), 146-166.
SEUNG IL KANG. 2011, "The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.17, no.4 pp.146-166. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG "The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 17.4 pp.146-166 (2011) : 146.
SEUNG IL KANG. The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel. 2011; 17(4), 146-166. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG. "The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 17, no.4 (2011) : 146-166.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG. The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 17(4), 146-166. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG. The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2011; 17(4) 146-166. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG. The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel. 2011; 17(4), 146-166. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
SEUNG IL KANG. "The Cult of the Moon God in Ancient Israel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 17, no.4 (2011) : 146-166.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2011.17.4.146
