@article{ART002386920},
author={Jun Kim},
title={Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2018},
volume={24},
number={3},
pages={354-368},
doi={10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354}
TY - JOUR
AU - Jun Kim
TI - Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2018
VL - 24
IS - 3
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 354
EP - 368
SN - 1229-0521
AB - To date, no inscription of the goddess Asherah with her iconography has been found among the archaeological discoveries of ancient Israel. Although many scholars understand the goddess Asherah as YHWH’s consort in popular Israelite religion, no biblical, extra-biblical, or archaeological evidence has been found to clearly corroborate her status as YHWH’s consort. When inscriptions of “YHWH and His Asherah” along with iconography of two figures were found at Kuntillet Ajrud in 1975-1976, the question of whether Asherah was YHWH’s consort in Israel’s religious tradition was once again raised in earnest.
This paper examines whether the expressions “YHWH and His Asherah” found in the Kuntillet Ajrud inscriptions can be regarded as archaeological evidence of the goddess Asherah, reassessing the debate on whether “His Asherah” means YHWH’s wife. For that purpose, this paper proceeds in the following order. 1) the Goddess Asherah, who had no archeological presence in Israel in the eighth century BCE. 2) A brief introduction to the inscriptions of Kuntillet Ajrud. 3) The relationship between the inscription “YHWH and His Asherah” of Pithos A and the two figures below it. 4) The issue of whether “YHWH and His Asherah”, which appear in the context of blessing, should be understood as husband and wife. 5) Hebrew grammatical discussion and possible interpretation of “His Asherah”. 6) The discussion of whether asherah was a symbolic cultic object of the goddess Asherah in the eighth century BCE from the standpoint of iconography. Through these discussions, this paper argues against the view that the sentence “YHWH and His Asherah” of Kuntillet Ajrud served as evidence for the goddess Asherah’s role as YHWH’s wife in the eighth century BCE. This paper suggests that “asherah” in Kunitllet Ajrud was a cultic object that was used in YHWH religion of Israel, regardless of the goddess of the same name.
KW - Kuntillet Ajrud;Asherah;Goddess;Israel;Yahweh
DO - 10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
ER -
Jun Kim. (2018). Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 24(3), 354-368.
Jun Kim. 2018, "Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.24, no.3 pp.354-368. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim "Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E." Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 24.3 pp.354-368 (2018) : 354.
Jun Kim. Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.. 2018; 24(3), 354-368. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim. "Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E." Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 24, no.3 (2018) : 354-368.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim. Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 24(3), 354-368. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim. Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2018; 24(3) 354-368. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim. Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E.. 2018; 24(3), 354-368. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
Jun Kim. "Kuntillet Ajrud “Yahweh and His Asherah” and the Goddess Asherah, Who Had No Archeological Presence in Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.E." Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 24, no.3 (2018) : 354-368.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2018.24.3.354
