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February 19, 2020

An Ancient Canaanite Temple Sheds Light on Judaism’s Early Competitors

The “smiting gods” of its holy of holies.

As the Hebrew Bible frequently mentions, the worship of Baal and other pagan deities was the norm in the land of Canaan before the Israelite conquest, and continued to appeal to Israelites themselves for centuries thereafter. Archaeologists discovered a temple dedicated to the worship of these gods in Lachish, about 24 miles southwest of Jerusalem—built in the times before Kings Saul and David. After a five-year excavation, they have published a comprehensive report on their findings. Amanda Borschel-Dan writes:

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February 19, 2020

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  5. An Ancient Canaanite Temple Sheds Light on Judaism’s Early Competitors

    The “smiting gods” of its holy of holies.