Exploring Early Yahwism from the perspective of the Midianite/Kenite hypothesis.

Welcome to Early Yahwism. I am Yahwist and also deeply interested in the history of Yahwism. This website is about early Yahwism from the perspective of the Midianite/Kenite hypothesis. I believe this hypothesis to the most likely explanation for the origin of YHWH worship.

There is evidence of a more ancient Yahwism from the Hebrew Bible and from scholars. Most modern scholars believe that the earliest Yahwism originated to the south of Judah amongst the Midianites and Kenites then spread to ancient Israel, though it is not agreed how it spread to ancient Israel. This website contains information on what is known of the beliefs and practises of these early Yahwists.

Jethro and Moses

YHWH’s theophany from the south

Most modern scholars believe that Yahwism originated to the south of Judah amongst the Midianites, Kenites and Edomites. One reason for this is that YHWH is described as coming from the south in the oldest biblical poetry. Midian and Edom were located to the south of Judah.

Deuteronomy 33:2 And he said, YHWH came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir to them; he shone forth from Mount Paran, and he came with holy tens of thousands; from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Judges 5:4 YHWH, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Habakkuk 3:3 God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

There is also non biblical evidence for YHWH’s theophany from the south. Egyptian texts discovered by archaeologists at Soleb mention the Shasu of YHWH who are identified with nomads in the south of Canaan. A text from Kuntillet Ajrud mentions “YHWH of Teman”. The absence of YHWH from the pantheons of Ebla, Mari and Ugarit also support the southern origin of YHWH as they show that YHWH was not a member of a Canaanite pantheon before becoming the God of Israel.

Beliefs and worship in Midianite Yahwism

Beliefs

Midianite Yahwism was likely monolatrous, this means the worship of only one God, whilst allowing for the existence of other deities. YHWH was likely worshipped as a mountain and sky deity by the Midianites, they believed He performed multiple functions, including the functions of a storm and warrior God which are mentioned in the early Yahwistic poetry. He was also connected to metallurgy.

Midianite worship was aniconic meaning that they did not use images to represent God. According to Prof Israel Knohl, the Israelite prohibition against idolatry may originate with the Midianites. He notes that biblical Kina (now Horvat Uza) which was inhabited by Kenites did not contain images or figurines. Knohl mentions that the Midianites shared a temple in Timnah with the Egyptians. When the Egyptians left, the Midianites made the site religiously acceptable by destroying the images of the Egyptian goddess Hathor.