The history of the Hebrew people is well documented by outside sources (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome) as well as by Jewish historians and Scripture. What seems most likely is that the Hebrews migrated from Mesopotamia to the highlands of Canaan around 1700 BCE, and brought with them numerous religious myths. Around the time of Solomon these stories were crystallized into Scripture by authors known as J (Jehovist) and E (Elohist), with later additions by D (Deuteronomist), Chron (icler), Prophets, and P (Priests). David’s kingdom then split into Samaria (Israel) in the north, with a temple at Shiloh served by Aaronite priests; and Judea in the south, with a temple at Jerusalem served by Zadokite priests. There was widespread on-going polytheistic worship of El, Baal, and Asherah, as well as an incipient monotheism centered on YHWH (Jehovah), the newly enshrined war-god of Judea. Judean Prophets soon emerged who demanded exclusive worship of YHWH, and their warnings of the dangers of inclusive Yahwism (worship of other gods along with YHWH) seemed vindicated when Samaria fell to Assyria in 722 BCE. At this point D rewrites Scripture to prophesy the fall of Samaria, perpetual Davidic kingship, etc. In 586 BCE, though, faith in YHWH was tested when Jerusalem was conquered and the Temple destroyed by Babylonians. Judean leaders and priests were removed to Babylon (Babylonian Exile), during which time they retooled their theology to account for what had happened. They concluded that YHWH was punishing them for apostasy (allowing the worship of Baal and Asherah - El had already been assimilated into YHWH) and genealogical impurity (intermarriage with the “unclean” Canaanite women). Their history was rewritten by P and Chron to emphasize the myths of Moses, the Exodus, and a mythic conquest of Canaan. When they returned to Palestine with their new Scriptures and genealogies in hand, these Babylonian exiles reclaimed “their” land and imposed a harsh, xenophobic regime of exclusive Yahwism. Scripture had been rewritten by these Judean exilic returnees, so it is small wonder that exclusive Yahwism predominates in Scripture at the expense of northern, Samarian inclusivity. This did not lead to the liberation of Judea from foreign domination, however. The Babylonians were followed by the Persians with their Zoroastrian dualism, and then the Greeks, who offered a sophisticated individualistic philosophy and a cosmopolitan worldview that appealed to many affluent Jews. This threat was met by further xenophobic isolation and a stronger sense of identification with mythic Tradition. The failure of their piety to liberate them from foreign domination, encouraged by Zoroastrian dualism, finally led to the theology of Apocalypticism - the belief present both in Daniel and the Gospels - that we are living in an age dominated by evil that can only be saved by direct, imminent divine intervention. ~~~~~~~