It's a living

[dreamer_easy]

I assume Yahweh is referred to as "the living god" to contrast Him with lifeless idols. Now, my understanding is that the Hebrews were henotheists: their neighbours' gods existed, but were not to be worshipped, and in any case were subordinate to Yahweh. However, quick search turns up the first use of "the living god" in Deuteronomy. So now I'm wondering - did "living god" have a different meaning, for example, a deity without idols or images?

Comments

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

... Black and Green, right? :-) "... Marduk became more and more important until it was possible for the author of the Babylonian Epic of Creation to maintain that not only was Marduk king of all the gods but that many of the latter were no more than aspects of his persona - hence the Hymn of the Fifty Names of Marduk..." They also mention the spade (although it wasn't taken from another god) and the snake-dragon (adopted from Tishpak).

To return to your original point, there's no evidence here of the ritual slaying of one Mesopotamian god by another. Marduk may have assimilated some other deities, but major gods like Ishtar were still going strong during his ascendancy, with separate cults.

[adrian-middle.livejournal.com]

Well the practice of Daiwadana was associated with Marduk when I came across it. I'm pulling my hair out over where the offending book might be. I'd never heard of the term previously. Maybe someone on one of the ancient history groups might know more about it.

Ea also had fifty names. Not sure if they were the same fifty.