[Bible] Episode 318: Mark S. Smith - The Many Gods of Israel

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Mark S. Smith, a leading scholar of ancient Israelite religion, to explore the polytheistic background of Israel and the gradual emergence of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible. Drawing on biblical texts, ancient Near Eastern inscriptions, and comparative studies, Mark explains how early Israelites likely understood Yahweh as one deity among many before later theological developments came to affirm him as the sole god of Israel. Show Notes → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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[Bible] Episode 318: Mark S. Smith - The Many Gods of Israel is an episode from The Bible For Normal People by The Bible for Normal People.

This episode is 68:05 long.

This episode was published on Mar 2, 2026.

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