The Pirate History Podcast Episode 371 - A History of the Devil part 2
Dec 27, 2025
Dive into the ancient origins of the Devil myth from post-Bronze Age perspectives. Explore how Canaanite gods were demonized in Hebrew religion and the influence of Egyptian myths on dualistic adversaries. Discover the ambiguity of the 'Satan' figure in Job and the absence of a defined Devil in early texts. Uncover the Watchers of Enoch and their role in shaping forbidden knowledge and giants. Learn about Samael's transformation into a fallen angel and his connections to tempting figures like Lilith, laying the groundwork for modern Devil lore.
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Collapse Fuels New Kingdoms
- The Bronze Age Collapse reshaped Near Eastern polities and set the stage for new kingdoms in the Iron Age.
- These upheavals provide historical context for stories later written down by the Judean people.
Exile Sparks Canon Formation
- The Babylonian exile prompted the Judean people to write down oral histories for the first time.
- Those written stories became the foundation for later Abrahamic religions.
Early Yahwism Was Henotheistic
- Yahwism at this stage was not strictly monotheistic and incorporated other deities from Canaanite religion.
- The Ten Commandments reflect Yahweh's jealous supremacy rather than absolute denial of other gods.