Dynamic Nature of Religious Practices

Religious practices in ancient times were dynamic and varied, with people honoring multiple deities alongside Yahweh. Different villages and kin groups supported various deities based on specific places, lineages, or identities. Deities were carried by people as they moved, leading to a complex world of rituals and beliefs that were constantly changing based on leadership, preferences, and personal beliefs. The earliest biblical traditions emerged in a shifting religious landscape, characterized by disputes over beliefs and behaviors. Scholars assert that the religious practices of ancient Israel and Judah cannot be labeled as Judaism, as the coherent system of belief and practice known as Judaism emerged after the Babylonian exile in 587 BC.