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Introduction

Many have tried to argue that the God of Israel, whose name is Jehovah (Hebrew letters: הוהי, often transliterated as JHVH), originated from the Canaanite deity known as El. Critics who make this claim typically appeal to shared Semitic linguistic roots or to parallels between ancient Near Eastern mythical traditions and the biblical record. Some point to the Ugaritic texts, discovered at Ras Shamra in 1928, which mention a high god El in the Canaanite pantheon. According to that ancient mythology, El served as a progenitor to other deities, including Baal, Yam, and Mot. El was portrayed in ways that included immoral and violent attributes and was even said to have a consort, Asherah. By contrast, the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, Jehovah, stands in stark moral distinction from any pantheon, whether Canaanite, Egyptian, or otherwise. Biblical worship was characterized by strict adherence to moral principles, and Jehovah’s people were commanded not to adopt the ways of other nations. Exodus 34:14 warns that Israel should not bow down to any other deity because Jehovah is “jealous,” signifying exclusive devotion, far removed from a polytheistic amalgamation of beliefs.

Arguments that equate Jehovah with the Canaanite El derive from a misunderstanding of how biblical language employs generic terms for deity. “El” (אֵל), “Elohim” (אֱלֹהִים), and “Eloah” (אֱלָוּהּ or אֱל֑וֹהַּ) are Hebrew words for “God” or “god” and can be used for the true God, false gods, and even powerful men and angels. The usage of “El” does not automatically tie Israel’s God to the Canaanite pantheon. Rather than indicating a shared origin with the Canaanite El, the Bible consistently represents Jehovah as the one who created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Genesis 2:4 identifies him by name, “Jehovah God,” almost 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. This stands in stark contrast to the moral depravity and limitations of false gods, including the Canaanite El who is described in Ugaritic myths as cruel and flawed. Such a disparity calls for a deeper exploration of what “El” actually meant in Hebrew Scripture, how ancient Israel differentiated its worship from surrounding nations, and how the earliest readers of the Old Testament recognized Jehovah to be unique and without equal.

The Distinction Between “El” as a Generic Term and the Canaanite Deity

The Hebrew language uses a number of titles to refer to deity, including “El,” “Eloah,” and “Elohim.” Of these, “El” (אֵל) can be translated “Mighty One” or “Strong One” and is not inherently bound to a particular being. In fact, the early Semitic world used this word to denote any god or powerful entity, whether genuine or false. Arabic, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Canaanite, and other Semitic languages shared that linguistic root, so it is no surprise to see “El” appear in a wide range of contexts.

In biblical usage, “El” often appears with qualifiers to highlight that Israel’s God is set apart from lesser divine figures. Genesis 17:1 describes him as “El Shaddai,” rendered “God Almighty,” a title emphasizing his boundless power to fulfill promises, such as making Abraham “a father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:4). Psalm 29:1 references “sons of God” (the phrase can be literally rendered from Hebrew as “sons of Elim”), a poetic way to speak of angelic beings. In these verses, the Hebrew text elevates Jehovah above all other powers. The Bible’s usage of “El” underscores that the true God is unmatched and separate from any false god. The distinction is crucial: the presence of a term like “El” does not prove that Jehovah developed from El in a Canaanite sense; it only establishes that the same general Semitic word was employed in Hebrew to denote “God.”

The Canaanite El was portrayed as fathering many gods, including Baal, Yam, and Mot. He was said to have uprooted his own father from rulership, acted as a tyrant, and committed immoral deeds. The biblical record indicates that the true God is completely distinct, having no consort or genealogical origin. Isaiah 40:28 calls him “the Creator of the ends of the earth,” highlighting that he is uncreated, infinite, and entirely sovereign. Such descriptions do not match the immoral, conflict-prone El of the Canaanites.

Beyond language, the Scriptures show that Jehovah consistently commands separation from any local deities. Leviticus 18:3 warns Israel not to follow the practices of Egypt or Canaan. The uniqueness of Israel’s God is asserted time and again. Isaiah 46:9 says, “I am God, and there is no other,” a strong disavowal of any hint that he is one deity among many. All of this contradicts the claim that Jehovah was ever just one Canaanite god among a group of gods. Had that been the case, the Old Testament would not so urgently and repeatedly condemn Canaanite religious practices.

The Use of “El” in the Hebrew Scriptures

The Hebrew words “El” (אֵל), “Eloah” (אֱלָוּהּ), and “Elohim” (אֱלֹהִים) appear many times in the biblical text. In Genesis 1:1, the text reads, “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” This usage with a singular verb emphasizes that the subject, while grammatically plural in form, is singular in meaning. The text’s intent is not to suggest polytheism but rather to magnify the full grandeur of the Creator. Psalm 82:1 mentions God standing in the divine assembly, judging in the midst of “gods,” where the Hebrew word for “gods” can refer to human judges or mighty ones. The context always shapes the connotation of these words, underscoring that “El” or “Elohim” is not a narrow designation for any one being.

Genesis 14:18-22 features Melchizedek, a priest of “God Most High” (El Elyon), who blesses Abraham. The text indicates that Abraham clearly identified El Elyon with Jehovah, the true God of the Hebrews, not with any local deity. The idea that El Elyon was some foreign Canaanite god does not mesh with Abraham’s refusal to associate with pagan worship. Abraham’s acceptance of Melchizedek’s blessing signified that the priest-king of Salem served the same Most High God that Abraham did. It was not a blending of gods but an acknowledgment of a single supreme deity known by many descriptive titles.

Another well-known example is Exodus 6:3, where Jehovah tells Moses: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by my name Jehovah I did not make myself known to them.” Critics sometimes seize upon this verse to argue that “Jehovah” was unknown before Moses. However, Genesis 4:26 states that in the days of Enosh “men began to call upon the name of Jehovah,” and the patriarchs, including Abraham, clearly used that divine name. The point at Exodus 6:3 is that the patriarchs primarily knew Jehovah in the role of El Shaddai, seeing him as the One fully able to keep his promises. The time of Moses would reveal Jehovah’s name in a new sense: he would “cause to become” the deliverer who frees his people from Egypt. The significance of the name would take on heightened meaning by Jehovah’s concrete intervention. The usage of “El” or “God Almighty” cannot be read as a shift to a new deity or an adoption of a Canaanite figure.

Key Distinctions Between Jehovah and the Canaanite Deities

An examination of Ugaritic and other extrabiblical sources that describe the Canaanite pantheon reveals a chaotic array of deities riddled with immoral behavior. The Canaanite El is shown to be remote and overshadowed by the more vibrant figure of Baal, often called the “rider of the clouds” and portrayed as a storm god controlling rain and fertility. Baal, known for illicit sexual relations, sibling rivalry, and continuous battles with other gods like Yam (the sea) or Mot (death), represents a mythological worldview in which deities reflect raw nature. In Israel’s Scriptures, however, Jehovah is not a local storm god but the transcendent Creator who reigns over all natural forces. The Bible reveals him as righteous, just, and holy, deeply involved with humanity yet free of the flawed qualities assigned to pagan deities.

This ethical and moral dimension underscores the greatest difference. The Canaanite pantheon’s questionable activities have parallels to Greco-Roman gods, who also engage in duplicity and aggression. By contrast, Jehovah is portrayed from Genesis to Malachi as acting with consistency, moral righteousness, and holiness. Psalm 77:13 says, “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like God?” The rhetorical question expects a negative answer. No pagan deity can match Jehovah’s moral character, which underscores his genuine uniqueness.

The conquest of Canaan further demonstrates the stark difference between Jehovah and the local gods. Israel was told to shun all Canaanite worship forms. Deuteronomy 7:5 prohibits them from adopting pagan altars and sacred pillars, and Deuteronomy 12:30-31 insists that they not inquire about how Canaanites served their gods. Such a command would be illogical if Jehovah were just a local manifestation of El, Baal, or any other figure. Moreover, Jehovah’s condemnation of child sacrifice, prostitution in worship, and other detestable Canaanite rituals highlights a moral and religious gulf that cannot be bridged by simple linguistic parallels in the words used for “God.”

Considering the Ugaritic Texts

The discovery of the Ugaritic texts from Ras Shamra in the early twentieth century provided insight into Canaanite religious beliefs around 1400–1200 B.C.E. These texts mention El as the head of the pantheon, his consort Asherah, and their children, including Baal. El is described as old, sometimes inattentive, and subject to destructive passions. Baal is a powerfully active god who takes the leading role in conflicts with other deities such as Yam (sea) and Mot (death). Each of these deities was believed to govern a specific domain. Their myths depict violence, sexual impropriety, and cosmic struggles with no sense of absolute morality or righteousness.

While parallels exist in the sense that the word “El” appears in both the Hebrew Bible and Ugaritic texts, the biblical portrayal stands alone in asserting that Jehovah is almighty and righteous and that the entire cosmos belongs to him. Psalm 24:1 affirms, “The earth is Jehovah’s, and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.” A moral imperative is consistently embedded in Old Testament worship, requiring Israel to reflect the holiness of its God (Leviticus 11:45). This devotion and obedience run contrary to the licentious rites associated with Canaanite worship, which often included ritual prostitution, child sacrifice, and idolatry. If Israel’s God had developed from that pantheon, it would be exceedingly difficult to account for these profound ethical distinctions and the extensive biblical commands to reject any hint of Canaanite influence.

Some also point to references in the Hebrew Scriptures describing Jehovah as having power over clouds and storms, reminiscent of Baal. However, such parallels only show that biblical writers could use nature imagery to illustrate God’s control of creation, not that they borrowed the identity of Baal. In Psalm 29:3-10, Jehovah’s voice is described as thundering over the waters. Rather than reflecting the limited domain of a storm god, the text exalts Jehovah as the universal sovereign over every aspect of the natural world. These rhetorical devices do not suggest assimilation from Ugaritic theology. Instead, they repurpose imagery known to ancient audiences in order to highlight Jehovah’s supremacy.

The Covenant God of Israel

Another fundamental difference is the covenant relationship that Jehovah established with Israel. Pagan deities did not enter into binding, mutually recognized covenants grounded in moral law. Yet Exodus 19:5–8 recounts Jehovah’s formal agreement with the nation: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples.” This unique claim is reaffirmed in Deuteronomy, Joshua, and throughout the writings of the Hebrew prophets. The people had to observe commandments that covered moral conduct, worship, and societal justice. Such conditions contrast sharply with ancient myths, in which the gods demanded appeasement through sacrificial rites or superstitious acts and did not base their relationship with humans on righteousness.

The history recorded in Judges, Samuel, and Kings repeatedly links Israel’s national well-being to their obedience or disobedience to Jehovah. Covenant curses and blessings (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28) served as concrete expressions of Jehovah’s moral governance. When Israel lapsed into worship of Baal or other local gods, they experienced calamity. When they repented, Jehovah would rescue them, demonstrating that it was his moral standards and covenant promises that set the rhythm of their national life. Hosea 11:1-4 portrays God as a loving father who brought Israel out of Egypt, taught them, and cared for them. Such familial language contrasts strongly with the petty intrigues and violent outbursts typical of the Canaanite pantheon.

Moreover, Jehovah’s name stands out in a way the Canaanite El’s never did. That divine name, occurring almost 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, conveys a deep sense of the true God’s purpose and commitment to humanity. Joel 2:32 calls out, “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah shall be saved,” a promise so authoritative that the apostle Paul quoted it in Romans 10:13. This underscores the cross-cultural and perpetual nature of Jehovah’s salvation, far removed from any local cultic devotion.

Historical Chronology and the Emergence of Jehovah’s Worship

The objective historical-grammatical approach looks at both internal and external evidence. Externally, archaeology and comparative studies affirm that the name Jehovah (JHVH in Hebrew consonants) was known in Israel’s earliest periods. Internally, the Hebrew Scriptures present a consistent narrative stretching back to Abraham around the early second millennium B.C.E., as derived from literal biblical chronology. Abraham worshiped Jehovah, built altars to him, and received covenant promises. Historical accounts place the Exodus at about 1446 B.C.E. and the arrival of Israel in the Promised Land around 1406 B.C.E. If the worship of Jehovah was historically present as early as the patriarchal period, it could not have originated in any late development from Canaanite religion. The recognition of Jehovah as almighty, creator, and moral lawgiver predates Israel’s contact with the fully developed Canaanite pantheon we see in the Ugaritic texts.

When Moses wrote the first five books, culminating around the 15th century B.C.E., Israel’s distinct monotheistic viewpoint was already well-formed, contrasting with Egyptian and Canaanite polytheism. Even if some critics assign later dates, the internal consistency of the biblical text, along with repeated condemnations of idolatry, does not support the idea that Israel borrowed from nearby polytheists. Instead, the Bible shows that God steadily revealed himself to Abraham’s lineage, culminating in a detailed law code. Jehovah’s command to exterminate certain immoral Canaanite communities and to drive out their worshipers (Deuteronomy 20:16-18) underscores the impossibility that he was a mere local deity in the same pantheon. The destruction of Canaanite religion is one of the Bible’s central historical narratives.

The Theological Implications

If Jehovah had been merely a local El of Canaan, it would undermine the entire biblical revelation of a transcendent, personal God who acts in history to redeem humanity. The unified storyline of Genesis through Kings, and on to the Prophets, showcases a God who progressively works with his people, shaping their moral and spiritual identity. This narrative is consistent with monotheism in which Jehovah alone is God, with no genealogical ties to others. Deuteronomy 4:35 says, “You were shown these things so that you might know that Jehovah is God; there is no other besides him.” That absolute exclusivity resonates throughout Scripture. This is not the language of a religion that folded an older deity into a new theological framework. Rather, it is the rhetoric of divine revelation standing apart from foreign entanglements.

Additionally, the direct moral commandments from Jehovah reveal a character wholly different from the manipulative, indulgent deities of Canaanite myth. The Decalogue (Exodus 20:2-17) commands exclusive worship, reverence for God’s name, care for one’s neighbor, and purity of life. Each directive springs from God’s own holiness. Since the heart of Canaanite ritual life featured fertility rites, sacrificial extremes, and local shrines dedicated to Baal, Asherah, and El, any notion that Jehovah simply emerged from those beliefs strains credibility. The ethical code and theological structure in the Old Testament do not represent an evolution of polytheism into monotheism but rather a distinct worldview anchored in the moral character of the Creator.

The Reliability of the Biblical Account

Modern critics sometimes invoke the documentary hypothesis, which suggests multiple human authors (frequently labeled J, E, D, P) compiled Israel’s sacred writings around the 8th to 5th centuries B.C.E. This approach often goes hand in hand with the claim that the biblical depiction of God was shaped and reshaped over time, borrowing from neighboring religions. However, from a historical-grammatical perspective that respects the text’s own testimony and the early tradition of Mosaic authorship, these layers of redaction and invention are not supported by solid manuscript evidence. Instead, we find that the Pentateuch consistently asserts that Moses wrote or supervised the writing of the law (Deuteronomy 31:9, 24). The text itself expresses unity of purpose and theme, affirming that Jehovah was always the supreme Creator and covenant-keeper.

The overarching biblical narrative also provides an internal check. Israel is often portrayed in a negative light, chastised for lapses into idolatry and repeatedly warned to repent. Had Israel’s faith in Jehovah merely emerged from local Canaanite devotion, the biblical condemnations of Baal worship (Judges 2:11-15) and other local cults would make little sense. The ongoing tension in Israel’s history—between wholehearted devotion to Jehovah and the temptation to assimilate with the Canaanite gods—demonstrates that those religions were fundamentally at odds, not interchangeable. If Jehovah had originally been El, simply merged with Baal or other deities, there would be no reason for the text to condemn what amounted to different expressions of the same God. Instead, from Genesis through Kings, the narrative firmly rejects the local pantheon as sinful and incompatible with serving the true God.

Isaiah 44:6 stands as one of many pronouncements of exclusive monotheism: “Thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Jehovah of armies: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God.’” This sweeping declaration is irreconcilable with a notion that Jehovah was one deity among many or that he evolved from the local El. Its plain sense is that he alone possesses true divinity. No competitor or father, no mother goddess, no consort. This sets him apart from the multifaceted pantheon of Canaan.

Concluding Thoughts

The speculation that Jehovah God originated from the Canaanite El does not align with the biblical witness or the historical realities. While “El” is indeed found in the languages and literature of ancient Semitic cultures, it primarily denotes the concept of deity or “mighty one.” Applying that generic term to the true God does not prove genealogical descent or theological continuity from a flawed Canaanite figure. The Old Testament presents Jehovah as morally perfect, sovereign, and unique, features wholly unlike the immoral and often absent El of Ugaritic mythology. Furthermore, the explicit commands for Israel to reject every vestige of Canaanite religion, the morally elevated law code received at Sinai, and the unbroken emphasis on Jehovah as the Creator of heaven and earth strongly refute any assimilation of that kind.

Exodus 20:3 unequivocally states, “You shall have no other gods before me.” That core requirement—absolute, undiluted devotion—runs counter to syncretism or mythological blending. Instead, it marks a clear break from polytheistic traditions. Scripture is unified in its portrayal of Jehovah from the earliest chapters of Genesis to the latter prophets. He was not discovered piecemeal by contact with local worshipers, nor did he emerge from any composite identity. Rather, the Scriptures teach that he revealed himself directly to the patriarchs and to Moses, leading to a covenant people distinct in worship and identity from the surrounding nations.

The tangible differences in ethical demands, the condemnation of idol worship, and the sheer frequency of Jehovah’s name appearing in the Hebrew text reinforce that he is not an invention of Canaanite myth nor a linguistic repurposing of the local El. Instead, the biblical message presents him as the timeless, self-existent One, the universal Sovereign who “causes to become” whatever is necessary to fulfill his purpose (Exodus 3:14). Faithful worshipers in ancient Israel looked to him as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, never as a localized tribal deity borrowed from their neighbors. Their devotion set them apart in ancient history, offering a monotheistic faith in a world saturated with polytheistic worship.

Any suggestion that Jehovah merely evolved from a Canaanite source fails to consider that the heart of biblical teaching contradicts the moral and theological nature of Canaan’s pantheon. It also overlooks the fundamental biblical chronology, which firmly places Jehovah’s worship centuries before the textual references to El’s pantheon in Ugaritic sources. In every respect—moral, historical, linguistic, and theological—the Bible stands as consistent and coherent in affirming Jehovah as the one true God, not beholden to or derived from any pagan antecedent.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).