The accumulation of evidence will overpower them eventually. They can stay stupid forever but the clock is winding down on them.
I do recommend Philip R. Davies, In Search of Ancient Israel. It was the Persians who began this monotheistic wave in the ANE.
What Bloch-Smith, and Dever and Mazar before her, are getting at is the establishment of a state cult as the central governments grew. Yhwh was the boss hooter in Jerusalem...just like Marduk was the boss hooter in Babylon.
I do recommend Philip R. Davies, In Search of Ancient Israel. It was the Persians who began this monotheistic wave in the ANE.
What Bloch-Smith, and Dever and Mazar before her, are getting at is the establishment of a state cult as the central governments grew. Yhwh was the boss hooter in Jerusalem...just like Marduk was the boss hooter in Babylon.
