Asherah: Goddesses in Ugarit, Israel & the Old Testament (JSOT Supplement)

A fascinating and compelling work concerning the nature of Asherah. In particular, the author's translation of 'rbt atrt ym' as "Asherah, Lady Day,' and her hypothesis of connection of 'atlt' to 'ilt', and hence of the Ugaritic Asherah to the creator epithets of El, is a thought-provoking conjecture which runs counter to the standard understanding of 'rbt atrt ym' as 'she who treads on the sea (monster)'. It is a real shame that this work is so expensive as to prevent its wider availability.

This book is 190 pages including the preface, table of contents, indices, references, notes, and bibliography. Although an interesting and useful treatise, it is entirely too high a price for too slim a volume. The work focuses primarily on the epigraphical and textual data regarding the Canaanite goddess Athirat and her development into the early Israelite goddess Asherah, from the literature found on clay tablets in the Bronze Age city of Ugarit to the later Israelite inscriptions at Khirbet el-Qom and Kuntillet Ajrud. Get this book only if you are utterly fascinated by the subject, are required by a school course, or entirely dedicated to personal research.