| Yahwism, also known as the Israelite religion, was the ancient Semitic religion of ancient Israel and Judah and the ethnic religion of the Israelites.[5] The Israelite religion was a derivative of the Canaanite religion and a polytheistic religion that had a pantheon with various gods and goddesses.[6] The primary deity of the religion and the head of the pantheon was Yahweh, the national god of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.[7] The majority of scholars hold that the goddess Asherah was the consort of Yahweh,[7] though some scholars disagree.[8] Following this divine duo were second-tier gods and goddesses, such as Baal, Shamash, Yarikh, Mot, and Astarte, with each having priests and prophets, and numbering royalty among their devotees.[9][1 |