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Early biblical [[texts]] seem to acknowledge that gods of other nations exist ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.32 Deuteronomy. 32:8]). The nations each have their own god, but Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s god. This seems to be the earliest sense of the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods beside me" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.20 Exodus. 20:3]). Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s high god, who delivered his people from [[slavery]] and oppression, and therefore he is entitled to Israel's [[worship]] and [[loyalty]]. Moreover, Yahweh is superior to the other gods, as proclaimed in the early hymn, the Song of the Sea: "Who is like you among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in praise, working wonders?" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.15 Exodus. 15:11]). Other national gods exist, but Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s god and he is the greatest god. The [[worship]] of Yahweh functions as a unifying [[agent]] of Israelite [[culture]] and [[religion]]. This type of [[worship]] is sometimes called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolotry monolotry] (the [[worship]] of one god without denying the [[existence]] of others) or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] ([[belief]] in one god without denying the [[existence]] of others). A more thoroughgoing [[monotheism]], which denies the [[existence]] of other gods, is a product of the [[prophetic]] and Deuteronomistic [[critique]] during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800_BC eighth] through the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/600_BC sixth centuries BCE].

Early biblical [[texts]] seem to acknowledge that gods of other nations exist ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.32 Deuteronomy. 32:8]). The nations each have their own god, but Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s god. This seems to be the earliest sense of the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods beside me" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.20 Exodus. 20:3]). Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s high god, who delivered his people from [[slavery]] and oppression, and therefore he is entitled to Israel's [[worship]] and [[loyalty]]. Moreover, Yahweh is superior to the other gods, as proclaimed in the early hymn, the Song of the Sea: "Who is like you among the gods, O Yahweh? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in praise, working wonders?" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.15 Exodus. 15:11]). Other national gods exist, but Yahweh is [[Israel]]'s god and he is the greatest god. The [[worship]] of Yahweh functions as a unifying [[agent]] of Israelite [[culture]] and [[religion]]. This type of [[worship]] is sometimes called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolotry monolotry] (the [[worship]] of one god without denying the [[existence]] of others) or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] ([[belief]] in one god without denying the [[existence]] of others). A more thoroughgoing [[monotheism]], which denies the [[existence]] of other gods, is a product of the [[prophetic]] and Deuteronomistic [[critique]] during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800_BC eighth] through the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/600_BC sixth centuries BCE].

In addition to the major categories of [[divine]] [[beings]], the human dead are also referred to as gods. When [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Saul King Saul] has a sorceress summon the ghost of the [[prophet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel Samuel], she calls the [[ghost]] an Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_28 1 Samuel. 28:13]). Elsewhere the shades of the dead are called gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.8 Isaiah. 8:19]) and "holy ones" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_16 Psalms. 16:3]). Although [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] by consulting the shades of the dead is prohibited in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.18 Deuteronomy 18:11], it may have been a fairly common local [[practice]]. Statues called teraphim were also used for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel#Chapter_21 Ezekiel. 21:26]; Zechariah. 10:2) and are once referred to as gods (Gn. 31:30). These were probably statues of dead ancestors who bestowed blessings on their descendants and could be invoked for divination. These practices indicate that the dead were not connected to the world of the gods as full-fledged deities, but as shadowy intermediaries between the world of the living and the divine realm. The world of the dead was the subterranean Sheol, not in heaven where Yahweh and his divine entourage dwelled, but somehow their shadowy existence was in some respects divine and included godlike foresight into the future.

In addition to the major categories of [[divine]] [[beings]], the human dead are also referred to as gods. When [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Saul King Saul] has a sorceress summon the ghost of the [[prophet]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel Samuel], she calls the [[ghost]] an Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_28 1 Samuel. 28:13]). Elsewhere the shades of the dead are called gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.8 Isaiah. 8:19]) and "holy ones" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_16 Psalms. 16:3]). Although [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] by consulting the shades of the dead is prohibited in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.18 Deuteronomy 18:11], it may have been a fairly common local [[practice]]. Statues called teraphim were also used for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination divination] ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel#Chapter_21 Ezekiel. 21:26]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Zechariah#Chapter_.10 Zechariah. 10:2]) and are once referred to as gods ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_genesis#Chapter_.31 Genesis. 31:30]). These were probably statues of dead [[ancestors]] who bestowed [[blessings]] on their descendants and could be invoked for divination. These [[practices]] indicate that the dead were not connected to the world of the gods as full-fledged [[deities]], but as shadowy intermediaries between the world of the living and the [[divine]] realm. The world of the dead was the subterranean [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol Sheol], not in [[heaven]] where Yahweh and his [[divine]] entourage dwelled, but somehow their shadowy [[existence]] was in some respects divine and included godlike [[foresight]] into the [[future]].

On a different level the human king functioned as a quasidivine intermediary between the divine and human realms. The king is at times referred to as the son of God (Ps. 2:7; 2 Sm. 7:14) and the firstborn of God (Ps. 89:28), and in one text the king seems to be addressed as Elohim (Ps. 45:7). The language of divine kinship in these texts indicates that God adopts the reigning king as his earthly son, which corresponds to the king's role as God's chosen representative or intermediary on earth. As portrayed in the royal psalms, the king is the earthly guarantor of cosmic order, defeating the enemies—both human and cosmic—and establishing harmony and peace. The king partakes of the divine through the sacral office of kingship, which ideally ensures "abundant authority and peace without end" (Is. 9:6). In the Second Temple period (536 BCE–70 CE), in the absence of a reigning king, the concept of the king as a quasidivine intermediary stimulated the expectation of a royal messiah, the future Davidic king, hedged with divinity, who will defeat chaos once and for all.

On a [[different]] level the [[human]] [[king]] functioned as a quasidivine intermediary between the [[divine]] and [[human]] realms. The king is at times referred to as the son of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_2 Psalms. 2:7]; [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Book_of_Samuel#Chapter_.7 2 Samuel. 7:14]) and the firstborn of God ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_89 Psalms. 89:28]), and in one text the king seems to be addressed as Elohim ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_45 Psalms. 45:7]). The [[language]] of [[divine]] kinship in these [[texts]] indicates that [[God]] [[adopts]] the reigning [[king]] as his earthly son, which [[corresponds]] to the king's role as God's chosen [[representative]] or intermediary on [[earth]]. As portrayed in the royal psalms, the [[king]] is the earthly guarantor of [[cosmic]] order, defeating the enemies—both [[human]] and [[cosmic]]—and establishing [[harmony]] and [[peace]]. The king partakes of the [[divine]] through the sacral office of kingship, which ideally ensures "[[abundant]] [[authority]] and [[peace]] without end" ([http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Isaiah#Chapter_.9 Isaiah. 9:6]). In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple Second Temple period] (536 BCE–70 CE), in the [[absence]] of a reigning [[king]], the concept of the king as a quasidivine intermediary stimulated the [[expectation]] of a royal [[messiah]], the [[future]] Davidic king, hedged with [[divinity]], who will defeat [[chaos]] once and for all.