Question

In a stela, King Mesha boasts of presenting this deity’s altars to Chemosh (“kuh-MOSH”) after reconquering territory lost to King Omri. Both the Amarah West and Soleb inscriptions mention this potential deity of the nomadic “Shasu,” who is central to the Kenite hypothesis. William G. Denver popularized the theory that Asherah was the consort (20[1])of this deity, (20[4])who gained the epithet “Shaddai” following syncretization with El. A taboo on speaking this deity’s (20[2])(*) name (10[1])resulted in its (10[1])substitution (10[1])with the words “Adonai” (10[1])and (10[2])“Elohim.” (10[7])The (10[2])Tetragrammaton’s (10[3])four letters (10[1])represent (10[1])this “jealous” (10[1])deity, (10[1])whose Levantine (10[1])cult gradually supplanted Ba’al’s. For (10[1])10 points, a commandment forbids taking “in vain” the name of what (10[1])Israelite deity? ■END■ (10[4])

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