Why might the requirement of only one god be difficult for the Hebrews as they emerged from pastoral life to an agricultural one?
Responses
A The Hebrews were attracted to the fertility and agricultural gods.
B People who practiced monotheism were known to be unsuccessful farmers.
C The Hebrews had never tried monotheism before and they were afraid of the consequences for leaving their polytheistic gods.
D As a pastoral people, the Hebrews practiced polytheism so the switch to monotheism was difficult when agriculture societies emerged
A The Hebrews were attracted to the fertility and agricultural gods.
D As a pastoral people, the Hebrews practiced polytheism so the switch to monotheism was difficult when agriculture societies emerged
The correct answer is D - As a pastoral people, the Hebrews practiced polytheism, so the switch to monotheism was difficult when agriculture societies emerged.
To understand why this is the case, we need to consider the cultural and religious context of the Hebrews during their transition from pastoral life to an agricultural one.
Before the Hebrews adopted agriculture, they were primarily a pastoral people. This means that they relied on animal husbandry, such as sheep and goats, for their livelihood. In this pastoral lifestyle, it was common for people to believe in and worship multiple gods, as each god was associated with different aspects of nature, such as fertility, rain, and harvest.
As the Hebrews transitioned to an agricultural society, they had to adapt their way of life to rely on farming and crop cultivation. This shift brought about changes in their understanding of the world and their relationship with the divine. One major challenge they faced was the requirement of monotheism, the belief in and worship of only one god.
Monotheism was a new concept for the Hebrews because their previous polytheistic beliefs were deeply ingrained in their culture and way of life. The polytheistic gods they worshipped were seen as responsible for various aspects of their pastoral existence, such as fertility for their animals and abundance in their herds. The idea of abandoning these gods and believing in only one deity was unfamiliar and challenging for them.
Additionally, adopting monotheism meant moving away from the gods of their polytheistic neighbors, who were associated with fertility and agriculture. These gods were part of the surrounding cultures with whom the Hebrews interacted, and they may have been attracted to the idea of worshiping those gods for agricultural prosperity.
Overall, the transition from a pastoral to an agricultural society presented the Hebrews with the difficult task of abandoning their polytheistic beliefs rooted in their pastoral life and adopting the concept of monotheism, which was foreign to them. This cultural and religious shift required a fundamental change in their worldview and religious practices.