Table of Contents
El / Kronos / Saturn
In specific Phoenician texts, the deity Kronos was referred to as “El.” Kronos was a significant deity in Phoenician mythology. The Greeks equated Kronos with their Titan, who ruled before Zeus, while the Romans later called him Saturn.
The Ugaritic texts (14th-12th centuries BCE), discovered at Ras Shamra in modern-day Syria, describe El as the head of the divine council.
El (Ilu): The high god of the Canaanite pantheon, referred to as “the bull” and “the lord of gods.” He resides on Mount Lalu, presiding over an assembly of gods.
El and Asherah discuss who should replace Baal as king. Asherah suggests appointing someone who understands the flow of sap, a metaphor for someone wise or capable of bringing fertility. El emphasizes that the new king must be a warrior like Baal, capable of handling the challenges of leadership. Source
Asherah proposes Athtar, a crony of Baal, as the new king. However, Athtar is unable to fit on Baal’s throne on Mount Zaphon and descends to the earth, acknowledging his inadequacy.
El Elon (God Most High)/ Zeus
El Elon divides lands among different “Elohim.” These Elohim take possession of the land, the minerals, the resources, and the human beings inhabiting the land. Source
The Elohim and Theoi (Greek) share overlapping attributes, with both groups governed by a supreme figure—Elon for the Elohim and Zeus for the Theoi. Source
Nimrod
Nimrod became known by many names across different cultures, including Gilgamesh, Baal, Osiris, and Apollo. Source
Early Jewish Midrash works, as described by the philosopher Philo in his Questiones, depict Nimrod as the instigator of the Tower of Babel and the persecutor of the Jewish patriarch Abraham for his refusal to participate in the project. Source
Baal
The Baal Cycle, an epic series of texts that narrate Baal’s struggles against other gods such as Yam (the sea) and Mot (death), often depicts Baal residing on Mount Zaphon. His palace is described as magnificent and constructed from divine splendor.
The Phoenicians, inheriting Canaanite religious traditions, also revered Mount Zaphon, mainly through their worship of Baal Zaphon (“Baal of the North”). In the Greco-Roman period, Mount Zaphon became known as Mount Casius. The Greeks identified Baal Zaphon with Zeus, their chief deity. Source
The Elohim / Theoi / The divine counsel
Among these Elohim is one known as Yahweh, who is presented as a junior member of the council. Yahweh is assigned a people group, but they do not have any land of their own. His people reside in Egypt, which belongs to an Elohim named “Ak.” Source
