Mark S. Smith
American biblical scholar specializing in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern literature; author of The Early History of God and The Origins of Biblical Monotheism; has held professorships at Princeton Theological Seminary and New York University.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. The Ugaritic Baal Cycle
A scholarly examination of the Ugaritic texts that narrate the rise, struggles, and cultic significance of the Canaanite storm god, presenting translations, philological analysis, and interpretive commentary that reconstructs the mythic cycle in its religious and cultural context; it traces Baal’s conflicts with the sea and death deities, his establishment of kingship and palace, and the seasonal and fertility motifs tied to ancient Near Eastern ritual practice. The work situates these narratives within the broader Canaanite pantheon and socio-political world of Ugarit, explores literary structure and symbolism, and highlights continuities and contrasts with early Israelite religion to show how these poems informed regional theology and worship.