The God of Israel is the major character in the Hebrew scriptures. Although he is not mentioned in the Book of Esther or in the Song of Songs, God appears in all the remaining twenty-two books of the Hebrew Bible. Within these books God is depicted as creator, provider, and lawgiver. Most of the writers assume that he is just, that he has a special relation with the people of Israel, and that he hearkens to prayer. But because the Bible is not a systematic theological treatise and because not all internal contradictions were removed by its editors, we find major disagreements among the writers about the crucial elements of Israelite faith, including concepts of God.

Biblical Terminology of the Divine

The proper name of the God whose exclusive worship is demanded by the biblical authors is written consonantally as...