put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. Israel was commanded to NOT BE like the nations around her--this would have placed a significant damper on any types of 'theological assimilation' of Canaanite concepts into the OT writings (we know it made it into the general culture--from the prior studies in this series--but the point here is that it didn't make it into the writings. cf. Lev 20.23: You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. (see also Ex 23:24; Dt 18.9; 2 Kgs 16:3; 17.8; I Ch 5.25) Summary: Israel's borrowing from her neighbors, in areas of religion and theology, DOES NOT include "CONTENT". Some linguistic and literary forms were okay (esp. in a 'spoof' or 'emphatic contrast' situation), but 'core' beliefs of Israel--monotheism, faith vs. magic/omens, God's surpassing wisdom, and the value of humanity--were NOT compromised in the literature. The Christian ThinkTank... [http://www.Christian-thinktank.com] (Reference Abbreviations)