El

Statue of El, picture by Daderot

**ʼĒl**, also known as **'Il**, is the the most high god in the ancient Semitic religions, notably the Canaanite ones. He was often paired with the mother-goddess Asherah and was also seen as the father of all the the other gods of the local pantheon, such as Baal, the storm god, Yamm, the god of the sea, Mot, the god of the death and underworld, and Anat, the goddess of war.

He has often been compared to the biblical deity of Yahweh, though exact connection between these deities remains unknown.

## Mythology

### Baal Cycle

In the Baal Cycle of the city of the Baal ascends as the head of the pantheon, but has to Yam, the chaotic god of the sea, in order to do so.

#### Struggle with Yamm

The story begins when Yamm, the god of the sea and rivers, is promised kingship of the gods by his father **El**, the current king of the gods, and Baal being the only god who does to agree to be subjugated (and humiliated) by the sea-god. Baal with the help of his sister-wife Anat, goddess of war, and Kothar-wa-Khasis, the crafts god who gives crafts the magical weapons (Yagrush and Ayamur), is able to defeat Yamm. El also accepts Baal's kingship.

#### Facing death

After Baal was defeated and killed by Mot, the personification of death and ruler of the underworld, the other gods, especially El and Anat, mourn the loss, and are not able to find a proper replacement to head the pantheon.

El later has a vision, and realises that Baal is still alive, but in the clutches of Mot in the underworld. He tells this to Anat, who flies into a rage and travels to the land of the dead to rescue Baal. She brutally kills Mot and revives Baal, allowing him to return to the world of the living.

## History

### El and YHWH

El has often been compared with YHWH, the national god of the nation Israel.

### El as the king

El, alongside other high-gods of the Ancient Near East, such as Anu, Enlil, Enki, Ninurta, Marduk, Ashur, Baal, Amun, Ptah, Re, Osiris and Horus, share common imagery with the Israelite god YHWH, such as being the most high god, who has dominion over all other gods, spiritual beings and humans, as well as the Heavens and the Earth.

## Counterparts

* Ouranos
* An
* YHWH

## References

1. ↑ Cotterell, Arthur. *The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths and Legends*
2. ↑ Cotterell, Arthur. *The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths and Legends*
3. ↑ Miller, Robert D. *Tracking the Dragon across the Ancient Near East*
4. ↑ Miller, Robert D. *Tracking the Dragon across the Ancient Near East*
5. ↑ Satterfield, Bruce. *The Nature of the Struggle Between the Israelite and Canaanite Religion*
6. ↑ Mazzini, Giovanni. *Baal and Niqmaddu. A suggestion to Ugaritic KTU 1.2 I, 36-38*
7. ↑ Satterfield, Bruce. *The Nature of the Struggle Between the Israelite and Canaanite Religion*
8. ↑ Satterfield, Bruce. *The Nature of the Struggle Between the Israelite and Canaanite Religion*
9. ↑ Frankel, David. *El as the Speaking Voice in Psalm 82:6–8*
10. ↑ Pakkala, Juha. *Muinaisisraelilainen uskonto ja uskonnollinen vallankumous*
11. ↑ Smith, Gary V. *The Concept of God/The Gods as King in the Ancient Near East and the Bible*
12. ↑ Human, Dirk. *Yahweh, the Israelite High God bends down to uplift the downtrodden: perspectives on the incomparability of Yahweh in Psalm 113*