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intellectually abler rulers and leaders。 In a well…known passage
in Genesis （i。 27） Elohim is said to have 〃created man in his
own image； in the image of Elohim created he him。〃 It is 〃man〃
who is here said to be the image of Elohimnot man's soul
alone； still less his 〃reason；〃 but the whole man。 It is obvious
that for those who call a manlike ghost Elohim； there could be
no difficulty in conceiving any other Elohim under the same
aspect。 And if there could be any doubt on this subject； surely
it cannot stand in the face of what we find in the fifth
chapter； where； immediately after a repetition of the statement
that 〃Elohim created man； in the likeness of Elohim made he
him；〃 it is said that Adam begat Seth 〃in his own likeness；
after his image。〃 Does this mean that Seth resembled Adam only
in a spiritual and figurative sense？ And if that interpretation
of the third verse of the fifth chapter of Genesis is absurd；
why does it become reasonable in the first verse of the
same chapter？
But let us go further。 Is not the Jahveh who 〃walks in the
garden in the cool of the day〃； from whom one may hope to 〃hide
oneself among the trees〃； of whom it is expressly said that
〃Moses and Aaron； Nadab and Abihu； and seventy of the elders of
Israel；〃 saw the Elohim of Israel （Exod。 xxiv。 9…11）； and that；
although the seeing Jahveh was understood to be a high crime and
misdemeanour； worthy of death； under ordinary circumstances；
yet； for this once； he 〃laid not his hand on the nobles of
Israel〃； 〃that they beheld Elohim and did eat and drink〃；
and that afterwards Moses saw his back （Exod。 xxxiii。 23）is
not this Deity conceived as manlike in form？ Again； is not the
Jahveh who eats with Abraham under the oaks at Mamre； who is
pleased with the 〃sweet savour〃 of Noah's sacrifice； to whom
sacrifices are said to be 〃food〃is not this Deity depicted
as possessed of human appetites？ If this were not the current
Israelitish idea of Jahveh even in the eighth century B。C。；
where is the point of Isaiah's scathing admonitions to his
countrymen： 〃To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices
unto me？ saith Jahveh： I am full of the burnt…offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts； and I delight not in the blood of
bullocks； or of lambs； or of he…goats〃 （Isa。 i。 11）。 Or of
Micah's inquiry； 〃Will Jahveh be pleased with thousands of rams
or with ten thousands of rivers of oil？〃 （vi。 7。） And in the
innumerable passages in which Jahveh is said to be jealous of
other gods； to be angry； to be appeased； and to repent； in which
he is represented as casting off Saul because the king does not
quite literally execute a command of the most ruthless severity；
or as smiting Uzzah to death because the unfortunate man
thoughtlessly； but naturally enough； put out his hand to stay
the ark from fallingcan any one deny that the old Israelites
conceived Jahveh not only in the image of a man； but in that of
a changeable； irritable； and； occasionally； violent man？
There appears to me； then； to be no reason to doubt that the
notion of likeness to man； which was indubitably held of the
ghost Elohim； was carried out consistently throughout the whole
series of Elohim； and that Jahveh…Elohim was thought of as a
being of the same substantially human nature as the rest； only
immeasurably more powerful for good and for evil。
The absence of any real distinction between the Elohim of
different ranks is further clearly illustrated by the
corresponding absence of any sharp delimitation between the
various kinds of people who serve as the media of communication
between them and men。 The agents through whom the lower Elohim
are consulted are called necromancers； wizards； and diviners；
and are looked down upon by the prophets and priests of the
higher Elohim； but the 〃seer〃 connects the two； and they are
all alike in their essential characters of media。 The wise woman
of Endor was believed by others； and； I have little doubt；
believed herself； to be able to 〃bring up〃 whom she would from
Sheol； and to be inspired； whether in virtue of actual
possession by the evoked Elohim； or otherwise； with a knowledge
of hidden things； I am unable to see that Saul's servant took
any really different view of Samuel's powers； though he may have
believed that he obtained them by the grace of the higher
Elohim。 For when Saul fails to find his father's asses； his
servant says to him
Behold； there is in this city a man of Elohim； and he is a man
that is held in honour； all that he saith cometh surely to pass；
now let us go thither； peradventure； he can tell us concerning
our journey whereon we go。 Then said Saul to his servant； But
behold if we go； what shall we bring the man？ for the bread is
spent in our vessels and there is not a present to bring to the
man of Elohim。 What have we？ And the servant answered Saul again
and said； Behold I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel
of silver： that will I give to the man of Elohim to tell us our
way。 （Beforetime in Israel when a man went to inquire of Elohim；
then he said； Come and let us go to the Seer： for he that is now
called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer）
（1 Sam。 ix。 6…10）。
In fact； when； shortly afterwards； Saul accidentally meets
Samuel； he says； 〃Tell me； I pray thee； where the Seer's house
is。〃 Samuel answers； 〃I am the Seer。〃 Immediately afterwards
Samuel informs Saul that the asses are found； though how he
obtained his knowledge of the fact is not stated。 It will be
observed that Samuel is not spoken of here as； in any special
sense； a seer or prophet of Jahveh； but as a 〃man of Elohim〃
that is to say； a seer having access to the 〃spiritual powers；〃
just as the wise woman of Endor might have been said to be a
〃woman of Elohim〃and the narrator's or editor's explanatory
note seems to indicate that 〃Prophet〃 is merely a name；
introduced later than the time of Samuel； for a superior kind of
〃Seer；〃 or 〃man of Elohim。〃
Another very instructive passage shows that Samuel was not only
considered to be diviner； seer； and prophet in one； but that he
was also； to all intents and purposes； priest of Jahvehthough；
according to his biographer； he was not a member of the tribe of
Levi。 At the outset of their acquaintance； Samuel says to Saul；
〃Go up before me into the high place；〃 where； as the young
maidens of the city had just before told Saul； the Seer was
going； 〃for the people will not eat till he come； because he
doth bless the sacrifice〃 （1 Sam。 x。 12）。 The use of the word
〃bless〃 hereas if Samuel were not going to sacrifice； but only
to offer a blessing or thanksgivingis curious。 But that Samuel
really acted as priest seems plain from what follows。 For he not
only asks Saul to share in the customary sacrificial feast； but
he disposes in Saul's favour of that portion of the victim which
the Levitical legislation； doubtless embodying old customs；
recognises as the priest's special property。
Although particular persons adopted the profession of media
between men and Elohim； there was no limitation of the power； in
the view of ancient Israel； to any special class of the
population。 Saul inquires of Jahveh and builds him altars on his
own account； and in the very remarkable story told in the
fourteenth chapter of the first book of Samuel （v。 37…46）； Saul
appears to conduct the whole process of divination； although he
has a priest at his elbow。 David seems to do the same。
Moreover； Elohim constantly appear in dreamswhich in old
Israel did not mean that； as we should say； the subject of the
appearance 〃dreamed he saw the spirit〃； but that he veritably
saw the Elohim which； as a soul； visited his soul while his body
was asleep。 And； in the course of the history of Israel Jahveh
himself thus appears to all sorts of persons； non…Israelites as
well as Israelites。 Again； the Elohim possess； or inspire；
people against their will； as in the case of Saul and Saul's
messengers； and then these people prophesythat is to say；
〃rave〃and exhibit the ungoverned gestures attributed by a
later age to possession by malignant spirits。 Apart from other
evidence to be adduced by and by； the history of ancient
demonology and of modern revivalism does not permit me to doubt
that the accounts of these phenomena given in the history of
Saul may be perfectly historical。
In the ritual practices； of which evidence is to be found in the
books of Judges and Samuel； the chief part is played by
sacrifices； usually burnt offerings。 Whenever the aid of the
Elohim of Israel is sought； or thanks are considered due to him；
an altar is built； and oxen； sheep； and goats are slaughtered
and offered up。 Sometimes the entire victim is burnt as a
holocaust； more frequently only certain parts； notably the fat
about the kidneys； are burnt on the altar。 The rest is properly
cooked； and； after the reservation