The Bible is often thought of as a book solely dedicated to the worship of one God, Yahweh. However, upon closer examination, many other gods mentioned throughout the text played significant roles in ancient cultures and religions. While Yahweh is undoubtedly the most well-known god in the Bible, there are several others that we can explore too.
The Most Well-Known Gods
When most people think of gods in the Bible, three names likely come to mind: God (often referred to as Yahweh or Jehovah), Jesus Christ, and Satan. These three figures are important in Christian theology and have shaped Western culture as we know it.
God is portrayed throughout the Bible as omnipotent and omniscient, capable of both great compassion and fierce judgment. His creation story in Genesis lays out his power over all things on earth and in heaven.
Jesus Christ is known as the Son of God and the Great “I AM”. He is also known for his teachings on love, kindness, forgiveness, and sacrifice for humanity’s salvation.
Satan or “the devil” is known as the evil one (1 John 5:19). He is the fallen angel who steals, kills, and destroys (John 10:10). His purpose for doing that is to take glory from God and to make himself god (Isaiah 14:12-15).
List of the Other Gods in the Bible
While these figures are undoubtedly important to understanding biblical theology, there are other gods mentioned throughout the texts that may not be as familiar to readers today.
Here is a list of the other gods in the Bible:
- Baal: A Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility, rain, and thunder. Baal worship is frequently condemned in the Bible.
- Asherah: A significant Canaanite goddess, often considered the consort of El and, in some contexts, Baal. Asherah was associated with fertility and motherhood.
- Moloch (or Molech): An Ammonite god associated with child sacrifice. The Bible sternly condemns the practice of sacrificing children to Moloch.
- Dagon: A significant Philistine god, often depicted in connection with fish or the sea. The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in the temple of Dagon in one Biblical account.
- Astarte (or Ashtoreth): A Canaanite goddess of fertility, sexuality, and war. She is often equated with the Greek Aphrodite and the Roman Venus.
- Chemosh: Chemosh was the chief god of the Moabites and was also worshipped by the Ammonites. The Bible mentions Solomon building a high place for Chemosh, which is condemned.
- The Golden Calf: Not a god from another culture, but an idol created by the Israelites themselves while Moses was on Mount Sinai. This act of idolatry is strongly condemned in the Bible.
- The Queen of Heaven: Likely a reference to the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess Ishtar, known for her associations with love, beauty, sex, desire, fertility, war, and political power. She’s mentioned in the context of the people of Judah worshipping her.
Now lets look at these other gods a little deeper.
A Deeper Dive into the Other Gods
While the Bible is primarily focused on the worship of one God, there are several other gods mentioned throughout its pages. Although these gods are not as well-known, they still played important roles in ancient cultures and religions. Here is a deeper look at the lesser known gods mentioned in the Bible.
Baal
Baal was a Canaanite god of fertility and agriculture who was often worshipped by the Israelites despite God’s commandment to worship only Him. The name “Baal” means “lord” or “master,” and he was considered to be one of the most powerful and important gods in the Canaanite pantheon.
Baal was often depicted as a bull or calf, and his worship involved sacrifices, including human sacrifice. Despite God’s warnings against worshipping other gods, many Israelites were swayed by Baal’s power and influence.
In fact, during times when Israel was ruled by wicked kings who promoted idolatry, Baal worship became widespread throughout the country. The prophet Elijah famously challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel to prove whose God was truly powerful (1 Kings 18:16-40).
Asherah
Asherah, sometimes referred to as Ashtoreth, was a significant Canaanite goddess associated with motherhood and fertility. She was often considered the consort of El, the chief god of the Canaanite pantheon, and in some contexts, Baal. Wooden symbols of Asherah, known as Asherah poles, are frequently mentioned in the Bible, usually in the context of their destruction as part of religious reforms aimed at eliminating idolatry (see Deuteronomy 16:21, 2 Kings 23:4-7).
Moloch (or Molech)
Moloch is one of the most unsettling deities mentioned in the Old Testament. This god was worshipped by the Ammonites, a neighboring nation of Israel. One of the most horrifying aspects of the worship of Moloch was the reported practice of child sacrifice, which the Bible staunchly condemns (see Leviticus 18:21 and 2 Kings 23:10).
It’s depicted as a kind of ultimate apostasy, a betrayal of Yahweh’s commandments that leads to severe consequences. While archaeological evidence of these practices is controversial, the Biblical texts remain clear on their denunciation of such worship.
Dagon
Dagon was a Philistine god of fertility and crops who was defeated by God in battle when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 5:1-5). Dagon was typically depicted as being half-man/half-fish, with a fish tail for legs.
According to Philistine mythology, Dagon provided bountiful harvests for his worshippers. After defeating Israel in battle and capturing their sacred Ark of the Covenant as a spoil of war, the Philistines took it back to their own temple where they placed it before an image of Dagon.
However, each morning when they entered the temple, they found that the statue of Dagon had fallen on its face before the Ark. In a final act of judgment, God caused a plague to break out among the Philistines until they returned the Ark to Israel.
Ashtoreth
Ashtoreth was a goddess of fertility and love who was worshipped by many ancient cultures, including the Israelites at times. She was also known as Astarte or Ishtar in other cultures. Ashtoreth was typically depicted as a nude woman with exaggerated hips and breasts, symbolizing fertility.
The worship of Ashtoreth involved sexual rituals and practices, which were condemned by God’s prophets (Jeremiah 7:18). In fact, King Solomon himself fell into idolatry by building altars to Ashtoreth for his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:5-6).
Chemosh
Chemosh was a Moabite god who demanded human sacrifice and was often opposed by God’s prophets. According to Moabite mythology, Chemosh helped them defeat their enemies in battle and provided them with bountiful harvests. However, this god’s demands were so great that he even required parents to sacrifice their own children to him.
Despite being opposed by God’s prophets like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 48:7), Chemosh remained an important god throughout Moabite history. It wasn’t until Judah conquered Moab during the reign of King Mesha that his worship finally began to decline (2 Kings 3:26-27).
The Golden Calf
The Golden Calf isn’t exactly a god from another culture—even though it may be similar to Baal—but it holds a significant place in Biblical history as a symbol of idolatry among the Israelites themselves. The story is told in Exodus 32: while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people grew restless. In their impatience, they asked Aaron, Moses’ brother, to make them a god to lead them. Aaron fashioned a golden calf from the people’s donated jewelry.
This act of idolatry—worshipping a creation of their own hands instead of Yahweh—was a direct violation of the commandments Moses was simultaneously receiving on the mountain. When Moses descended and saw what had happened, he smashed the tablets and punished the people, marking this as a momentous event in Israel’s spiritual journey.
The Queen of Heaven
The “Queen of Heaven” is mentioned specifically in the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19, 25), where the prophet condemns the people of Judah for worshipping her. Although the text doesn’t provide a specific name for this goddess, scholars often link her to Ishtar, a goddess widely worshipped in ancient Mesopotamia, including Assyria and Babylon. Known for her associations with love, beauty, sex, desire, fertility, war, and political power, Ishtar could be seen as embodying many of the qualities that would have been appealing in a mother deity. Another suggestion is that the Queen of Heaven refers to the Asheroth. Nonetheless, like the “other gods,” worship of the Queen of Heaven is strongly condemned in the Biblical narrative.
The Significance of These Lesser Known Gods
Much like the Israelite’s desire to have a king rule over them as the other nations had, Israel might have felt what is referred to as national peer pressure (See 1 Samuel 8:5, 20). Israel’s desire to resemble other countries and may have drawn them to worship Baal and Asherah since other peoples did. That way they were not the only ones.
Regardless of Israel’s infidelity, God kept reaching out to them and demonstrated to them how powerful He is over the other gods.
For example, when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant in the battle against the Israelites, they brought it before Dagon as a trophy. However, God caused it to fall down and break apart before His presence. This demonstrated that even a “powerful” god could not compare to the true power of God.
This knowledge of Dagon brings more significance when viewed from the story of Jonah. Jonah made an impact on Ninevah because he probably told them he came from the belly of a fish. That connection helped his message from God come through even stronger.
Diversity of Religious Beliefs During Biblical Times
Understanding these lesser known gods can provide insight into ancient cultures and their beliefs. It also highlights God’s ongoing battle against idolatry and His desire for His people to worship only Him.
Including these other gods in the Bible also highlights how diverse religious beliefs were during biblical times. The Ancient Middle East region, where much of biblical history took place, saw numerous empires come and go. This brought about various cultures along with their own gods and beliefs.
This diversity is evident particularly when looking at the stories in which these lesser-known gods appear. They are often mentioned alongside other deities whom we might consider “mythical” today. These include gods such as Hermes or Zeus from Greek mythology (Acts 14:11-12), or Ra or Osiris from Egyptian mythology.
God’s Ongoing Battle Against Idolatry
The inclusion of these lesser known gods also underscores God’s ongoing battle against idolatry. Many ancient cultures worshipped multiple gods and goddesses, which were thought to have considerable power over their lives.
However, biblical teachings stress that there is only one true God who deserves worship and praise. This idea was probably seen as radical at the time. Particularly when it went against cultural norms that had been established for centuries after the Tower of Babel.
By recognizing these other gods while reinforcing the idea that there is only one true God, the Bible shows how difficult it is for people to let go of their religious traditions to follow a new path. The struggle between traditional beliefs and new ideas continues today. There are debates around issues such as modernizing religion or secularization being hotly contested topics across many different cultures.
There is nothing new under the sun, and God is “not slow in keeping His promises…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Conclusion
Throughout the Bible, many gods are mentioned aside from God, Jesus, and Satan. While these other gods may not be as well-known, their significance is still important in understanding ancient cultures and their religious beliefs.
Baal, Dagon, Ashtoreth, and Chemosh were all worshipped by various cultures during biblical times. However, the inclusion of these gods in the Bible also highlights God’s ongoing battle against idolatry. Despite His commandments to worship only Him Exodus 20:3), many people still turned to other gods for guidance and protection.
A “god” is nothing more than a replacement for the One True God according to the Bible. This can be an physical idol like a Baal, money and material wealth, or even famous people.
Rather than seeing it as a sign of weakness or confusion among ancient cultures, it is essential to recognize that different societies had different beliefs and ways of worshiping. We can better understand biblical history by learning more about these other gods and their cultural significance. It also helps us understand the struggle of the Israelites in the Bible. They also point toward how humankind can vary away from monotheism into polytheism easily.
The Power of Knowledge
While some readers may find it unsettling or confusing that there are other gods mentioned in the Bible besides God Himself, it is important to remember that knowledge is power. The more we learn about different cultures’ religious beliefs throughout history (whether they align with our own personal beliefs or not), the better equipped we will be to understand those around us today who hold different views.
In fact, it shows just how powerful the Gospel message of Jesus Christ is. The 3-D Gospel works for all cultures and shows the power of the Gospel compared to all religions and their gods.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does the Bible mention ‘other gods’?
“The Bible mentions ‘other gods’ to illustrate the cultural and religious environment in which the Israelites found themselves. These mentions also served to contrast the monotheistic faith in Yahweh with the polytheistic beliefs of neighboring nations.”
2. What’s the difference between Yahweh and the ‘other gods’?
“Yahweh, the God of Israel, is portrayed in the Bible as the one true God, creator of all things, while the ‘other gods’ are depicted as false deities, products of human imagination and idolatry.”
3. Were the ‘other gods’ considered evil?
“Not exactly. The ‘other gods’ were not inherently evil. However, the Bible condemns the worship of these gods as it was seen as a deviation from the worship of Yahweh, leading to moral and spiritual consequences.”
4. Who are some examples of ‘other gods’ in the Bible?
“Some examples of ‘other gods’ mentioned in the Bible include Baal, a Canaanite god of fertility and rain; Asherah, a goddess associated with fertility and motherhood; and Moloch, an Ammonite god to whom child sacrifices were allegedly made.”
5. Why does the Bible condemn the worship of ‘other gods’?
“The Bible upholds monotheism, the belief in a single God. The worship of ‘other gods’ was viewed as idolatry, a violation of the first two of the Ten Commandments and a denial of the exclusive worship due to Yahweh.”
6. Did any Israelites worship these ‘other gods’?
“Yes, the Bible records instances where some Israelites, including kings and leaders, deviated from monotheistic worship and followed the religious practices of neighboring nations, invoking the wrath of Yahweh.”
7. Are these ‘other gods’ related to Greek or Roman gods?
“While there are thematic similarities between the ‘other gods’ and Greek or Roman deities, they are distinct. The ‘other gods’ mentioned in the Bible largely originate from Canaanite, Philistine, and other Near Eastern pantheons.”