this is a nice introduction to Judaism in first millennium BC for lay people but it has odd biases and chooses framinings that stretch the truth at times to fit

this is a nice introduction to Judaism in first millennium BC for lay people but it has odd biases and chooses framinings that stretch the truth at times to fit a broader cultural narrative. Yes, in the time of Jesus the Torah was stored as scrolls not a single book - the compilation of the Torah into a book is post Christian Era. This surprised exactly no one. That Judaism is a cultic religion with ritual elements and pslams being sung during processions and temple services is an utterly unfascinating and banal observation that anyone who is undergrad level familiar with biblical studies would know. Or even someone who just reads some of the OT as an adult. I see this a lot with the 'ashera as a consort of yaweh' hay making efforts so many engage in - this is all spelled out in the Bible if you bother to read it. Yes, many people in Palestine and broader Israel practiced synthetic versions of Yaweism or whatever you want to call it. Why do we always approach the Bible from a post WW2 western low church ('billy graham') perspective?