The Goddess Asherah: Queen of Heaven, Mother of Creation
Today, we embark on a journey through time and myth, back to the ancient Canaanite world, where we’ll meet a goddess shrouded in mystery, yet powerful beyond measure. Her name is Asherah, and she was known as Queen of Heaven, Mother of Creation, and consort to the storm god. But her story is more than just a footnote in history, it’s a testament to the enduring power of the feminine principle, a force that nourishes life, wields unimaginable power, and challenges expectations at every turn.
Imagine yourself beneath the scorching sun of the ancient Levant. You stand amidst ruins, remnants of cities and temples that once echoed with the hymns and prayers of the Canaanites. And among these whispers of the past, there’s a name that resonates throughout: Asherah. Her image adorned temple walls, her symbols etched on clay tablets, her praise sung by voices long silenced. But why? Who was this goddess worthy of such devotion?
This, my friends, is the question we’ll unravel today. We’ll delve into the myths and legends of Asherah, untangling the threads of her complex story. We’ll explore her roles as mother goddess, fierce protector, and consort to the sky, revealing the fascinating world of Canaanite religion and its contribution to our understanding of the divine feminine. But most importantly, we’ll celebrate Asherah’s enduring legacy, showcasing how her influence resonates even today, whispering wisdom and power to all who seek her embrace.
Her Epithets: Queenly Titles:
- Qrt hšmym: Queen of Heaven
- Elath: Goddess (feminine form of El, the chief god)
- Gbtrt tbnwt ʼlm: Mistress of All Lands
- **Gbtrt kl tpt: ** Mistress of All Ends (possibly referring to her influence over all aspects of life)
Motherly and Fertility Titles:
- **ʼm ʼlm: ** Mother of Gods
- **ʼmt špš: ** Mother of the Sun
- **ʼmt yrm: ** Mother of the Sea (connected to her association with Yam, the god of the sea)
- **qny t ilm: ** Creatress of Gods
Protective and Warrior Titles:
- **gbtrt hlmh: ** Mistress of War
- **ʼaṯirat gpn: ** Asherah of the Vine (representing both fertility and potential wrath)
- **ʼaṯirat yam: ** Asherah of the Sea (possibly highlighting her association with storms and power)
Other Interesting Titles:
- **qdš: ** Holiness (linking her to sacredness and purity)
- **rbt ʼṯrt ym: ** Lady Asherah of the Sea (a particularly potent epithet showcasing her dominion over the sea)
Canaanite Culture and its Pantheon of Gods:
I’m going to begin in the land of ancient Canaan between the Bronze and Iron Age where the Canaanites and Israelites both worshiped a pantheon of gods and goddesses. The land of Canaan is an ancient designation for that area in the Levant that is currently occupied by: Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and Jordan.
Despite what many people have assumed, the Israelites, too worshiped many gods outright until Yahweh was transitioned into the role of “head” god in charge.
The Canaanites and Israelites believed the universe was ruled by gods and goddesses and they worshiped them. The popular gods Baal, El, and Asherah and a couple of other female goddesses. Baal was an important Canaanite god. We find him mentioned in the Old Testament. In Canaanite mythology he is the son of the chief god El and his consort Asherah and the ruler of Heaven as well as a god of the sun, rain, thunder, fertility, and agriculture. Baal’s worship was prevalent in Canaan even prior to the Israelite exodus from Egypt.
The God El was the name of the chief deity of the West Semites including the Canaanites. In the ancient texts from ancient Ugarit (or now Ras Shamra) in Syria, El was described as the “titular head” of the pantheon, husband of Asherah, and father of all the other gods (Britannica.com). The god El was viewed as the elder with gray hair and a gray beard. Despite his status as the supreme deity, he was not nearly as popular as the god, Baal.
The goddess Asherah is primordial mother goddess or creatress of the gods” and mother of 70 gods (Martin-Gardner 2020). She is considered the matriarch (Creatress) and El was the Patriarch (Creator). She was the female consort to the Hebrew God Yahweh and was widely worshiped by Israelites, Canaanites and many others (new world encyclopedia). There is archaeological and textual evidence that in the early history of Israel, she may have been seen not only as the consort of El but also as the wife of the Israelite God Yahweh. El was recognized by the Canaanites as the supreme deity and by the Israelites as synonymous with Yahweh (Dever 2005).
Asherah was mentioned as a wet nurse in Ugaritic myth (Ackerman 1993). She is also associated with serpents (representing healing), lions (representing power), and trees (representing fertility) (Ackerman 1993). The goddess Asherah is further mentioned in Hittite mythology whereby she has 77 and 88 children (biblical archaeology.com).
The goddesses Astarte and Anath were also great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon but they are considered separate goddesses.
The Challenges in Reconstructing Asherah’s History
Exactly how do we actually know about the goddess Asherah? We know this from not only the Old Testament where Asherah is mentioned 40 times, and we will get to that shortly, but she is also mentioned in ancient Ugaritic texts (before 1200 B.C.E.).
Let’s talk about the Ugaritic texts/tablets first that she’s mentioned in given they pre-date the Bible (Old Testament). In 1928, a farmer digging in his field in northwest Syria accidentally discovered an ancient tomb. The tomb was part of a cemetery located in the area of the ancient city of Ugarit. French excavators discovered the remains of two libraries of ancient clay tablets written mainly in alphabetic Ugaritic. Ugarit was a port at the entrance of the inland trade route to the Euphrates and Tigris lands. Ugarit is now known as Ras Sharma. It is near modern day Cyprus and it was the capital of a prominent city-state in modern day Syria (Kadmon 2017). Several texts were discovered once it was excavated and these include, the “Legend of Keret,” the “Aqhat Epic” (or “Legend of Danel”), the “Myth of Baal-Aliyan,” and the “Death of Baal” (Britannica; Craige 1983). Among the Ugaritic texts is a tablet that names the Ugaritic pantheon with Babylonian equivalents; El, Asherah of the Sea, and Baal were the main deities.
In these texts she is referenced as “ATRT” or “Athirat,” and “Ilit” which simply means goddess (Kadmon 2017). She is also referenced as the consort of the god, “El.” In Sumerian documents dating to 1750 BC, she is referred to as Ashratum and the bride of Anu (Martin- Gardner 2020:9). In the Ugaritic texts, Asherah is known as the “creator of all the deities” (Stone 1976).
Archaeological Discoveries:
In 1975 there were some discoveries made at the site of Kuntillet Ajrud, occupied around 800 BC, where a number of devotional objects were recovered featuring Yahweh alongside the Goddess Asherah (Burch 2019).
Additional findings include a number of potsherds that contained the following inscriptions: “I bless you to Yahweh of Samaria and to his Asherah,” and “I bless you to Yaweh of Teman and to his Asheah.” This does indicate that she was partner to Yahweh.
From another excavated site of Khirbet El-Qom, dating to the 700s BC reveals similar inscriptions “Uriyahu the Rich wrote it., Blessed be Uriyahu by Yahweh, for from his enemies by his Asherah he has saved himby Oniyahu, by his asherah and by his a[she]rah.”
If you’ve read the Old Testament then you are likely familiar with the negative representations of the goddess Asherah in the book of Kings and 2 Chronicles. Asherah is mentioned 40 times in the Old Testament and a majority of these references assume our understanding of the symbolism of Asherah as a sacred tree or pole. The Bible mentions the erection of numerous Asherim (plural for Asherah) placed beside an altar of Yahweh. The Asherim, at times denoted as cultic objects, were “erected by the Israelites throughout most of their history” (Ackerman). The sacred trees were located beside altars to Baal, “on every high hill and under every green tree” (see 1 Kgs 14:23, 2 Kgs 17:10; 18:4; 21:3; 23:13–14; 2 Chr 14:3; 17:6; 31:1; 33:3, 19; 34:3; Jer 17:2).
Asherah’s sacred pole stood next to Yahweh’s altar at Bethel and at the capital city of Samaria (Ackerman 1993). In the 7th-9th centuries Asherah’s sacred pole was “perceived as an appropriate icon to erect in Jerusalem, even in Yahweh’s temple” (Ackerman 2022). In the ancient world it was common for gods and goddesses to be paired with one another. Asherah was originally paired with El who transitioned into El and absorbed many of his aspects.
Was Asherah a Goddess?
Many scholars believe that Asherah was in fact not a goddess but a cultic object due to the references in the Old Testament, however, there are several references that specify her role as a goddess. In 2 Kings 21:7 it states, “And he set the graven image of Asherah that he made, in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son: ‘In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever.’ There is an additional reference to Asherah as an individual goddess in 2 Kings 23:4: “all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven..”
Asherah is further mentioned in the following scripture in 1 Kings 18:19: “Now therefore send and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel’s table” and in Judges 3:7 “And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.” From these pieces of scripture alone it is clear that Asherah is a goddess and not simply an object.
There are two scriptures that do identify Asherah as a goddess. In 2 Kings 23:4 it is documented that vessels in the temple were used to make sacrifices to Asherah as a goddess and in 2 Kings 23:7 women wove garments used to clothe Asherah’s cult statue. It is again made clear that Asherah is a goddess. In Jeremiah 7:18–19 it is written that “the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven” referring to Asherah. In Jeremiah 44:17–18 we find more details about Asherah worship, “We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time, we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”
Furthermore, Jezebel is portrayed as an evil queen in the Bible served the goddess Asherah. She is a Phonecian princess and the wife of Ahab. She is a devoted worshiper of Baal and Asherah and an adversary of YHWH and persecutor of his prophets. In Kings 18:19 it is documented that she is a priestess of the goddess Asherah and she was responsible for making Asherah-worship more prevalent, with 400 prophets of Asherah on the royal payroll. She encouraged the worship of Asherah and those 400 prophets held a place in the court of her husband King Ahab.
There is no doubt that Asherah was embedded into the religious beliefs and pantheon that were worshiped by the Akkadians, Hittites, Canaanites, Israelites, and Phoenicians.
It is clear from the Old Testament alone that the cult of the mother goddess Asherah was prevalent and why wouldn’t it be? According to Laurie Martin-Gardner, “Men and women alike looked to the comfort of the Mother Goddess and petitioned her for blessings of love and progeny. She was a mother, wife, daughter, and sister,” and “she oversaw the fruits of agriculture , ran the household, and healed the sick and injured” (Martin-Gardner 2020: 2). The idea that there would be no need for a female counterpart to the father was a foreign concept.
Given that Asherah (Athirat) was an ancient goddess and widely worshiped and at times officially sanctioned, how did she disappear entirely into the sands of time? How did the wife of Yahweh disappear?
Even a cursory review of the Old Testament will reveal how Asherah was perceived as a monster, an abominable figure whose worship would later become prohibited. She was consciously eradicated from worship by religious authority figures (biblical archaeology).
In the Old Testament we are told that the land of Canaan was to be the promised land for the Hebrew tribes upon their Exodus. Prior to their arrival, Canaan was already populated but that didn’t stop the Hebrews from invading and following the command of Yahweh:
“11 Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
The Hebrews not only intended to take the land of Canaan for themselves, but also to replace the existing religion with Yahwehism. The worship of Yahweh in Judah, particularly during the reign of Kings Hezekiah and Josiah, led to a suppression of other deities, including Asherah and monotheistic ideology clashed with the polytheistic Canaanite beliefs she represented.
As kings consolidated their authority, they sought to unify their subjects under a single deity, often associating Yahweh with political legitimacy and stability. This marginalized other gods like Asherah, which were seen as potential contenders for divine favor.
We must also consider patriarchal and gendered bias in the Bible. Biblical texts were primarily written by and for men, reflecting a patriarchal perspective that often marginalized female deities. Asherah’s association with fertility and the female sphere likely contributed to her marginalization.
Additional considerations include the fact that Yahweh was often portrayed as jealous and demanding exclusive worship. Asherah, being a Canaanite goddess, was labeled as foreign and potentially harmful, justifying her removal from sacred spaces and narratives.
Several kings attempted to erase her:
- King Hezekiah: His reign (715–687 BCE) marked a significant shift towards Yahweh worship. He destroyed Asherah poles and banned her worship practices.
- King Manasseh: Though initially following his father’s reforms, Manasseh reintroduced Asherah worship (along with other deities) during his reign (687–642 BCE).
- King Josiah: He led a comprehensive purge of polytheistic practices during his reign (640–609 BCE). This included destroying Asherah poles and removing references to her in the Temple and religious texts.
The Story of Gideon in the Old Testament:
One of the earliest stories we have regarding Asherah in the Bible comes from the Book of Judges (6:25) wherein a man named Gideon is commanded by Yahweh to tear down his Asherah pole: “tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” In the middle of the night, Gideon sneaks out and destroys the altar. In the morning, the men of the community demand to know who destroyed the Asherah pole and altar to Baal. Once it was discovered to be Gideon, the community demanded Gideon’s brother be put to death as punishment for the desecration. Gideon’s life is only sparred by the intercession of his father, Joash, presumably a priest of both Baal and Asherah. This story clearly reveals much about the significance of Asherah worship during this period.
Asherah in The Talmud
Asherah is further mentioned in the Talmud text called “Avodah Zarah”within a legal context (Kadmon 2017). This text, which means “Foreign worship” or “idolatry” references the prohibition of Asherah’s poles:
“There are three laws of Asherot forbidden due to idolatry.”
“If a tree was originally planted to be worshiped, it is forbidden; If one cut it, leaving the stump or the branches in order to worship the new growth, if the new growth is removed, the tree is permitted; if idolatry was put under it and removed it, the three is permitted.”
Asherah and Sexual Rites
The worship of Asherah was noted for its sensuality and involved ritual prostitution. The Bible reports that during the days of King Josiah (sixth century B.C.E.), the king “tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the Lord and where women did weaving for Asherah.” (2 Kings 23:7). The Bible contains some references to the Israelites committing sexual immorality with Canaanite deities at high places and sacred groves. One example comes from the Book of Hosea 4:13: “They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.”
This has led scholars to conclude that the worship of Asherah involved what are called licentious rites. Sacred prostitution was a well established tradition in ancient Mesopotamia and other regions in the Levant. One example comes from the sexual rites of the goddess Ishtar. Priestesses who participated in the sacred sexual rites were believed to “bring blessing and fertility to the land as they reenacted the hieros gamos — the sacred marriage of heaven and earth.” There is no documentation referencing the sacred male prostitutes; it is possible they may have played a similar role in relation to a male deity.
These sexual rites were likely misinterpreted and intentionally misrepresented and ultimately condemned by the Israelite priests to justify their erasure. The immorality accusation likely contributed to the erasure of Asherah worship.
Asherah and Qadesh (Qudsu) in Egypt
In Ugaritic texts, the goddess Asherah’s name is found parallel to the ancient Egyptian goddess, Qetesh causing many scholars to believe that she was worshiped in ancient Egypt under a different name. One image of Qetesh (similar to traditional depictions of Hathor) contains inscriptions referencing “the Queen of Heaven,” and “the Mistress of the Gods;” titles matching those of Asherah. Further, an additional inscription reads that this goddess is “Qudshu-Athirat-Anat” stating that she is indeed Asherah. In some cases, Qadesh is is sometimes thought of as an aspect of Asherah rather than a distinct goddess.
Unearthing Asherah’s story and recognizing her rightful place in history, we challenge dominant narratives. Asherah’s story compels us to question the narratives we inherit, to seek out silenced voices, and to acknowledge the power dynamics that shape our understanding of the divine and pave the way for a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of the divine. In the echoes of Asherah’s silenced song, we find a profound invitation: to listen for the whispers of the marginalized, to challenge dominant narratives, and to rewrite history with inclusivity and reverence for the forgotten goddesses who continue to weave their magic in the shadows.
If you are desiring to connect with Asherah, you should consider the following:
Invoke her by using her Epithets, Queen of Heaven, Lady of the Sea, Mother of Gods
- Light a black Candle
- Burn incense (choose incense you love)
- Print out an image of Asherah or find a statue of her
- Bake a small cake for Asherah as an offering
- Place the cake in front of her image/statue
- Invoke her once more
- Wait to feel her presence enter your space
- Make your request
- Lift the piece of cake to her, repeat her name three time, and take a bite of the cake to imbibe a part of her
- Thank her for her assistance
Sources:
- Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/place/Ugarit
- New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Asherah
- Spar, Ira. “The Gods and Goddesses of Canaan.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cana/hd_cana.htm (April 2009)
- When God was a Woman, Merlin Stone, 1976.
- Canaanite Deities, https://www.sots.ac.uk/wiki/canaanite-deities/
- The Israelites, New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Israelites
- Curtis, Adrian. Ugarit (Ras Shamra). Cambridge: Lutterworth, 1985.
- Ugarit, The Met, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ugar/hd_ugar.htm
- The Queen of Heaven: Asherah, Baal Kadmon, 2017.
- The Hidden Goddess: The Quest for the Divine Feminine in the Judeo-Christian Tradition — from Asherah to Mary Magdalene, Laurie Martin-Gardner, 2020.
- Bible Odyssey, https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/ahab/
- Baal, Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Baal-ancient-deity
- Ackerman, Susan. “The Queen Mother and the Cult in Ancient Israel.” Journal of Biblical Literature 112 (1993): 385–401.
- Asherah: Asherim, Susan Ackerman, https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/asherahasherim-bible
- Ugarit and the Old Testament, Peter C. Craige, 1983.