At the same time, it is hard to read the scriptural texts and conclude that what was later expressed in philosophical language was not implied all along. Is there any evidence that the Israelites thought that God was a mortal being? Or that he was in some way inadequate to meet their needs? If they had thought that, the pressure to adopt some form of polytheism would have been irresistible, because it would then have been necessary to make up for his inadequacies by appealing to other gods who could