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In this clip from The Story of the Jews, Simon Schama explores the origins of the Hebrew Bible, beginning with the emergence of the monotheistic Jewish God. For more, visit https://www.pbs.org/wnet/story-jews
The monotheistic God of the Jews, faceless, formless, invisible and very much on his own, was slow to emerge from the crowd of rival Gods worshipped in the ancient world. But when He did emerge, He would reside in a sacred inner sanctum, known as the ‘Holy of Holies’, which only the high priest was permitted to enter.
But there would be another way for the Jews to approach their God directly: the Hebrew Bible.