But more likely the official view of Israel’s religious leaders, which is what we read about in the Bible, didn’t match the on-the-ground religious practices of the blue collar class. Judahite families of farmers and sheepherders might have thought, “Dang it all. My neighbor’s crops are doing great, and they chalk it all up to Asherah, so maybe I should get on board. What’s the harm? Yahweh is still first. He might even appreciate the company.”*
