The impression given by the Bible is of a cyclical swing between the cult of many gods and the cult of a single exclusive YHWH. But there may have been a prolonged period in which YHWH was worshipped as top God rather than the only God. Even the first of the commandments says 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me', presupposing that there were others – a matter of seniority rather than exclusiveness. It is only with 'Second Isaiah' as late as the fifth century BCE, that the first explicit statement of 'Yahweh Alone' is made categorical.
The Bible presents a view of religious practice that oscillates between polytheism and the exclusive worship of YHWH. Initially, YHWH might have been seen as the supreme deity among others rather than the sole divine figure. This is supported by the first commandment, which implies the existence of other gods, suggesting a hierarchy instead of outright exclusivity in worship.
It wasn't until the time of 'Second Isaiah' in the fifth century BCE that the concept of YHWH as the only God was firmly established. This marks a significant shift in belief, from a focus on YHWH as the most important god among many to an unequivocal assertion of YHWH's singularity in worship, shaping the trajectory of Jewish religious identity.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
