El (Ilu)

The father of the gods

El's name is simply the common Semitic word for "god". At Ugarit he is the head of the pantheon, the "Father of Years" and "Creator of Creatures", with a grey beard that other gods praise for its wisdom. He dwells far from the other gods "at the source of the two rivers, in the midst of the springs of the two deeps", in a tent or pavilion, and the assembly of the gods meets on his mountain. His consort is Athirat, and the gods are collectively "the sons of El".

The king who grants permission

In the Baal Cycle El rarely acts; he decides. He proclaims Yamm's name and kingship, gives in to Yamm's demand for Baal, grants Baal's palace after Anat's threats and Athirat's persuasion, mourns Baal's death by gashing himself and pouring dust on his head, proposes a replacement king, and at last dreams that Baal is alive. His authority is real but can be pressured, and scholars debate how far the Baal Cycle reflects a real rise of Baal at El's expense.

Kindly El

In the epics of Kirta and Aqhat, El is the compassionate "Kindly El, the Benevolent" (lṭpn il d pid), who appears to the grieving Kirta in a dream, blesses Danel with a son, and creates a healing figure to cure Kirta when no other god will act. This benevolent father is a different emphasis from the pressured king of the Baal Cycle, and both belong to the same god.

Beyond Ugarit

Ugaritic god-lists equate El with the Hurrian Kumarbi, and the Phoenician History attributed to Philo of Byblos equates him with the Greek Kronos. The name and several of El's titles appear in the Hebrew Bible, a connection much discussed by historians of religion.