Ashima

In Canaanite mythology, Ashima is a mother-figure goddess that represents the “sins” of the region of Samaria. It is common for ancient Canaanites to borrow gods from surrounding cultures and traditions, intriguingly while they also worship the biblical God. Ashima is one of the goddesses mentioned in the Bible, an “idol” created specifically by the people of Hamath, a city like Babylon. Biblical data gives no further description of Ashima, simply an embodiment and representation of sins of people from the ancient world. If the Hamathites still lived today, it is fair to ask why they created, worshipped, and idolized a deity made of sin.