The study of the religion of ancient Israel has probably given rise to more discussions than has the study of any other religion. The reason is that the written sources upon which such a study must be based constitute on the hand the holy scriptures of Judaism, and on the other a part of the christian canon, the called Old Testament. From the late Judaean period come also a few writings that never achieved canonicity, but were read in certain circles and to an extent preserved in the christian church.