The Labels Do Not Fit

Monotheism, polytheism, monolatry, henotheism. A peer-reviewed article has been devoted to which one fits the Hebrew Bible, and the conclusion is that the categories themselves are the problem.
Monolatry allows other elohim to exist but restricts worship to one. Henotheism says there are many gods with one supreme over them. Both describe something close to what the text shows. Neither is adequate, and here is why: "these terms do not say enough. Henotheism allows that the top deity could be toppled or fall out of disfavor. It also is not consistent with respect to why the favored deity is favored - that is, it fails to speak of ontological uniqueness."
That is the missing piece. Yahweh is not supreme by consensus or by winning. He is in a category of one by nature.
So his practical advice is to stop label-hunting: describe what a biblical writer would believe about Yahweh's uniqueness, "because the label is not going to work somewhere in the discussion."
Scripture links:
- Isaiah 43:10 - "before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me."
- Deuteronomy 4:39 - "the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other."
- Psalm 97:9 - "you are exalted far above all gods."
The category was never up for a vote.