The Old Testament In the Light of The Historical Records and Legends Part 2

The angry winds filled out her body, Her heart was overpowered, wide opened she her mouth."

Being now at the mercy of the conqueror, the divine victor soon made an end of the enemy of the G.o.ds, upon whose mutilated body, when dead, he stood triumphantly. Great fear now overwhelmed the G.o.ds who had gone over to her side, and fought against the heavenly powers, and they fled to save their lives. Powerless to escape, however, they were captured, and their weapons broken to pieces. Notwithstanding their cries, which filled the vast region, they had to bear the punishment which was their due, and were shut up in prison. The creatures whom Tiamtu had created to help her and strike terror into the hearts of the G.o.ds, were also brought into subjection, along with Kingu, her husband, from whom the tablets of fate were taken by the conqueror as things unmeet for Tiamtu's spouse to own.

It is probable that we have here the true explanation of the origin of this remarkable legend, for the tablets of fate were evidently things which the king of heaven alone might possess, and Merodach, as soon as he had overcome his foe, pressed his own seal upon them, and placed them in his breast.

He had now conquered the enemy, the proud opposer of the G.o.ds of heaven, and having placed her defeated followers in safe custody, he was able to return to the dead and defeated Dragon of Chaos. He split open her skull with his unsparing weapon, hewed asunder the channels of her blood, and caused the north wind to carry it away to hidden places. His fathers saw this, and rejoiced with shouting, and brought him gifts and offerings.

And there, as he rested from the strife, Merodach looked upon her who had wrought such evil in the fair world as created by the G.o.ds, and as he looked, he thought out clever plans. Hewing asunder the corpse of the great Dragon that lay lifeless before him, he made with one half a covering for the heavens, keeping it in its place by means of a bolt, and setting there a watchman to keep guard. He also arranged this portion of the Dragon of Chaos in such a way, that "her waters could not come forth,"

and this circ.u.mstance suggests a comparison with "the waters above the firmament" of the Biblical story in Genesis.

Pa.s.sing then through the heavens, he beheld that wide domain, and opposite the abyss, he built an abode for the G.o.d Nudimmud, that is, for his father Aa as the creator.

"Then measured the lord the abyss's extent, A palace in its likeness he founded:-earra; The palace earra, which he made, (is) the heavens, (For) Anu, Bel, and Aa he founded their strongholds."

With these words, which are practically a description of the creation or building, by Merodach, of the heavens, the fourth tablet of the Babylonian legend of the Creation comes to an end. It is difficult to find a parallel to this part of the story in the Hebrew account in Genesis.

[Plate II.]

Plate II. Fragments of tablets (duplicates), giving the words for the different fasts, festivals, etc., of the Babylonians and a.s.syrians. Line 4 of the small piece, and 16 of the large one, have the words _um nuh libbi_, "day of rest of the heart," explained by _sapattum_ (from the Sumerian _sa-bat_, "heart-rest"), generally regarded as the original of the Hebrew _Sabbath_. _Sapattum_, however, was the 15th day of the month.

The nearest approaches to Sabbaths were the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, and 19th, which were called _u-hul-gallu_ or _umu limnu_, "the evil day" (the 19th being a _week of weeks_, from the 1st day of the preceding month), because it was unlawful to do certain things on those days.

The fifth tablet of the Babylonian story of the Creation is a mere fragment, but is of considerable interest and importance. It describes, in poetical language, in the style with which the reader has now become fairly familiar, the creation and ordering, by Merodach, of the heavenly bodies, as the ancient Babylonians conceived them to have taken place. The text of the first few stanzas is as follows-

"He built firmly the stations of the great G.o.ds- Stars their likeness-he set up the Lumai, He designated the year, he outlined the (heavenly) forms.

He set for the twelve months three stars each.

From the day when the year begins, ... for signs.

He founded the station of Nibiru, to make known their limits, That none might err, nor go astray.

The station of Bel and Aa he placed with himself, Then he opened the great gates on both sides, Bolts he fixed on the left and on the right, In its centre (?) then he set the zenith (?).

Nannaru (the moon) he caused to shine, ruling the night, So he set him as a creature of the night, to make known the days, Monthly, without failing, he provided him with a crown, At the beginning of the month then, dawning in the land, The horns shine forth to make known the seasons (?), On the 7th day crown (perfect)ing (?).

The [Sa]bbath shalt thou then fall in with, half-monthly, When the sun (is) in the base of the heavens, at thy [approach?].

...... hath caused to be cut off and ... nearing the path of the sun.

[The ...]th [day] shalt thou then fall in with, the sun shall change (?)...

...... the sign seeking its path.

... cause to approach and give the judgment.

........................ to injure (?) ........................... one."

The final lines of this portion seem to refer to the moon on the 7th and other days of the month, and would in that case indicate the quarters.

"Sabbath" is doubtful on account of the mutilation of the first character, but in view of the forms given on pl. II. and p. 527 (_apattu__m_, _apatti_) the restoration as _apattu_ seems possible. It is described on p. 527 as the 15th of the month, but must have indicated also the 14th, according to the length of the month.

An exceedingly imperfect fragment of what is supposed to be part of the fifth tablet exists. It speaks of the bow with which Merodach overcame the Dragon of Chaos, which the G.o.d Anu, to all appearance, set in the heavens as one of the constellations. After this comes, apparently, a fragment that may be regarded as recording the creation of the earth, and the cities and renowned shrines upon it, the houses of the great G.o.ds, and the cities Nippuru (Niffer) and a.s.shur being mentioned. Everything, however, is very disconnected and doubtful.

The sixth tablet, judging from the fragment recognized by Mr. L. W. King, must have been one of special interest, as it to all appearance contained a description of the creation of man. Unfortunately, only the beginning of the text is preserved, and is as follows:-

"Merodach, on hearing the word of the G.o.ds, His heart urged him, and he made [cunning plans].

He opened his mouth and [said] to the G.o.d Ae- [What] he thought out in his heart he communicates ...: 'Let me gather my blood and let me ... bone, Let me set up a man, and let the man ....

Let me make then men dwelling ....

May the service of the G.o.ds be established, and as for them, let ....

Let me alter the ways of the G.o.ds, let me chan[ge their paths]- As one let them be honoured, as two let them be ....'

Ae answered him, and the word he spake."

Here come the remains of ten very imperfect lines, which probably related the consent of the other G.o.ds to the proposal, and must have been followed by a description of the way in which it was carried out. All this, however, is unfortunately not preserved. That the whole of Merodach's work received the approval of "the G.o.ds his fathers" is shown by the remains of lines with which the sixth tablet closes:-

"They rejoiced ....................

In Upukenaku they caused .............

Of the son, the hero, who brought back [benefit for them]

'As for us, whom, succouring, he ...........'

They sat down, and in their a.s.sembly they proclaimed ... they all announced ..............."

What they proclaimed and announced was apparently his glorious names, as detailed in the seventh and last tablet of the series, which was regarded by George Smith as containing an address to primitive man, but which proves to be really an address to the G.o.d Merodach praising him on account of the great work that he had done in overcoming the Dragon, and in thereafter ordering the world anew. As this portion forms a good specimen of Babylonian poetry at its best, the full text of the tablet, with the exception of some short remains of lines, is here presented in as careful a translation as is at present possible.

The Seventh Tablet Of The Creation-Series, Also Known As The Tablet Of The Fifty-One Names.

1 Asari, bestower of planting, establisher of irrigation.

2 Creator of grain and herbs, he who causes verdure to grow.

3 Asari-alim, he who is honoured in the house of counsel, [who increases counsel?].

4 The G.o.ds bow down to him, fear [possesses them?].

5 Asari-alim-nunna, the mighty one, light of the father his begetter.

6 He who directs the oracles of Anu, Bel, [and Aa].

7 He is their nourisher, who has ordained....

8 He whose provision is fertility, sendeth forth....

9 Tutu, the creator of their renewal, [is he?].

10 Let him purify their desires, (as for) them, let them [be appeased].

11 Let him then make his incantation, let the G.o.ds [be at rest].

12 Angrily did he arise, may he lay low [their breast].