Subject: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World; Akkadian Canonical Compositions; Divine Focus; Myths Commentary The so-called epic of Creation preserves a relatively late Babylonian conception of the creation of the physical world (including humanity), but its real focus is on the elevation of Marduk to the top of the pantheon in return for taking up the cause of the embattled gods, who build his great temple of Esagila in Babylon in recognition of his leadership. The composition could therefore be as readily called “The Exaltation of Marduk.” As such it provi…

Commentary Subject: Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26; Gen 2:14; Gen 1:20–23; Job 9:9, 38:31–32; Isa 13:10; Amos 5:8; 2 Kings 23:5; Exod 26:33; 40:3; Lev 16:2; Pss 18:9; 29:7; 68:4, 33; 104:3–4; Deut 33:26; 2 Sam 22:10; Ezek 9:14 “Enki and the World Order” (= EWO) is a long and relatively well-preserved Sumerian mythological composition (ca. 472 lines). There are a few lines missing here and there, and then especially near the end. A full critical edition is not yet available, but is currently under preparation by Jerrold Cooper (for now…

Commentary Subject: Gen 1:1, 6–10; Gen 2:14; Exod 26:33; 40:3; Lev 16:2; Ps 89:5, 7; Job 5:1; 15:15;38:7; Gen 2:7; 9:6; Gen 2:5–7; Gen 1:5, 8, 10; 2:20; Gen 1:26–28; Deut 29:29 (28); Dan 2:8, 19, 27–29, 30, 47 This myth focuses its attention on the creation of humanity. Four copies are known, three of them bilingual (Sumerian and Akkadian). The earliest copy is from the Old Babylonian period, and written only in Sumerian, suggesting that perhaps the composition itself was composed originally as early as the third millennium. Unfortun…