AKKADIAN GENESIS 1888
The Influence of Early Babyloninan
Religion on The Language and
Thought of Genesis
BY
EDW. G. KING, D.D.
SIDNEY SUSSEX COLLEGE
Author
MADINGLEY VICARAGE, May, 1888.
Things that should not be missed in this vintage classic:
Explanation of discrepancies in Genesis genealogies; showing how they are actually derived from the zodiac, giving credence to the conjecture that the biblical stories are allegorical of the zodiac. Translations shown, the evidence is compelling, particularly when there many works that resolve to a similar synthesis.
The following are some quotes from the book:
“The gain of the present age has come through a deeper realization of the true humanity of our Lord but how great were the searchings of hearts wherewith that truth was ushered in I The gain of the next age will, I think, come from a realization of the perfect humanity of the Written Word of God. Those who dare to proclaim it must expect now to be branded as heretics.”
“In the pages which follow I have shown that a large portion of Genesis has its origin in what is generally called ” Natural Religion”. This will give offence to some. For my part I cannot imagine how a primitive Revelation can come in auy other way than through nature (Rom. i. 20).”
“If the critic could (for example) prove to me that Psalm xix. was compounded of two separate Psalms, verses 1 6 being the work of an Elohist while verses 7 14 was the independent work of a Jehovist..”
“I PROPOSE to trace the influence of the Akkadian and Babylonian Theology on the language and thought of Genesis, and shall begin by shewing that God was worshipped by the Israelites under the name of An or On up to the days of the Captivity, and that, in several passages, the Hebrew text has been altered with a view to avoid this name which, like Baal, had become associated with heathen rites and especially with Moloch- worship.
Of the Babylonian settlers in Samaria we read that “the people of Sepharvaim burnt their sons in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech) the gods of Sepharvaim” (2 Kings, xviii). We know from the Inscriptions that Sepharvaim was specially devoted to the worship of the sun-god. Anammelech should rather be written Anu-malik, i.e. “Anu is prince,” Ann being the Semitic form of the Akkadian An, ” Heaven,” “God.” But An worship was no novelty to Palestine in the days of the first Samaritan settlers. We find clear traces of it among the Canaanites.”
Before leaving this Chapter we must refer to another instance of double derivation in verses 23 and 24 in the case of Joseph.
Elohist
“And she conceived and bare a son ; and she said,
“Elohim hath taken away (asaph) my reproach.Jehovist
“And she called his name Yoseph, saying,
Jehovah will add (yoseph) to me another son.”The Elohist has, I think, in this instance, preserved the truer derivation, as will be seen, p. 29, meanwhile it may be mentioned that two Canaanite cities bearing the names of Yaqab-el and Iseph-el were captured by Thothmes III. more than two centuries before the date of the Exodus . The names of Jacob and Joseph were therefore known to the Canaanites as divine names in very early times.
“Again, in the Biblical story the same words are used of Enoch and Noah “he walked with God.” In the Chaldean legend both the Enoch and the Noah are taken to live with the gods ” at the mouth of the rivers.” [See the whole story Light from the Ancient Monuments, pp. 39, 40.] It is hardly probable that the details of the Chaldean legend could have been suggested by such an incidental allusion in the Biblical writer.”
The genealogy of Shem is as follows :
1 Shem
2 Arphaxad
3 Shelach.
4 Eber
5 Peleg [” In his days was the earth, divided, and his brother’s name was Yoqtan ” (x. 25).]
6 Reu (IJH)
7 Serug
8 Nahor
9 Terah
10 Abram
It will be observed that the order of the names is that of the Elohist. The order of the Jehovist will be explained by and-by, and also the meaning of the arrows. Any unprejudiced scholar who will bestow an hour’s thought upon this Table must, I think, come to the conclusion that the Biblical antediluvian story is designed for a moral purpose like a modern allegory, and is founded on traditions which in their origin are connected with the signs of the zodiac.
Read it again,
“Biblical antediluvian story is designed for a moral purpose like a modern allegory, and is founded on traditions which in their origin are connected with the signs of the zodiac.”
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