The Chaldean account of Genesis

by George Smith | 1876 | 63,564 words

The Chaldean account of Genesis, containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs, and Nimrod; Babylonian fables, and legends of the gods; from the cuneiform inscriptions Author: Smith, George, 1840-1876 Subject: Bible; Mythology, Assyro-Babylonian; Creation Publisher: London ...

 

 

 

  CHAPTER I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE GENESIS LEGENDS.

  • Cosmogony of Berosus.
  • Discovery of Cuneiform Inscriptions.
  • Historical Texts.
  • Babylonian origin of Assyrian literature.
  • Mythological tablets*
  • Discovery of Deluge texts.
  • Izdubar, his exploits.
  • Mutilated condition of tablets.
  • Lecture on Deluge tablets.
  • "Daily Telegraph" offer.
  • Expedition to Assyria.
  • Fragments of Creation tablets.
  • Solar Myth.
  • Second journey to Assyria.
  • Tower of Babel.
  • Clay records.
  • Account of creation in "Telegraph."
  • "Daily Telegraph" collection.
  • Interest of Creation legends.
  • The Fall.
  • New fragments.
  • List of texts . .

page 1

CHAPTER II. BABYLONIAN AND ASSYRIAN LITERATURE.

  • Babylonian literature.
  • Kouyunjik library.
  • Fragmentary condition.
  • Arrangement of tablets.
  • Subjects.
  • Dates.
  • Babylonian source of literature.
  • Literary period.
  • Babylonian Chronology.
  • Akkad.
  • Sumir.
  • Urukh, king of Ur.
  • Hammurabi.
  • Babylonian astrology.
  • War of Gods.
  • Izdubar legends.
  • Creation and fall.
  • Syllabaries and bilingual tablets.
  • Assyrian copies.
  • Difficulties as to date.
  • Mutilated condition.
  • Babylonian library.
  • Assyrian empire.
  • City of Assur.
  • Library at Calah.
  • Sargon of Assyria.
  • Sennacherib.
  • Removal of Library to Nineveh.
  • Assurbanipal or
  • Sardanapalus.
  • His additions to library.
  • Description of contents.
  • Later Babylonian libraries ......

19

CHAPTER IIIi CHALDEAN LEGENDS TRANSMITTED THROUGH BEROSUS AND OTHER ANCIENT AUTHORS.

  • Berosus and his copyists.
  • Cory s translation.
  • Alexander Polyhistor.
  • Babylonia.
  • Cannes, his teaching.
  • Creation.
  • Belus.
  • Chaldean kings.
  • Xisuthrus.
  • Deluge.
  • The Ark.
  • Return to Babylon.
  • Apollodorus.
  • Pantibiblon.
  • Larancha.
  • Abydenus.
  • Alorus, first king.
  • Ten kings.
  • Sisithrus.
  • Deluge.
  • Armenia.
  • Tower of Babel.
  • Cronos and Titan.
  • Nicolaus Damascenus.
  • Dispersion from Hestiaeus.
  • Babylonian colonies.
  • Tower of Babel.
  • The Sibyl.
  • Titan and Prometheus.
  • Damascius.
  • Tauthe.
  • Moymis.
  • Kissare and Assorus.
  • Triad.
  • Bel ...

37

CHAPTER IV. BABYLONIAN MYTHOLOGY.

  • Greek accounts.
  • Mythology local in origin.
  • Antiquity.
  • Conquests.
  • Colonies.
  • Three great gods.
  • Twelve great gods.
  • Angels.
  • Spirits.
  • Ann.
  • Anatu.
  • Vul.
  • Ishtar.
  • Equivalent to Venus.
  • Hea.
  • Cannes.
  • Merodach.
  • Bel or Jupiter.
  • Ziratbanit, Succoth Benoth.
  • Elu.
  • Sin the moon god.
  • Ninip.
  • Shamas.
  • Nergal.
  • Anunit.
  • Table of gods . . . .

51

CHAPTER V. BABYLONIAN LEGEND OP THE CREATION.

  • Mutilated condition of tablets.
  • List of subjects.
  • Description of chaos.
  • Tiamat.
  • Generation of gods.
  • Damascius.
  • Comparison with Genesis.
  • Three great gods.
  • Doubtful fragments.
  • Fifth tablet. Stars.
  • Planets.
  • Moon.
  • Sun.
  • Abyss or chaos.
  • Creation of moon.
  • Creation of animals.
  • Man.
  • His duties.
  • Dragon of sea.
  • Fall.
  • Curse for disobedience.
  • Discussion.
  • Sacred tree.
  • Dragon or serpent.
  • War with Tiamat.
  • Weapons.
  • Merodach.
  • Destruction of Tiamat.
  • Mutilation of documents.
  • Parallel Biblical account.
  • Age of story ... .

61

CHAPTER VI. OTHER BABYLONIAN ACCOUNTS OF THE CREATION.

  • Cuneiform accounts originally traditions.
  • Variations.
  • Account of Berosus.
  • Tablet from Cutha.
  • Translation.
  • Composite
  • animals.
  • Eagle-headed men.
  • Seven brothers.
  • Destruction of men.
  • Seven wicked spirits.
  • War in heaven.
  • Variations of story.
  • Poetical account of Creation . . . .

101

CHAPTER VII. THE SIN OF THE GOD Zu.

  • God Zu.
  • Obscurity of legend.
  • Translation.
  • Sin of Zu.
  • Anger of the gods.
  • Speeches of Anu to Vul.
  • Vul's answer.
  • Speech of Anu to Nebo.
  • Answer of Nebo.
  • Sarturcla.
  • Changes to a bird.
  • The Zu bird.
  • Bird of prey.
  • Sarturda lord of Amarda ..... .

113

CHAPTER VIII. THE EXPLOITS OF LITE AHA.

  • Lubara.
  • God of Pestilence.
  • Itak.
  • The Plague.
  • Seven warrior gods.
  • Destruction of people.
  • Anu.
  • Goddess of Karrak.
  • Speech of Elu.
  • Sin and destruction of Babylonians.
  • Shamas.
  • Sin and destruction of Erech.
  • Ishtar.
  • The great god and Duran.
  • Cutha.
  • Internal wars.
  • Itak goes to Syria.
  • Power and glory of Lubara.
  • Song of Lubara.
  • Blessings on his worship.
  • God Ner.
  • Prayer to arrest the Plague . . .

123

CHAPTER IX. BABYLONIAN FABLES.

  • Tables.
  • Common in the East.
  • Description.
  • Power of speech in animals.
  • Story of the eagle.
  • Serpent.
  • Shamas.
  • The eagle caught.
  • Eats the serpent.
  • Anger of birds.
  • Etana.
  • Seven gods.
  • Third tablet.
  • Speech of eagle Story of the fox.
  • His cunning.
  • Judgment of Shamas.
  • His show of sorrow.
  • His punishment.
  • Speech of fox.
  • Fable of the horse and ox.
  • They consort together.
  • Speech of the ox.
  • His good fortune.
  • Contrast with the horse.
  • Hunting the ox.
  • Speech of the horse.
  • Offers to recount story.
  • Story of Ishtar.
  • Further tablets .

137

CHAPTER X. FRAGMENTS OF MISCELLANEOUS TEXTS.

  • Atarpi.
  • Sin of the world.
  • Mother and daughter quarrel.
  • Zamu.
  • Punishment of world.
  • Hea.
  • Calls his sons.
  • Orders drought.
  • Famine.
  • Building.
  • Nusku.
  • Riddle of wise man.
  • Nature and universal presence of air.
  • Gods.
  • Sinuri.
  • Divining by fracture of reed. Incantation.
  • Dream.
  • Tower of Babel.
  • Obscurity of legend.
  • Not noticed by Berosus.
  • Fragmentary tablet.
  • Destruction of Tower.
  • Dispersion.
  • Locality of Babylon.
  • Birs Nimrud. Babil.
  • Assyrian representations ....

153

CHAPTER XI. THE IZDUBAR LEGENDS.

  • Account of Deluge.
  • Nimrod.
  • Izdubar.
  • Age of Legends.
  • Babylonian cylinders.
  • Notices of Izdubar.
  • Surippak.
  • Ark City.
  • Twelve tablets.
  • Extent of Legends.
  •  

167

CHAPTER XII. MEETING OF HEABANI AND IZDUBAR.

  • Dream of Izdubar.
  • Heabani.
  • His wisdom.
  • His solitary life.
  • Izdubar's petition.
  • Zaidu.
  • Harimtu and Samhat.
  • Tempt Heabani.
  • Might and fame of Izdubar.
  • Speech of Heabani.
  • His journey to Erech.
  • The midannu or tiger.
  • Festival at Erech.
  • Dream of Izdubar.
  • Friendship with Heabani . .

193

CHAPTEE XIII. DESTRUCTION or THE TYRANT HUMBABA.

  • Elamite dominion.
  • Forest region.
  • Humbaba.
  • Conversation.
  • Petition to Shamas.
  • Journey to forest.
  • Dwelling of Humbaba.
  • Entrance to forest.
  • Meeting with Humbaba.
  • Death of Humbaba.
  • Izdubar king . . . . . .

207

CHAPTER XIV. THE ADVENTURES OF ISHTAR.

  • Triumph of Izdubar.
  • Ishtar's love.
  • Her offer of marriage.
  • Her promises.
  • Izdubar s answer.
  • Tammuz.
  • Amours of Ishtar.
  • His refusal.
  • Ishtar's anger.
  • Ascends to Heaven.
  • The bull.
  • Slain by Izdubar.
  • Ishtar's curse.
  • Izdubar s triumph.
  • The feast.
  • Ishtar's despair.
  • Her descent to Hades.
  • Description.
  • The seven gates.
  • The curses.
  • Uddusunamir.
  • Sphinx.
  • Release of Ishtar.
  • Lament for Tammuz . . . .

217

CHAPTER XV. ILLNESS AND WANDERINGS OF IZDUBAR.

  • Heabani and the trees.
  • Illness of Izdubar.
  • Death of Heabani.
  • Journey of Izdubar.
  • His dream.
  • Scorpion men.
  • The Desert of Mas.
  • The paradise.
  • Siduri and Sabitu.
  • Urbamsi.
  • Water of death.
  • Ragmu.
  • The conversation.
  • Hasisadra

241

CHAPTER XVI. THE STORY OF THE FLOOD AND CONCLUSION.
 

  • Eleventh tablet.
  • The gods.
  • Sin of the world.
  • Command to build the ark.
  • Its contents.
  • The building.
  • The Flood.
  • Destruction of people.
  • Fear of the gods.
  • End of Deluge.
  • Nizir.
  • Resting of Ark.
  • The birds.
  • The descent from the ark.
  • The sacrifice.
  • Speeches of gods.
  • Translation of Hasisadra.
  • Cure of Izdubar.
  • His return.
  • Lament over Heabani.
  • Kesurrection of Heabani.
  • Burial of warrior.
  • Comparison with Genesis.
  • Syrian nation.
  • Connection of legends.
  • Points of contact.
  • Duration of deluge.
  • Mount of descent.
  • Ten generations.
  • Early cities.
  • Age of Izdubar.

263

CHAPTER XVII. CONCLUSION.

  • Notices of Genesis.
  • Correspondence of names.
  • Abram.
  • Ur of Chaldees.
  • Ishmael.
  • Sargon.
  • His birth.
  • Concealed in ark.
  • Ao-e of Nimrod.
  • Doubtful theories.
  • Creation.
  • Garden Eden.
  • Cannes.
  • Berosus.
  • Izdubar legends.
  • Urukh of Ur.
  • Babylonian seals.
  • Egyptian names.
  • Assyrian sculptures .

295  

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: