Pritchard, James B., 1950- Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament

“This new light from extrabiblical texts has served not only to enlarge immeasurably the horizon for a knowledge of the ancient Near East, but it has also sharpened considerably the understanding of the content of the Bible itself.”

“In no case does the selection of a text commit the editor or the translator to a particular view with regard to the relationship of a biblical passage to extrabiblical material. ... It is hoped that this volume ... will serve to give a perspective for a better understanding of the likenesses and the differences which existed between Israel and the surrounding cultures.”

“O Atum-Kheprer, thou wast on high on the (primeval) hill; ... thou didst spit out what was Shu, thou didst sputter out what was Tefnut.”

“Thus all the gods were formed and his Ennead was completed. Indeed, all the divine order really came into being through what the heart thought and the tongue commanded.”

“I made every man like his fellow. I did not command that they do evil, (but) it was their hearts which violated what I had said.”

“The land Dilmun is pure, the land Dilmun is clean; The land Dilmun is clean, the land Dilmun is most bright. ... The lion kills not, The wolf snatches not the lamb ... The sick-eyed says not ‘I am sick-eyed,’ ... Its old woman (says) not ‘I am an old woman,’ Its old man (says) not ‘I am an old man.’”

“When on high the heaven had not been named, Firm ground below had not been called by name, Naught but primordial Apsu, their begetter, (And) Mummu-Tiamat, she who bore them all, Their waters commingling as a single body...”

“Then the lord paused to view her dead body, That he might divide the monster and do artful works. He split her like a shellfish into two parts: Half of her he set up and ceiled it as sky...”

“When Marduk hears the words of the gods, His heart prompts (him) to fashion artful works. Opening his mouth, he addresses Ea To impart the plan he had conceived in his heart: ‘Blood I will mass and cause bones to be. I will establish a savage, “man” shall be his name. ... He shall be charged with the service of the gods That they might be at ease!’”

“He constructed stations for the great gods, Fixing their astral likenesses as the Images. He determined the year by designating the zones: He set up three constellations for each of the twelve months.”

“Let one god be slain, And let the gods be purified by immersion In his flesh and his blood. Let Nintu mix clay, God and man, Let them together be smeared with clay.”

“Because of their clamor he is disturbed, Because of their uproar sleep cannot seize him. ... ‘Oppressive has become the clamor of mankind. Because of their clamor I am disturbed, Because of their uproar sleep cannot seize me.’”