Keeping Wellhousen's Documentary Hypothesis in mind, it seems clear that although the Hebraic understanding of the cosmology of creation was very similar to that of other Ancient Near East societies, they had very different theories about the theological and anthropological significance of that creation. The creation accounts in Genesis were compiled at very important periods in Jewish history. This account reflects prevailing sentiments of unity, and a personal relationship between God and humanity, as reflected in the intimacy of creation.
The first difference between the creation accounts of the Enuma Elish and Genesis is the creation of the world as stemming from Chaos, rather than creation of the world as an ordering of Chaos. This difference in the nature of the Creation is theologically significant because it shows a divergence in the nature of the respective Creators. In the Enuma, creation itself stems from strife and chaos, which give the reader an insight into the nature of the Babylonian gods. Marduk is a god of battle, war, and bloodshed, and this is exemplified in Creation by the way he battles with Tiamat. In contrast, Genesis is the ordering of Chaos, rather than its propagation. The nature of the God of Genesis is also revealed though his creation as one who loves his creation (“it is good”).
Another difference between Genesis and the Enuma centers around the respective Creators. In the Enuma Elish, there are both male and female gods, and Marduk established himself as king (and creator) by defeating the seven-headed serpent monster Tiamat in battle. Marduk is only one of many bickering and jealous divinities. But the God of Genesis creates with his word, which re-enforces the conception of his absolute power...
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...standing of the original sense of Genesis 1. Because the Jews were so concerned about the vanishing of their culture and their worship, this account of creation focuses heavily on the proper way to worship - it is even an etiological explanation of the Sabbath day (“And on the 7th day, he rested from his labors”).
Therefore, taking into account both the differences and similarities between the two accounts, the time periods in which both were compiled, it seems clear that there is a significant insight to be gained into Jewish culture.
Works Cited
Bratcher, Dennis. "Enuma Elish: "When on High . . ." The Mesopotamian/Babylonian Creation Myth" Crivoice.com. The Voice, 25 Mar. 2013. Web.
Osiek, Carolyn. Anselm Academic Study Bible. Winona: Anselm Academic, 2013. Print.
Boadt, Lawrence. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. Mahwah: Paulist, 2012. Print.
The Enuma Elish’s emphasis is not on the creation of humanity, but rather on the rise of the sun god Marduk, and how he became the supreme god. Marduk was born of Ea, who was born of the bitter water god Tiamat, and was very powerful. He was enlisted to defeat Tiamat and her monsters in a great war, and agreed on the condition that he will forever remain king of the gods. He defeated Tiamat, tore her body in half and used it to create the Earth and the sky. He is also credited with positioning the constellations to represent the gods, and assigning jobs to the gods who fought on the losing side with Tiamat in the war. He then created man to serve the gods in their defined duties, as it was deemed beneath them to perform such duties. The creation of man as a working servant of the gods established a lower role of humans in the Babylonian society than in that of the Mayans, where the people were created to praise the gods, not serve them through hard
Like the Greek Theogony, the creation of the world in the Enuma elish begins with the universe in a formless state, from which emerge two primary gods, male and female:
Creation myths are made to explain how the Earth was created and to introduce information on the relationship a group has with their creator. In both Iroquois and Babylonian creation myths, the gods do not find the Earth below as their first priority. In the Iroquois myth, the gods only help out the Earth when they are needed, but in the Babylonian myth, humans have more of a relationship with gods as the god that created Earth is willing to go beyond what is needed to help better the human experience on Earth.
"Sumerian/Babylonian When on HIgh (Enuma Elish) "Creation and Marduk." [Dennis Bratcher, Tr. Http://www.cresourcei.org/enumaelish.html]." Ancient Mythology East and West. Comp. David Branscome. Print.
Theogony, is the personification of things and ideas the ancient Greek, whereas Genesis is conflict between the hu8man like god and the mystical formless god. . Theogony, when compared to Genesis is radically different. Theogony starts from chaos and end up in order. In Genesis, creation is done by command alone. God says "water" and water appears. There is no conflict of interests or bloody battle. Genesis has the pattern of nothing to everything. Theogony has the pattern of chaos and powerful rulers to set order and gods with magical powers who use thought instead of raw power. There is a god of the sun, of wheat and of war. In Genesis there is one god of everything.
The creation process in both stories draw comparison to each other starting with the beginning. In both stories the universe starts as empty and formless without any type of God. The book of Genesis states, “Darkness” over the surface of the watery depths – Gen 1:2b, and separation of two spheres of water (cf. Gen 1:6-7). This quote is very identical to what is found in Enuma Elish which reads, “Tiamat, personification of primeval ocean, split in two spheres of water – EE IV. lines 100-140.” This is not the only times the story show similarity in both stories it is implied that humans were made in God’s image as well . Both stories depict a devine resting of a God once the universe is constructed where in Genesis it states, “Yahweh takes up divine rest in his cosmic-temple after creation out of chaos” and in Enuma Elish it states, “Marduk and other gods take rest in temple after victory over creation-conflict”. It is interesting to point out that in both stories the Gods feel the need to rest after achieving similar feats in terms of the creation of the universe. In different ways both narratives involve the creation of humans. Once again the stories show resemblance while in Genesis man is created from the earth, in Enuma Elish man is created from the blood of Kingu. Each story provides that humans are made in the image of a God. While both Genesis and Enuma Elish provide
The Enuma Elish mirrors the subordinate disordered lives of the Babylonians that created it. Genesis mirrors the newfound freedom and idealism of the Jewish people who created it after years of oppression. These two writings contrast the differences between the ancient Babylonians and the ancient Hebrews. Creation stories give great insight into the lives of the people who created them.
Creation stories have profound effects on humans. Those associated with ancient cultures/civilizations aim to ensure the successful survival or well-being of themselves and that particular culture/civilization of their association, but not all are beneficial, prosperous, or fortunate. Mesopotamia’s “The Gilgamesh Epic”, Egypt’s “Hymn to the Nile-Documents”, and Mesoamerica’s Mayan and Aztec creation stories/religion are influential to establishing significant relationships within society, whether that is between humans and nature or humans and their “god(s).”
Hesiod’s Theogony and the Babylonian Enuma Elish are both myths that begin as creation myths, explaining how the universe and, later on, humans came to be. These types of myths exist in every culture and, while the account of creation in Hesiod’s Theogony and the Enuma Elish share many similarities, the two myths differ in many ways as well. Both myths begin creation from where the universe is a formless state, from which the primordial gods emerge. The idea of the earth and sky beginning as one and then being separated is also expressed in both myths.
"Sumerian/Babylonian When on HIgh (Enuma Elish) "Creation and Marduk." [Dennis Bratcher, Tr. Http://www.cresourcei.org/enumaelish.html]." Ancient Mythology East and West. Comp. David Branscome. Print.
Throughout the world there are various cultures with varying religions and creation stories to explain the creation of the Earth and it’s inhabitants. Of these creation stories two with similar and also different characteristics is the Creation story in the book of Genesis which is a part of the 1st Testament in the Hebrew Bible and explains the creation of Earth and humans, and the Theogony which is the greek creation story that describes the origins of the Earth and the Greek Gods. Both the Theogony and the Creation in Genesis show nature as a blessing for humans but it can also affect them negatively, However the myths differ in the ways that the Earth and humans were created and how humans interact with the deities of the creation stories.
The questions about the existence of life and the creation of the world are always mind-boggling and fascinating, however, the real answer to these questions may never surface. All there is to rely on are the myths, stories and legends passed on from generation to generation by ancestors and the clues they have left. This essay will try to uncover the ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew views on existence and creation by looking at sources like the Genesis and other ancient Mesopotamian texts and poems. Mesopotamians and Hebrews had contrasting views on how they explained the events in their lives, and through analysis of ancient sources, those differences will be outlined. In such populated and booming areas, human conflict was inevitable and some of the law codes that were placed in effect to establish order within the society will be examined. Throughout it all, god and religion played a central role in these ancient civilizations.
Within the texts of Genesis which belong to the biblical scriptures of the Hebrews, and the myths of Egyptian origin, there are a multitude of similarities and differences. When compared side by side, the most obvious factor of both texts is that a single God was the creator of all that we know today. In Genesis that creator is simply referred to as God, while in Egyptian mythology, the creator is known as Neb-er-tcher. Both creators have striking resemblances, such as the ways they went about the production of the world.
The biggest similarity I found is that both indicate there is a creator. Each writing states that a being or person created each creature during the time. Enuma Elish states that Tiamut was the creator and in Fishbane’s writing Elohim is the equal creator. However, Tiamut is described as a women with the phrases “she raged and cried” and “she uttered a curse”. Whereas in Fishbane’s writing Elohim is described as a male in the third day of Genesis “and the gathered waters He called:”Sea!””. The rest of the time it is unclear if Elohim is a man or a woman. Neither version seems to definitively tell us if it only one God or multiple Gods at work. In Genesis it is stated, “Let us make Man in our image and our visage, that they Rule over the fish of the sea, birds of the sky, the herd animals and the whole earth, and every reptile which stirs on the earth!” The use of us and our, would lead most to believe that there would be more than one God at work to create Man. In The Epic of Creation, they mention the gods many times throughout the story, but never really say if the gods are ruled under one God or ruled under multiple gods.
Genesis is the first creation story. God creates, establishes, and puts everything into motion. After putting all of this in motion he then rests. He creates everything on earth in just seven days. Before creation Gods breath was hovering over a formless void. God made earth and all of the living creatures on earth out of nothing. There was not any pre-existent matter out of which the world was produced. Reading Genesis 1 discusses where living creatures came from and how the earth was formed. It’s fascinating to know how the world began and who created it all. In Genesis 1 God is the mighty Lord and has such strong power that he can create and banish whatever he would like. His powers are unlike any others. The beginning was created from one man only, God.