The Differences Between Enuma Elish-The Epic of Creation and Genesis 1:1-3:24

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In this paper I will discuss three similarities and four differences between Enuma Elish-The Epic of Creation (King,1902) and Genesis 1:1-3:24 as described by Michael Fishbane (Fishbane, 1979). These writings are selected to describe the story of creation of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth. However, each author has a very different view and way of explaining what they have interpreted the sacred texts to mean. 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. They both tell the story of creation in that beings are created out of nothing and given life from the creator. In contrast though, Fishbane’s approach is more comprehensible as... ... middle of paper ... ...n during Babylonian times as it seems very eye for an eye type methods. Tiamut hears of wrong doings and decides to create and wage war against the gods for the wrongs. It also shows the gods as very vengeful and seeking revenge for plans being made against them. I think it conveys that the way to solve problems is by fighting for what you think is right and the right thing to do. This is true of today’s society as well. In business, people will trample you or “beat you down” to try and get ahead. That is what I think Tiamut and Marduk were both trying to do. References Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation, LW King Translator from The Seven Tablets of Creation, London 1902. Downloaded from sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm February 7,2014 Text and Texture:Close Readings of Selected Biblical Texts, Fishbane, Michael, Schocken Books, New York 1979 pp3-39

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