The Significance of Creation in Hebraic Thought

Keeping Wellhousen's Documentary Hypothesis in mind, it seems clear that although the Hebraic ideas about the cosmology of creation were very similar to that of other Ancient Near East societies, the Hebrews had very different beliefs about the theological and anthropological significances of that creation. There are important similarities and differences between the creation accounts of Genesis and the Enuma Elish, which, using the Historical Critical Method, can be used to come to a clearer understanding of the Hebraic concept of the origins of the world. The creation story of Genesis was compiled at a very important period in Jewish history, which clearly factors into determining the original sense of that scriptural passage.

The Enuma Elish (a title that is often translated “On High”) is a Babylonian myth which was first written down sometime in the 14th - 12th century BC. So, this creation story was recorded long before the Pentateuch was compiled during the 10th century BC. According to Wellhousen's Documentary Hypothesis, Genesis 1 is from the Priestly source because it contains: lists and genealogy, a theme of blessing related to fertility, and a reference to the Sabbath day. This mythological story of creation, then, would have been compiled in the 6th - 5th century BC, which was during the time of the Babylonian exile. This was a very significant time for the Jewish people – they attempted to stay a unified culture with unique traditions and customs, while far away from the Temple – essentially unable to follow the ancient Law. Because the Jews were so concerned about the vanishing of their culture, this account of creation focuses heavily on the proper way to worship; for example, it contains an etiological explanat...

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...ripture is to understand correctly what God intended to communicate, it is important to determine the intentions of the authors of that Scripture using the Historical Critical Method, as suggested in Dei Verbum.

Therefore, taking into account both the differences and similarities between the two accounts, and the time periods in which they were compiled, it seems clear that there is a significant insight to be gained into the meaning of Scripture, both to the Hebrews and to the modern-day Christian by comparing Genesis and the Enuma Elish.

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.