The Evil Inclination is like Amalek

The Evil Inclination is like Amalek

Currently there are well done posts on the good and evil impulse at Yeshua Quest

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The Murder of God

The Murder of God

By A D. Wayman

“How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whoever is born after us—for the sake of this deed he will belong to a higher history than all history hitherto.”1

The above quote by Nietzsche touches on one of the main issues possibly facing religious thought today. It is a question of how to transform the religion into something we can identify with. Is religion about emotion, churches, the asking of favors, group therapy and the many other uses we have selfishly used the deity for? By confining the religion to these shallow means we all have been murders and it is these very selfish desires that have killed the gods and closed their paths to true understanding. There are many murder weapons that we have constructed, both knowingly and unknowingly.

The anthropologist Joseph Campbell spent most of his life time explaining how the myth transforms through times and how the metaphors are pathways that are well trod. They are the road signs that direct through life’s challenges, adventures, and battles. Many however mistake them for the end result and fail to push on. It is at this point of the trip that divisions are created and fences are constructed to separate the perceived truth from the false and the perceived evil from the good. It is this polarized world view that possibly may be one murder weapon that we have used.

Another murder weapon used against the deity is the failure to view common themes on a global scale. Some are quick to label themes of a belief system outside their group as pagan or false but fail to notice that the same may exist with in their own. Others, upon noting these themes, write volumes of material to justify why the theme is acceptable in their own belief system and not in others. Such a fence enhances divisions among groups of people and hinders the contribution of abstract expressionism, which religion happens to be just one aspect of the whole.

Lastly, another murder weapon is ignorance of history and culture. Many times modern theology is forced on texts, without knowing the political, social, religious, and cultural environment the writings come from. Many texts are changed, rewritten, reworded, or reinterpreted, to support such theological view which is then passed off as the original.

The question remains on how to reconstruct the metaphor in a way that is relevant to ourselves and to our community. No matter how hard one tries to fence in such themes they tend to flow over the dam` in other forms of expression. From Marduk and his fight with Tiamat to Harry Potter fighting the serpent in the Chamber of Secrets, themes spill over and are expressed abstractly in a meaningful way no matter how much the established orthodox views of religion fight it. The fix is not to try to contain such a force but let it flow like water in our minds and lives. Because once contained, we have contributed a fatal thrust to the deity with our sword of ego. Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?

1. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science (1882, 1887) para. 125; Walter Kaufmann ed. (New York: Vintage, 1974), pp.181-82.]

(A. D. Wayman is the author and creator of www.religionthink.com)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh

Many times one can get lost in the hedge rows of theology and at time the texts that originally meant one particular view is lost in translation and denominational theology and belief systems.  With little research done on the historical context and few lay-persons understanding Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, the texts on Being Born Again and the repentance movements are lost in oversimplified renderings by those less then qualified but are thought to be.  While the qualifications are a matter of opinion it is most frustrating at times to some believers searching for the Jewish view of repentance.  In response to such issues.  Yeshua Quest along with ReligionThink has been posting videos relevant to Jewish beliefs and articles on the topic of repentance movements from a Historical and Jewish Perspective.  I would invite those with an intrest to visit the following links on the articles and videos below.

 Yeshua Quest  “God Birthing”

 Yeshua Quest “Born Again? What does that mean?”

 Yeshua Quest Jewish Videos on Youtube

 Also Visit ReligionThink for essays, videos, and articles on topics of world religion and theologies. 

Know That All Lives Are Mine- Thoughts On Original Sin

Know That All Lives Are Mine- Thoughts On Original Sin

By A. D. Wayman

Since the day of Saint Augustine brought forth his view of original sin 1 , and that view was implemented in the Orthodox Christian Church it later spread to become the biblical “world view.” It is with this idea that led Christians to see the whole world, born lost, without hope of redemption, only though the saving power of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Distorting the views of the Apostle Paul and misunderstanding what the term “Born Again’ meant from a Jewish perspective, they set out to reap the fields that were white with harvest. It is the intent of this essay to show, in essence, what the victims of that harvest thought, and to point out a few major differences between the Jewish theology of original sin and that of their Christian counterparts.

It is the Jewish view that Man is responsible for his own sin. He is born with the gift of free will (”beḥirah”). However he is also frail and and has evil tendencies. Therefore Yahweh, in his mercy allows him to repent. While some hold that Adam was responsible for passing on sin the majority do not view it in these terms. 2

Below we read the text where such an idea was dispelled and it is this text that is overlooked by many in the camp of original sin descending from Adam. Below we read clearly that Yahweh told Ezekiel to expel this issue from being among Israeli thinking. The whole of Ezekiel 18 discusses the issue, showing alternating generations of righteous and unrighteous. It is within the following verses below that seem to be most relevant.

“The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own. But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die. Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.” (Eze 18:20-32 NRSV)

So in light of the text above why would there still be controversy on the issue of sin being passed on. There are many examples that the opposition can list in opposition to the text above. The First is Genesis 8:21 and another is from the Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 20. It is also important to note the wandering in the wilderness for the forty year stretch.

The text from Genesis comes to us from the J writer. In the text we read:

“And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.” (Gen 8:21)

Above it sounds as if the deity admits his issues creating man, and acknowledges his perceived inbred inclination to do evil. This is counter acted by the concept that believe Yahweh suppresses the free will allowing one to transgress until full punishment is met for the sin committed. 3 This also could be an explanation on the reaction of Pharaoh during the competition between the gods of Egypt and Moses’ god Yahweh.

The text from the Babylonian Talmud also appears to infer that sin is passed on. This text deals with the sin of the golden calf lasted for some time before it was “worked off”. Below we read:

“It reads [Michah, l. 14]: “Therefore shalt thou have to give presents to Moreshe thgath: the houses of Achzib shall become a deception to the kings of Israel.” Said R. Hanina b. Papa: A heavenly voice was heard saying: “To him who has killed Goliath the Philistine and inherited to you the city of Gath, should ye send away his descendants?” Therefore the house of Achzib shall be a deception to the kings of Israel. It reads [II Kings, xvii. 21]: “And Jeroboam misled Israel from following the Lord, and caused them to commit a great sin.” Said R. Hanina: As one throws a stick by means of another stick–i.e., he makes Israel to sin against their will. Said R. Aushia: Until Jeroboam came, Israel had to bear the iniquity of one golden calf, and from that time farther on for two and three. Said R. Itz’hak: Every evil dispensation which came upon Israel contained in it a twenty-fourth part as punishment for the golden calf, as the above cited verse [Ex. xxxii.] states. Said R. Hanina: After twenty-four generations this verse was fulfilled, as it reads [Ezek, ix, i]: “The ‘pkudas’ of the city came already at an end.” 4

The above could be explained that it was not by original sin that they had to work off the burden but by sin after their birth. It is interesting to note the difference. One born unclean is in stark contrast to being born into the world clean, and then committing transgressions out of human frailty and ignorance. For all things that come from the creator, according to the Jewish Mindset is clean. It is man that has the issues. Free will also plays an important role. It is from this view point that possibly is the reason why in the Jewish after life one’s experience in Sheol is not for all eternity. In Jewish thought there is not sin that can not be pardoned.5

In passing some scholars bring up the text of The Zohar. It is the opinion of the author that these text, although being Jewish literature, because they are from the 13th century, cannot be used in this essay. The text, Zohar, for those who are unfamiliar in places refer to the sin of Adam eating the apple and Eve copulating with the serpent. These places are directly influenced by Christian views and don not give us an accurate view of the Jewish thinking and theology on original sin. 6

1. Augustine “On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin” Book I http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15061.htm

2. Jewish Encyclopedia “Sin” http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp…id=812&letter=S

3. Rejoinder to Talmid’s Thoughts on Deuteronomy 30:6. http://www.jewish-history.com/Occident/vol…847/talmid.html

4. Rodkinson, Michael L. Babylonian Talmud. Boston New Talmud Publishing Company, Cincinnati, OH. 1903. pg 325-326.

5. Jewish Encyclopedia “ Atonement” http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp…d=2092&letter=A

6. A good article addressing this topic is: Cooper, Alan. “A medieval Jewish version of original sin: Ephraim of Luntshits on Leviticus 12.” Harvard Theological Review. 10/01/2004

Posted by the author of  Religionthink.com

 

 

Psalms 18: Smoke Went Up From His Nostrils

Psalms 18: Smoke Went Up From His Nostrils

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. With the loyal you show yourself loyal; with the blameless you show yourself blameless; with the pure you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you show yourself perverse. For you deliver a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. It is you who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God?— the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe. He made my feet like the feet of a deer, and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great. You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For you girded me with strength for the battle; you made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets. You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you made me head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds. The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation, the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me; who delivered me from my enemies; indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries; you delivered me from the violent. For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever. (Psalms 18:1-50 NRSV)

Here is one of the best examples of how one who asked for help and vindication, was in fact vindicated by Yahweh. We see here Yahweh the warrior coming down to help the devoted believer with battle. This could possibly be the result of Psalm 17, when the lamenter asked for help. Here Yahweh delivers not only from enemies, but from the depths of sheol its self.

There is no evidence that this was written by David but the above psalm is attributed to him. Psalm 18 is divided into two parts and may be outlined as follows: verses 2-4 are praise to Yahweh, 5-7 the poet describes his mortal issues, 8-10 the writer depicts Yahweh’s intervention 21-31 Yahweh’s justice is acknowledged. The second part of Psalm 18 verses 32-51 may be broken down using verses 32-35, where the writer praises Yahweh for training and a Bow, 36-44 victory over enemies, 44-46 victory over foreign people, and finally the hymn of praise and thanksgiving in verses 47-51.

Within this text there is a treasure chest full of imagery and motifs that could be presented. The writers boasting of the works of his god, the modes of warfare the god uses, the types of interments and devices of war. Much within this Psalm recalls to memory the description in Canaanite mythology, angry gods slaughtering the masses, rulers, gods using Nature and magical tools to wage war, and finally and ironically, the boasting of the Egyptian king on how the god help him destroy Israel. Below we will discuss some of these motifs and explore some comparisons in other works that may prove to be relevant.

One example that comes to mind is the account of the goddess Anat, in the Baal Epic, from Canaanite Mythology. The text portrays vivid imagery of a gory battle between the goddess and men. Reading below we get a glimpse of the battle:

The gates of Anat’s house were shut,

and the lads met the lady of the mountain.

And then Anat went to battle in the valley,

she fought between the two cities:

she killed the people of the coast,

she annihilated the men of the east.

Heads rolled under her like balls,

hands flew over her like locusts,

the warriors’ hands like swarms of grasshoppers.

She fastened the heads to her back,

she tied the hands to her belt.

She plunged knee-deep into the soldiers’ blood,

up to her thighs in the warriors’ gore;

with a staff she drove off her enemies,

with the string of her bow her opponents.

And then Anat arrived at her house,

the goddess reached her palace;

there, not satisfied with her battling in the valley,

her fighting between the two cities,

she made the chairs into warriors,( Coogan p. 90-91)

Anat is not satisfied with the gore and her rage was still not appeased. This can be compare to the above text in Psalms 18:8-15:

“ Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.”

Next we find that the writer gives thanks for being trained in war and it is implied that through Yahweh he was granted superhuman powers. In verses 29-37we read:

“ By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God?— the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe. He made my feet like the feet of a deer, and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great. You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed.”

In the Baal Epic we find that tools of war we created to help Baal fight the god of the Sea by the craftsmen Kothar-wa-Hasis, and with these tools he was able to conquer the Sea:

And Kothar-wa-Hasis replied:”Let me tell you, Prince Baal,

let me repeat, Rider on the Clouds:

behold, your enemy, Baal,

behold, you will kill your enemy,

behold, you will annihilate your foes.

You will take your eternal kingship;

your dominion forever and ever.”

Kothar brought down two clubs,

and he pronounced their names:

“As for you, your name is Driver;

Driver, drive Sea,

drive Sea from his throne,

River from the seat of his dominion.

Dance in Baal’s hands,

like a vulture from his fingers.

Strike Prince Sea on the shoulder,

Judge River between the arms.”

The club danced in Baal’s hands,

like a vulture from his fingers.

It struck Prince Sea on the shoulder,

Judge River between the arms.

Sea was strong; he did not sink;

his joints did not shake;

his frame did not collapse.

Kothar brought down two clubs,

and he pronounced their names: (Coogan p.8

Lastly is the text that was found on what is labeled the “Israel Stela” and relates the victory of Mer-ne Ptah over the Libyans. The text is not a historical account as compare to other texts describing the same battle but is an overview of the universally victorious pharaoh in the conquering of foreign peoples. Here the Hymn brags to the god of his deeds. It is here that the only mention of the name “Israel” is found in Egyptian literature.

“The princes are prostrate, saying: “Mercy!”
Not one raises his head among the Nine Bows.
Desolation is for Tehenu; Hatti is pacified;
Plundered is the Canaan with every evil;
Carried off is Ashkelon; seized upon is Gezer;
Yanoam is made as that which does not exist;
Isiral is laid waste, his seed is not;

Hurru is become a widow for Egypt!
All lands together, they are pacified; (Pitchard p. 376-37

These three texts are just a few examples of the topics and themes written in Psalm 18. Volumes more could be written in grater detail comparing such literature styles and topics. Many times such themes are overlooked because the text is taken at face value and applied to our current day situations. While the Psalm above can be used in this way and any piece of biblical literature it is at time proper to also bring to light the writing styles and historical backgrounds and environment in which the texts were written.

Coogan, Michael David. Stories from Ancient Canaan. The Westminster Press. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1978.

Dahood, Mitchell. The Anchor Bible: Psalms 1-50. Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1968.

Pritchard, James. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New York 1950.

Quoted biblical texts are taken from the New Revised Standard Version.

Psalm 16: Protect Me, O EL

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight. Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:1-11 NRSV)

In the above text lies hidden something special that only one knowing Hebrew and the Canaanite religion might be able to uncover. The above text is thought to be a profession of a believer who has just converted from the Canaanite religion to Yahwehism. Verse 1 of the Psalm is the introduction, Verses 3-4 are the rejection of the past religion and gods. Verses 5-11 talk of the benefits of following Yahweh. Finally, verses 10-11 are statements alluding to belief in the afterlife.

The writer in the above text renounces the old gods and wishes on the believers of his previous faith many sorrows. The word here for sorrows makes us remember back to the conversation Yahweh had with Eve concerning the curse. Below we will discuss this text and compare it to the Canaanite confession of faith spoken by the goddesses Asherah and Anat concerning Baal while they were lobbying the supreme god of the Canaanite pantheon, El, for a temple to be built in which Baal could be finally be validated as a god. Along with the text from the Canaanite religion, comes a Sumerian text where the writer is saved from death by execution, at the last second, and praises the goddess Nungal, in a writing called “A Hymn to Nungal”.

The above text outside of the praises for Yahweh has illusions to that of a warrior being kept from death or “Sheol” because Yahweh is his protector. In the Ancient Near East the most trusted defender was put at the kings right. Also, the sword was carried in the right hand and the shield in the left. Possibly the writer is not only talking about the afterlife but perhaps he finds council in Yahweh and Yahweh is seen as his protector. It is humors to speculate this conversion was made out of fear before a battle. It would be smart to have the strongest god protecting you, while for good luck you denounce the old gods and use them only in extreme measures or when convenient.

The Canaanite profession of faith reads:

But our king is Baal the Conqueror,
our judge, higher than all:
all of us must bear his chalice,
all of us must bear his cup.”

Here is also a reference to the cup, with the same motif as in the Psalm above. This saying comes from the mouth of Anat before El, when she asks permission for Baal to build a temple. The phrase is quite small but it is enough to make the comparison.

Moving on we come to the hymn to Nungal in this particular part we see how the accused are snatched from the jaws of death and praise is given to the goddess, the protector of the perhaps wrongly accused.

“When someone has been brought into the palace of the king and this man is accused of a capital offence, my chief prosecutor, Nindimgul, stretches out his arm in accusation (?). He sentences that person to death, but he will not be killed; he snatches the man from the jaws of destruction and brings him into my house of life and keeps him under guard. No one wears clean clothes in my dusty (?) house. My house falls upon the person like a drunken man. He will be listening for snakes and scorpions in the darkness of the house. My house gives birth to a just person, but exterminates a false one. Since there are pity and tears within its brick walls, and it is built with compassion, it soothes the heart of that person, and refreshes his spirits.”

The writer then ends with the conclusion:

Because the lady has revealed her greatness; because she has provided the prison, the jail, her beloved dwelling, with awesome radiance, praise to be Nungal, the powerful goddess, the neck-stock of the Anuna gods, whose …… no one knows, foremost one whose divine powers are untouchable!

So here in this one Psalm were able to see a conversion from the Canaanite religion to Yahwehism. At time they headings concerning King David that were applied to the introduction to some of the Psalms can serve as distraction. This text is possibly the only text in the Psalms where the writer has changed gods and has denounced the old ways. It is also interesting how the same themes flowed through the ancient Near East. The concept of the protector, the cup, the afterlife, and the praises written to their particular gods were very much a part of the culture and writing style within the region. One would be mistaken that the biblical texts were written within a vacuum of a pure culture.


“A hymn to Nungal” http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/index.html, The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.

Coogan, Michael David. Stories from Ancient Canaan. The Westminster Press Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1978

Dahood, Mitchell. The Anchor Bible: Psalms 1-50. Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1968.

Walton, John H, Matthews, Victor H. and Chavalas, Mark W. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. InterVarsity Press. Illinois 2000.

Psalm 15: Who May Abide In Your Tent?

O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved. (Psalms 15:1-5 NRSV)

In the ancient Near East there were qualifications one had to complete before entering a temple of a god. We are familiar with the Old Testament texts and the long passages of legal information on the clean and unclean in order to be unblemished before Yahweh and to gain his favor. The text above also brings to mind the anger Jesus felt when he threw the money changers from the temple:

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-13 NRSV)

Although we may be going out on a limb, it is somewhat humors to think they may have broken the rule of this simple Psalm and Jesus thought it proper to eject them, because they didn’t meet the simple qualifications of one of the simplest psalms of the Jewish texts.

The text is an entrance liturgy verse 1 is the question of the worshipers and 2-5a is the answer followed by the assurance of Yahweh in verse 5b. The text above also has the theme of the tongue running through it. As a piece of wisdom literature it may have been used to teach the young. In Psalms 39:1 and 73:9, we find two examples of advice on how a young person might keep on the path of righteousness; control your tongue and don’t boast. Below we read:

I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.” (Psalms 39:1 NRSV)

They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth. (Psalms 73:9 NRSV)

Some of the qualifications above were not only required for temple rights but were also required to enter the very gates of heaven. We come to the Egyptian account of the judgment, where the words of the deceased are weighed against the feather of truth. It is here that the two justices, Anubis and Thoth, find truthfulness or lies in the following words. If truthful, sin will not add weight to the heart and will be lighter then the feather resulting in the god Horus introducing the deceased to the presence of Osiris and everlasting paradise. However, if the heart is found unjustified then it will be eaten by “the Devourer of the Unjustified” , a hippo- crocodile-cheetah creature, who waits with hunger next to the scale. It is most interesting to note that the believer needs to say “I have not” in this judgment hall rather then the traditional modern day concept of “I have done”, below we read the text known as The Forty Confessions of Matt:

I have not committed sins against men.
I have not opposed my family and kinsfolk.
I have not acted fraudulently in the Seat of Truth.
I have not known men who were of no account.
I have not wrought evil.
I have not made it to be the first [consideration daily that unnecessary] work should be done for me.
I have not brought forward my name for dignities.
I have not [attempted] to direct servants
[I have not belittled God].
I have not defrauded the humble man of his property.
I have not done what the gods abominate.
I have not vilified a slave to his master.
I have not inflicted pain.
I have not caused anyone to go hungry.
I have not made any man to weep.
I have not committed murder.
I have not given the order for murder to be committed.
I have not caused calamities to befall men and women.
I have not plundered the offerings in the temples.
I have not defrauded the gods of their cake-offerings.
I have not carried off the fenkhu cakes [offered to] the Spirits.
I have not committed fornication.
I have not masturbated [in the sanctuaries of the god of my city].
I have not diminished from the bushel.
I have not filched [land from my neighbor’s estate and] added it to my own acre.
I have not encroached upon the fields [of others].
I have not added to the weights of the scales.
I have not depressed the pointer of the balance.
I have not carried away the milk from the mouths of children.
I have not driven the cattle away from their pastures.
I have not snared the geese in the goose-pens of the gods.
I have not caught fish with bait made of the bodies of the same kind of fish.
I have not stopped water when it should flow.
I have not made a cutting in a canal of running water.
I have not extinguished a fire when it should burn.
I have not violated the times [of offering] the chosen meat offerings.
I have not driven away the cattle on the estates of the gods.
I have not turned back the god at his appearances.
I am pure. I am pure. I am pure.

As seen above, in this case, the believer would want to be sure that what he was saying was the truth or risk loosing his eternal reward. In these forty confessions, all the themes in Psalm 15 are covered. Being truthful, not slandering, not being reproachful to your neighbor, using money and interest honestly, and not taking bribes against the innocent are all present. Summing up both texts given, if one is truthful, deals honestly, and hold his tongue, then the rewards are bestowed both in this life and in the world beyond.

Brown, E. Raymond., Fitzmyer, Joseph. And Murphy, Ronalde. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice-Hall, Inc, New Jersey, 1990.

Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Egyptian Book of the Dead. Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, New York 1967.

Dahood, Mitchell. The Anchor Bible: Psalms 1-50. Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1968.

Quoted biblical texts are taken from the New Revised Standard Version.

Psalm 7: The Divine Warrior.

O Lord my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me, or like a lion they will tear me apart; they will drag me away, with no one to rescue. O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my ally with harm or plundered my foe without cause, then let the enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and lay my soul in the dust. (Selah) Rise up, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake, O my God; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you, and over it take your seat on high. The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God. God is my shield, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day. If one does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and strung his bow; he has prepared his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. See how they conceive evil, and are pregnant with mischief, and bring forth lies. They make a pit, digging it out, and fall into the hole that they have made. Their mischief returns upon their own heads, and on their own heads their violence descends. I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. (Psalms 7:1-17 NRSV)

Here the psalmist is writing about his enemies and possibly is asking to be delivered from those who betrayed him. Here the text is rich in language of Yahweh being the divine warrior. There are many images of this in the biblical text and here we will discuss the aspects of the divine warrior and then look at some other texts outside the Old Testament to understand this aspect of Yahweh more fully. We will look at some holy war songs with in the Old Testament two are thought to be some of the oldest written pieces of literature in the bible: the “Song of Miriam” in Deuteronomy 15, the “Yahweh the Warrior” in Psalms 24, and the “Prayer of Habakkuk” in Habakkuk 3. Then we will compare these with the similarities of the “The Baal Epic”, The Sumerian Epic of Creation known better as “Enuma Elish” and the texts from the Epic of Babylon; Ishtar and Izdubar. Here gods will slay dragons, shoot lightning from the sky, move mountains, divide the seas, and cause storms against their enemies.

The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea; his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power— your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries; you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble. At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up, the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:3-11NRSV)

Above is a well known holy war song found in Deuteronomy 15. The Song of Miriam is routinely compared to the Baal Epic. The text is broken down into three themes. Yahweh defeats the sea, Yahweh defeats his enemies, and Yahweh should be king. Below the text sounds more powerful if the word Lord is changed to Yahweh. As we read the biblical texts we at times filter it through the New Testament. To appreciate the Biblical texts as literature one must discard all the prophetic ideas and especially the perceived theology, and come to understand the text from the view point as literature created for the gods. Although a whole book could be written about this comparison with the Baal Epic we will discuss; the fight with the sea combined with the exodus account, and the fight Baal had with the sea as a god.

Many would balk at the notion of the “Song of Miriam” being composed as the “battle of creation” account. Dated between the late twelfth and early eleventh century, the text comes during the early tribal league. It is hypothesized that the account was later combined with the account of the biblical exodus during the monarchy period. There is evidence that the motif of Yahweh fighting the sea is much older. There are two examples in the bible that speak of Yahweh’s battle with the sea with hints of the battle of creation. The first text is Psalms 114:1-8:

“When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became God’s [236] sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. Why is it, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.” (Psalms 114:1-8 NRSV)


Another text with this combination is in the text of Isaiah 51:9-11:

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago! Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to cross over? So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:9-11 NRSV)

Now we come to the Baal Epic and the fight between Yamm (god of the sea), and Baal. In the text we hear the prophecy concerning Baal from Korthar, the craftsman of the gods, being proclaimed:

“The mighty will fall to the ground,
the powerful into the Slime.”
These words had just come from her mouth,
this speech from her lips, she had just spoken,
when he groaned from under Prince Sea’s throne.
And Kothar-wa-Hasis replied:
“Let me tell you, Prince Baal,
let me repeat , Rider on the Clouds:
behold, your enemy, Baal,
behold, you will kill your enemy,
behold, you will annihilate your foes.
You will take your eternal kingship,
your dominion forever and ever.” (Coogan8


The victory is proclaimed in the text when Baal over comes the Sea with the two clubs with magical names, Yagarris (driver) and Ay-yamarri (chaser), Korthar has fashioned for him.

And the club danced in Baal’s hands,
like a vulture from his fingers.
It struck Prince Sea on the skull,
judge river between the eyes.
Sea stumbled;
he fell to the ground;
his joints shook;
his frame collapsed.
Baal captured and drank Sea;
he finished off Judge river. (Coogan89)

Another text where the Sea is destroyed is in the Sumerian Epic of Creation, “Enuma Elish”. Below we read the detailed battle between them and of the weapons used. It is also interesting to note the use of the elements of nature in the text below when comparing it to the biblical texts and that of the Baal Epic.

And unto Marduk their first-born they spake:
“May thy fate, O lord, be supreme among the gods,
“To destroy and to create; speak thou the word, and (thy command) shall be fulfilled.
“Command now and let the garment vanish;
“And speak the word again and let the garment reappear!”
Then he spake with his mouth, and the garment vanished;
Again he commanded it, and the garment reappeared.
When the gods, his fathers, beheld (the fulfilment of) his word,
They rejoiced, and they did homage (unto him, saying), ” Marduk is king! “
They bestowed upon him the sceptre, and the throne, and the ring,
They give him an invincible weapon, which overwhelmeth the foe.
“Go, and cut off the life of Tiamat,
“And let the wind carry her blood into secret places.”
After the gods his fathers had decreed for the lord his fate,
They caused him to set out on a path of prosperity and success.
He made ready the bow, he chose his weapon,
He slung a spear upon him and fastened it . . .
He raised the club, in his right hand he grasped (it),
The bow and the quiver he hung at his side.
He set the lightning in front of him,
With burning flame he filled his body.
He made a net to enclose the inward parts of Tiamat,
The four winds he stationed so that nothing of her might escape;
The South wind and the North wind and the East wind and the West wind
He brought near to the net, the gift of his father Anu.
He created the evil wind, and the tempest, and the hurricane,
And the fourfold wind, and the sevenfold wind, and the whirlwind, and the wind which had no equal; ( King p.61-65)


Below the “sea-serpent-death” Tiamat, in great detail, is defeated:

Now after the hero Marduk had conquered and cast down his enemies,
And had made the arrogant foe even like …,
And had fully established Anshar’s triumph over the enemy,
And had attained the purpose of Nudimmud,
Over the captive gods he strengthened his durance,
And unto Tiamat, whom he had conquered, he returned.
And the lord stood upon Tiamat’s hinder parts,
And with his merciless club he smashed her skull.
He cut through the channels of her blood,
And he made the North wind bear it away into secret places.
His fathers beheld, and they rejoiced and were glad;
Presents and gifts they brought unto him.
Then the lord rested, gazing upon her dead body,
While he divided the flesh of the …, and devised a cunning plan.
He split her up like a flat fish into two halves;
One half of her he stablished as a covering for heaven.
He fixed a bolt, he stationed a watchman,
And bade them not to let her waters come forth.
He passed through the heavens, he surveyed the regions (thereof),
And over against the Deep he set the dwelling of Nudimmud.
And the lord measured the structure of the Deep,
And he founded E-shara, a mansion like unto it.
The mansion E-shara which he created as heaven,
He caused Anu, Bêl, and Ea in their districts to inhabit. (King p.71-77)

So clearly there are comparisons with in these texts that are important to take note of as holy war theams. Both Yahweh and Baal and Marduk conquer the sea and the river all using the elements of nature. It is also interesting to note that both texts have mention of both sea and river. Next we will move on to explore the war hymn in Psalms 24. Both Deuteronomy 15 and Psalms 24 are among the oldest hymns in the biblical texts.

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Selah) Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. (Selah) (Psalms 24:1-10 NRSV)

The above text Yahweh destroys his enemies also it is important to not references to the seas and rivers above. This text plainly states Yahweh will have victory over his enemies and will personally establish himself entering the heavenly holy temple and sitting on the throne as king. So also dose Baal and Marduk, after defeating their enemies. Now we will turn to one last War hymn in Habakkuk

God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. (Selah) His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. The brightness was like the sun; rays came forth from his hand, where his power lay hidden. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed close behind. He stopped and shook the earth; he looked and made the nations tremble. The eternal mountains were shattered; along his ancient pathways the everlasting hills sank low. I saw the tents of Cushan under affliction; the tent-curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Or your anger against the rivers, or your rage against the sea, when you drove your horses, your chariots to victory? You brandished your naked bow, sated were the arrows at your command. (Selah) You split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you, and writhed; a torrent of water swept by; the deep gave forth its voice. The sun raised high its hands; the moon stood still in its exalted place, at the light of your arrows speeding by, at the gleam of your flashing spear. In fury you trod the earth, in anger you trampled nations. You came forth to save your people, to save your anointed. You crushed the head of the wicked house, laying it bare from foundation to roof. Selah) You pierced with their own arrows the head of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter us, gloating as if ready to devour the poor who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the mighty waters. I hear, and I tremble within; my lips quiver at the sound. Rottenness enters into my bones, and my steps tremble beneath me. I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us. (Habakkuk 3:3-16 NRSV)

Now we come to the text from the Epic of Babylon; Ishtar and Izdubar.
The text below can be compared more to the Psalms especially in chapters 6:3; 13:1, 2; 74:9; 80:4; 82:2; 89:46; 90:13; 94:3. Below we see the same words and themes used once again. The warrior Izdubar makes a plea to the goddess Ishtar for help in defeating enemies. It reads:

“How long, O Ishtar, will thy face be turned,
While Erech desolate doth cry to thee?
Thy towers magnificent, oh, hast thou spurned?
Her blood like water in Ul-bar, oh, see!
The seat of thine own oracle behold!
The fire hath ravaged all thy cities grand,
And like the showers of Heaven them all doth fold.
O Ishtar! broken-hearted do I stand!
Oh, crush our enemies as yonder reed!
For hopeless, lifeless, kneels thy bard to thee,
And, oh! I would exalt thee in my need,
From thy resentment, anger, oh, us free! (Hamilton p.13-14)

The text above also has many of the themes we have discussed. In short, it appears through this analyst, that the motif and mythological themes of the divine warrior had many similarities in the Ancient Near East. The gods, conquering enemies with the elements of nature, disease, pestilence and weapons of war; taking the throne in his divine temple, and being praised as lord of lords and as the god king, ran deep in the stories of old. It is true that old gods never die but are just reformed and out done by the new; and their heroic deeds retold by the writings and voices of their pious believers.


Coogan, Michael David. Stories from Ancient Canaan. The Westminster Press Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1978.

Cross, Frank. Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic: Essays in the History of the Religion of Israel. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts 1997.

Dahood, Mitchell. The Anchor Bible: Psalms 1-50. Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1968.

Hamilton, Leonidas Le Cenci. Ishtar and Izdubar: The Epic of Babylon. W.H. Allen & Co. New York 1884.

King, Leonard William. The Seven Tablets of Creation. Luzac and Co. London 1902.