THE RELIGION OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA

BY THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, LL.D.

Lecturer in Assyrian at University College, London, Author of "The Old Testament in the Light of the Records of Assyria and Babylonia"; "The Bronze Ornaments of the Palace Gates of Balewat" etc. etc.

THE RELIGION OF THE BABYLONIANS AND ASSYRIANS

CHAPTER 1

FOREWORD

Position, and Period.

The religion of the Babylonians and Assyrians was the polytheistic faith professed by the peoples inhabiting the Tigris and Euphrates valleys from what may be regarded as the dawn of history until the Christian era began, or, at least, until the inhabitants were brought under the influence of Christianity. The chronological period covered may be roughly estimated at about 5000 years. The belief of the people, at the end of that time, being Babylonian heathenism leavened with Judaism, the country was probably ripe for the reception of the new faith. Christianity, however, by no means replaced the earlier polytheism, as is evidenced by the fact, that the worship of Nebo and the gods associated with him continued until the fourth century of the Christian era.

By whom followed.

It was the faith of two distinct peoples--the Sumero-Akkadians, and the Assyro-Babylonians. In what country it had its beginnings is unknown--it comes before us, even at the earliest period, as a faith already well-developed, and from that fact, as well as from the names of the numerous deities, it is clear that it began with the former race--the Sumero-Akkadians--who spoke a non-Semitic language largely affected by phonetic decay, and in which the grammatical forms had in certain cases become confused to such an extent that those who study it ask themselves whether the people who spoke it were able to understand each other without recourse to devices such as the "tones" to which the Chinese resort. With few exceptions, the names of the gods which the inscriptions reveal to us are all derived from this non-Semitic language, which furnishes us with satisfactory etymologies for such names as Merodach, Nergal, Sin, and the divinities mentioned in Berosus and Damascius, as well as those of hundreds of deities revealed to us by the tablets and slabs of Babylonia and Assyria.

The documents.

Outside the inscriptions of Babylonia and Assyria, there is but little bearing upon the religion of those countries, the most important fragment being the extracts from Berosus and Damascius referred to above. Among the Babylonian and Assyrian remains, however, we have an extensive and valuable mass of material, dating from the fourth or fifth millennium before Christ until the disappearance of the Babylonian system of writing about the beginning of the Christian era. The earlier inscriptions are mostly of the nature of records, and give information about the deities and the religion of the people in the course of descriptions of the building and rebuilding of temples, the making of offerings, the performance of ceremonies, etc. Purely religious inscriptions are found near the end of the third millennium before Christ, and occur in considerable numbers, either in the original Sumerian text, or in translations, or both, until about the third century before Christ. Among the more recent inscriptions--those from the library of the Assyrian king Aur-bani-li and the later Babylonian temple archives,--there are many lists of deities, with numerous identifications with each other and with the heavenly bodies, and explanations of their natures. It is needless to say that all this material is of enormous value for the study of the religion of the Babylonians and Assyrians, and enables us to reconstruct at first hand their mythological system, and note the changes which took place in the course of their long national existence. Many interesting and entertaining legends illustrate and supplement the information given by the bilingual lists of gods, the bilingual incantations and hymns, and the references contained in the historical and other documents. A trilingual list of gods enables us also to recognise, in some cases, the dialectic forms of their names.

The importance of the subject.

Of equal antiquity with the religion of Egypt, that of Babylonia and Assyria possesses some marked differences as to its development. Beginning among the non-Semitic Sumero-Akkadian population, it maintained for a long time its uninterrupted development, affected mainly by influences from within, namely, the homogeneous local cults which acted and reacted upon each other. The religious systems of other nations did not greatly affect the development of the early non-Semitic religious system of Babylonia. A time at last came, however, when the influence of the Semitic inhabitants of Babylonia and Assyria was not to be gainsaid, and from that moment, the development of their religion took another turn. In all probably this augmentation of Semitic religious influence was due to the increased numbers of the Semitic population, and at the same period the Sumero- Akkadian language began to give way to the Semitic idiom which they spoke. When at last the Semitic Babylonian language came to be used for official documents, we find that, although the non-Semitic divine names are in the main preserved, a certain number of them have been displaced by the Semitic equivalent names, such as ama for the sun-god, with Kittu and Mru ("justice and righteousness") his attendants; Nab("the teacher" = Nebo) with his consort Tamu ("the hearer"); Addu, Adad, or Dadu, and Rammanu, Ramimu, or Ragimu = Hadad or Rimmon ("the thunderer"); B and Btu (Beltis = "the lord" and "the lady" /par excellence/), with some others of inferior rank. In place of the chief divinity of each state at the head of each separate pantheon, the tendency was to make Merodach, the god of the capital city Babylon, the head of the pantheon, and he seems to have been universally accepted in Babylonia, like Aur in Assyria, about 2000 B.C. or earlier.

The uniting of two pantheons.

We thus find two pantheons, the Sumero-Akkadian with its many gods, and the Semitic Babylonian with its comparatively few, united, and forming one apparently homogeneous whole. But the creed had taken a fresh tendency. It was no longer a series of small, and to a certain extent antagonistic, pantheons composed of the chief god, his consort, attendants, children, and servants, but a pantheon of considerable extent, containing all the elements of the primitive but smaller pantheons, with a number of great gods who had raised Merodach to be their king.

In Assyria.

Whilst accepting the religion of Babylonia, Assyria nevertheless kept herself distinct from her southern neighbour by a very simple device, by placing at the head of the pantheon the god Aur, who became for her the chief of the gods, and at the same time the emblem of her distinct national aspirations--for Assyria had no intention whatever of casting in her lot with her southern neighbour. Nevertheless, Assyria possessed, along with the language of Babylonia, all the literature of that country--indeed, it is from the libraries of her kings that we obtain the best copies of the Babylonian religious texts, treasured and preserved by her with all the veneration of which her religious mind was capable,--and the religious fervour of the Oriental in most cases leaves that of the European, or at least of the ordinary Briton, far behind.

The later period in Assyria.

Assyria went to her downfall at the end of the seventh century before Christ worshipping her national god Aur, whose cult did not cease with the destruction of her national independence. In fact, the city of Aur, the centre of that worship, continued to exist for a considerable period; but for the history of the religion of Assyria, as preserved there, we wait for the result of the excavations being carried on by the Germans, should they be fortunate enough to obtain texts belonging to the period following the fall of Nineveh.

In Babylonia.

Babylonia, on the other hand, continued the even tenor of her way. More successful at the end of her independent political career than her northern rival had been, she retained her faith, and remained the unswerving worshipper of Merodach, the great god of Babylon, to whom her priests attributed yet greater powers, and with whom all the other gods were to all appearance identified. This tendency to monotheism, however, never reached the culminating point--never became absolute-- except, naturally, in the minds of those who, dissociating themselves, for philosophical reasons, from the superstitious teaching of the priests of Babylonia, decided for themselves that there was but one God, and worshipped Him. That orthodox Jews at that period may have found, in consequence of this monotheistic tendency, converts, is not by any means improbable--indeed, the names met with during the later period imply that converts to Judaism were made.

The picture presented by the study.

Thus we see, from the various inscriptions, both Babylonian and Assyrian--the former of an extremely early period--the growth and development, with at least one branching off, of one of the most important religious systems of the ancient world. It is not so important for modern religion as the development of the beliefs of the Hebrews, but as the creed of the people from which the Hebrew nation sprang, and from which, therefore, it had its beginnings, both corporeal and spiritual, it is such as no student of modern religious systems can afford to neglect. Its legends, and therefore its teachings, as will be seen in these pages, ultimately permeated the Semitic West, and may in some cases even had penetrated Europe, not only through heathen Greece, but also through the early Christians, who, being so many centuries nearer the time of the Assyro-Babylonians, and also nearer the territory which they anciently occupied, than we are, were far better acquainted than the people of the present day with the legends and ideas which they possessed.

CHAPTER II

THE RELIGION OF THE BABYLONIANS AND ASSYRIANS

The Sumero-Akkadians and the Semites.

For the history of the development of the religion of the Babylonians and Assyrians much naturally depends upon the composition of the population of early Babylonia. There is hardly any doubt that the Sumero-Akkadians were non-Semites of a fairly pure race, but the country of their origin is still unknown, though a certain relationship with the Mongolian and Turkish nationalities, probably reaching back many centuries--perhaps thousands of years--before the earliest accepted date, may be regarded as equally likely. Equally uncertain is the date of the entry of the Semites, whose language ultimately displaced the non-Semitic Sumero-Akkadian idioms, and whose kings finally ruled over the land. During the third millennium before Christ Semites, bearing Semitic names, and called Amorites, appear, and probably formed the last considerable stratum of tribes of that race which entered the land. The name Martu, the Sumero-Akkadian equivalent of Amurru, "Amorite", is of frequent occurrence also before this period. The eastern Mediterranean coast district, including Palestine and the neighbouring tracts, was known by the Babylonians and Assyrians as the land of the Amorites, a term which stood for the West in general even when these regions no longer bore that name. The Babylonians maintained their claim to sovereignty over that part as long as they possessed the power to do so, and naturally exercised considerable influence there. The existence in Palestine, Syria, and the neighbouring states, of creeds containing the names of many Babylonian divinities is therefore not to be wondered at, and the presence of West Semitic divinities in the religion of the Babylonians need not cause us any surprise.

The Babylonian script and its evidence.

In consequence of the determinative prefix for a god or a goddess being, in the oldest form, a picture of an eight-rayed star, it has been assumed that Assyro-Babylonian mythology is, either wholly or partly, astral in origin. This, however, is by no means certain, the character for "star" in the inscriptions being a combination of three such pictures, and not a single sign. The probability therefore is, that the use of the single star to indicate the name of a divinity arises merely from the fact that the character in question stands for /ana/, "heaven." Deities were evidently thus distinguished by the Babylonians because they regarded them as inhabitants of the realms above--indeed, the heavens being the place where the stars are seen, a picture of a star was the only way of indicating heavenly things. That the gods of the Babylonians were in many cases identified with the stars and planets is certain, but these identifications seem to have taken place at a comparatively late date. An exception has naturally to be made in the case of the sun and moon, but the god Merodach, if he be, as seems certain, a deified Babylonian king, must have been identified with the stars which bear his name after his worshippers began to pay him divine honours as the supreme deity, and naturally what is true for him may also be so for the other gods whom they worshipped. The identification of some of the deities with stars or planets is, moreover, impossible, and if , the god of the deep, and Anu, the god of the heavens, have their representatives among the heavenly bodies, this is probably the result of later development.[*]

[*] If there be any historical foundation for the statement that Merodach arranged the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars, assigning to them their proper places and duties--a tradition which would make him the founder of the science of astronomy during his life upon earth--this, too, would tend to the probability that the origin of the gods of the Babylonians was not astral, as has been suggested, but that their identification with the heavenly bodies was introduced during the period of his reign.

Ancestor and hero-worship. The deification of kings.

Though there is no proof that ancestor-worship in general prevailed at any time in Babylonia, it would seem that the worship of heroes and prominent men was common, at least in early times. The tenth chapter of Genesis tells us of the story of Nimrod, who cannot be any other than the Merodach of the Assyro-Babylonian inscriptions; and other examples, occurring in semi-mythological times, are /En-we-dur-an-ki/, the Greek Edoreschos, and /Gilgame/, the Greek Gilgamos, though Aelian's story of the latter does not fit in with the account as given by the inscriptions. In later times, the divine prefix is found before the names of many a Babylonian ruler--Sargon of Agad[*] Dungi of Ur (about 2500 B.C.), Rim-Sin or Eri-Aku (Arioch of Ellasar, about 2100 B.C.), and others. It was doubtless a kind of flattery to deify and pay these rulers divine honours during their lifetime, and on account of this, it is very probable that their godhood was utterly forgotten, in the case of those who were strictly historical, after their death. The deification of the kings of Babylonia and Assyria is probably due to the fact, that they were regarded as the representatives of God upon earth, and being his chief priests as well as his offspring (the personal names show that it was a common thing to regard children as the gifts of the gods whom their father worshipped), the divine fatherhood thus attributed to them naturally could, in the case of those of royal rank, give them a real claim to divine birth and honours. An exception is the deification of the Babylonian Noah, Ut-napitim, who, as the legend of the Flood relates, was raised and made one of the gods by Aa or Ea, for his faithfulness after the great catastrophe, when he and his wife were translated to the "remote place at the mouth of the rivers." The hero Gilgame, on the other hand, was half divine by birth, though it is not exactly known through whom his divinity came.

[*] According to Nabonidus's date 3800 B.C., though many Assyriologists regard this as being a millennium too early.

The earliest form of the Babylonian religion.

The state of development to which the religious system of the Babylonians had attained at the earliest period to which the inscriptions refer naturally precludes the possibility of a trustworthy history of its origin and early growth. There is no doubt, however, that it may be regarded as having reached the stage at which we find it in consequence of there being a number of states in ancient Babylonia (which was at that time like the Heptarchy in England) each possessing its own divinity--who, in its district, was regarded as supreme--with a number of lesser gods forming his court. It was the adding together of all these small pantheons which ultimately made that of Babylonia as a whole so exceedingly extensive. Thus the chief divinity of Babylon, as has already been stated, as Merodach; at Sippar and Larsa the sun-god ama was worshipped; at Ur the moon-god Sin or Nannar; at Erech and D the god of the heavens, Anu; at Muru, Ennigi, and Kakru, the god of the atmosphere, Hadad or Rimmon; at idu, the god of the deep, Aa or ; at Niffur[*] the god Bel; at Cuthah the god of war, Nergal; at Dailem the god Ura; at Ki the god of battle, Zagaga; Lugal-Amarda, the king of Marad, as the city so called; at Opis Zakar, one of the gods of dreams; at Agad Nineveh, and Arbela, Itar, goddess of love and of war; Nina at the city Nina in Babylonia, etc. When the chief deities were masculine, they were naturally all identified with each other, just as the Greeks called the Babylonian Merodach by the name of Zeus; and as Zer-panum, the consort of Merodach, was identified with Juno, so the consorts, divine attendants, and children of each chief divinity, as far as they possessed them, could also be regarded as the same, though possibly distinct in their different attributes.

[*] Noufar at present, according to the latest explorers. Layard (1856) has Niffer, Loftus (1857) Niffar. The native spelling is Noufer, due to the French system of phonetics.

How the religion of the Babylonians developed.

The fact that the rise of Merodach to the position of king of the gods was due to the attainment, by the city of Babylon, of the position of capital of all Babylonia, leads one to suspect that the kingly rank of his father , at an earlier period, was due to a somewhat similar cause, and if so, the still earlier kingship of Anu, the god of the heavens, may be in like manner explained. This leads to the question whether the first state to attain to supremacy was D, Anu's seat, and whether D was succeeded by idu, of which city was the patron--concerning the importance of Babylon, Merodach's city, later on, there is no doubt whatever. The rise of Anu and to divine overlordship, however, may not have been due to the political supremacy of the cities where they were worshipped--it may have come about simply on account of renown gained through religious enthusiasm due to wonders said to have been performed where they were worshipped, or to the reported discovery of new records concerning their temples, or to the influence of some renowned high-priest, like En-we-dur-an-ki of Sippar, whose devotion undoubtedly brought great renown to the city of his dominion.

Was Animism its original form?

But the question naturally arises, can we go back beyond the indications of the inscriptions? The Babylonians attributed life, in certain not very numerous cases, to such things as trees and plants, and naturally to the winds, and the heavenly bodies. Whether they regarded stones, rocks, mountains, storms, and rain in the same way, however, is doubtful, but it may be taken for granted, that the sea, with all its rivers and streams, was regarded as animated with the spirit of and his children, whilst the great cities and temple-towers were pervaded with the spirit of the god whose abode they were. Innumerable good and evil spirits were believed in, such as the spirit of the mountain, the sea, the plain, and the grave. These spirits were of various kinds, and bore names which do not always reveal their real character--such as the /edimmu/, /utukku/, /u/, /aakku/ (spirit of fevers), /namtaru/ (spirit of fate), / (regarded as the spirit of the south wind), /gallu/, /rabisu/, /labartu/, /labasu/, /ahhazu/ (the seizer), /lilu/ and /lilithu/ (male and female spirits of the mist), with their attendants.

All this points to animism as the pervading idea of the worship of the peoples of the Babylonian states in the prehistoric period--the attribution of life to every appearance of nature. The question is, however, Is the evidence of the inscriptions sufficient to make this absolutely certain? It is hard to believe that such intelligent people, as the primitive Babylonians naturally were, believed that such things as stones, rocks, mountains, storms, and rain were, in themselves, and apart from the divinity which they regarded as presiding over them, living things. A stone might be a /b i/ or bethel--a "house of god," and almost invested with the status of a living thing, but that does not prove that the Babylonians thought of every stone as being endowed with life, even in prehistoric times. Whilst, therefore, there are traces of a belief similar to that which an animistic creed might be regarded as possessing, it must be admitted that these seemingly animistic doctrines may have originated in another way, and be due to later developments. The power of the gods to create living things naturally makes possible the belief that they had also power to endow with a soul, and therefore with life and intelligence, any seemingly inanimate object. Such was probably the nature of Babylonian animism, if it may be so called. The legend of Tiawthu (Tiawath) may with great probability be regarded as the remains of a primitive animism which was the creed of the original and comparatively uncivilised Babylonians, who saw in the sea the producer and creator of all the monstrous shapes which are found therein; but any development of this idea in other directions was probably cut short by the priests, who must have realised, under the influence of the doctrine of the divine rise to perfection, that animism in general was altogether incompatible with the creed which they professed.

Image-worship and Sacred Stones.

Whether image-worship was original among the Babylonians and Assyrians is uncertain, and improbable; the tendency among the people in early times being to venerate sacred stones and other inanimate objects. As has been already pointed out, the {diopetres} of the Greeks was probably a meteorite, and stones marking the position of the Semitic bethels were probably, in their origin, the same. The boulders which were sometimes used for boundary-stones may have been the representations of these meteorites in later times, and it is noteworthy that the Sumerian group for "iron," /an-bar/, implies that the early Babylonians only knew of that metal from meteoric ironstone. The name of the god Nirig or u-ru (Ninip) is generally written with the same group, implying some kind of connection between the two --the god and the iron. In a well-known hymn to that deity certain stones are mentioned, one of them being described as the "poison- tooth"

[*] coming forth on the mountain, recalling the sacred rocks at Jerusalem and Mecca. Boundary-stones in Babylonia were not sacred objects except in so far as they were sculptured with the signs of the gods.

[] With regard to the Babylonian bethels, very little can be said, their true nature being uncertain, and their number, to all appearance, small. Gifts were made to them, and from this fact it would seem that they were temples--true "houses of god," in fact-- probably containing an image of the deity, rather than a stone similar to those referred to in the Old Testament.

[*] So called, probably, not because it sent forth poison, but on account of its likeness to a serpent's fang.

[] Notwithstanding medical opinion, their phallic origin is doubtful. One is sculptured in the form of an Eastern castellated fortress.

Idols.

With the Babylonians, the gods were represented by means of stone images at a very early date, and it is possible that wood was also used. The tendency of the human mind being to attribute to the Deity a human form, the Babylonians were no exception to the rule. Human thoughts and feelings would naturally accompany the human form with which the minds of men endowed them. Whether the gross human passions attributed to the gods of Babylonia in Herodotus be of early date or not is uncertain--a late period, when the religion began to degenerate, would seem to be the more probable.

The adoration of sacred objects.

It is probable that objects belonging to or dedicated to deities were not originally worshipped--they were held as divine in consequence of their being possessed or used by a deity, like the bow of Merodach, placed in the heavens as a constellation, etc. The cities where the gods dwelt on earth, their temples, their couches, the chariot of the sun in his temple-cities, and everything existing in connection with their worship, were in all probability regarded as divine simply in so far as they belonged to a god. Sacrifices offered to them, and invocations made to them, were in all likelihood regarded as having been made to the deity himself, the possessions of the divinity being, in the minds of the Babylonians, pervaded with his spirit. In the case of rivers, these were divine as being the children and offspring of Enki (Aa or ), the god of the ocean.

Holy places.

In a country which was originally divided into many small states, each having its own deities, and, to a certain extent, its own religious system, holy places were naturally numerous. As the spot where they placed Paradise, Babylonia was itself a holy place, but in all probability this idea is late, and only came into existence after the legends of the creation and the rise of Merodach to the kingship of heaven had become elaborated into one homogeneous whole.

An interesting list.

One of the most interesting documents referring to the holy places of Babylonia is a tiny tablet found at Nineveh, and preserved in the British Museum. This text begins with the word Tiawthu "the sea," and goes on to enumerate, in turn, Tilmun (identified with the island of Bahrein in the Persian Gulf); Engurra (the Abyss, the abode of Enki or ), with numerous temples and shrines, including "the holy house," "the temple of the seer of heaven and earth," "the abode of Zer- panum," consort of Merodach, "the throne of the holy place," "the temple of the region of Hades," "the supreme temple of life," "the temple of the ear of the corn-deity," with many others, the whole list containing what may be regarded as the chief sanctuaries of the land, to the number of thirty-one. Numerous other similar and more extensive lists, enumerating every shrine and temple in the country, also exist, though in a very imperfect state, and in addition to these, many holy places are referred to in the bilingual, historical, and other inscriptions. All the great cities of Babylonia, moreover, were sacred places, the chief in renown and importance in later days being the great city of Babylon, where sagila, "the temple of the high head," in which was apparently the shrine called "the temple of the foundation of heaven and earth," held the first place. This building is called by Nebuchadnezzar "the temple-tower of Babylon," and may better be regarded as the site of the Biblical "Tower of Babel" than the traditional foundation, zida, "the everlasting temple," in Borsippa (the Birs Nimroud)--notwithstanding that Borsippa was called the "second Babylon," and its temple-tower "the supreme house of life."

The Tower of Babel.

Though quite close to Babylon, there is no doubt that Borsippa was a most important religious centre, and this leads to the possibility, that its great temple may have disputed with "the house of the high head," sagila in Babylon, the honour of being the site of the confusion of tongues and the dispersion of mankind. There is no doubt, however, that sagila has the prior claim, it being the temple of the supreme god of the later Babylonian pantheon, the counterpart of the God of the Hebrews who commanded the changing of the speech of the people assembled there. Supposing the confusion of tongues to have been a Babylonian legend as well as a Hebrew one (as is possible) it would be by command of Merodach rather than that of Nebo that such a thing would have taken place. sagila, which is now the ruin known as the mount of Amran ibn Ali, is the celebrated temple of Belus which Alexander and Philip attempted to restore.

In addition to the legend of the confusion of tongues, it is probable that there were many similar traditions attached to the great temples of Babylonia, and as time goes on, and the excavations bring more material, a large number of them will probably be recovered. Already we have an interesting and poetical record of the entry of Bel and Beltis into the great temple at Niffer, probably copied from some ancient source, and Gudea, a king of Laga (Telloh), who reigned about 2700 B.C., gives an account of the dream which he saw, in which he was instructed by the gods to build or rebuild the temple of Nin-Girsu in his capital city.

sagila according to Herodotus.

As the chief fane in the land after Babylon became the capital, and the type of many similar erections, sagila, the temple of Belus, merits just a short notice. According to Herodotus, it was a massive tower within an enclosure measuring 400 yards each way, and provided with gates of brass, or rather bronze. The tower within consisted of a kind of step-pyramid, the stages being seven in number (omitting the lowest, which was the platform forming the foundation of the structure). A winding ascent gave access to the top, where was a chapel or shrine, containing no statue, but regarded by the Babylonians as the abode of the god. Lower down was another shrine, in which was placed a great statue of Zeus (Bel-Merodach) sitting, with a large table before it. Both statue and table are said to have been of gold, as were also the throne and the steps. Outside the sanctuary (on the ramp, apparently) were two altars, one small and made of gold, whereon only unweaned lambs were sacrificed, and the other larger, for full-grown victims.

A Babylonian description.

In 1876 the well-known Assyriologist, Mr. George Smith, was fortunate enough to discover a Babylonian description of this temple, of which he published a /pris/. According to this document, there were two courts of considerable extent, the smaller within the larger--neither of them was square, but oblong. Six gates admitted to the temple-area surrounding the platform upon which the tower was built. The platform is stated to have been square and walled, with four gates facing the cardinal points. Within this wall was a building connected with the great /zikkurat/ or tower--the principal edifice--round which were chapels or temples to the principal gods, on all four sides, and facing the cardinal points--that to Nebo and Tam being on the east, to Aa or and Nusku on the north, Anu and Bel on the south, and the series of buildings on the west, consisting of a double house--a small court between two wings, was evidently the shrine of Merodach (Belos). In these western chambers stood the couch of the god, and the golden throne mentioned by Herodotus, besides other furniture of great value. The couch was given as being 9 cubits long by 4 broad, about as many feet in each case, or rather more.

The centre of these buildings was the great /zikkurat/, or temple- tower, square on its plan, and with the sides facing the cardinal points. The lowest stage was 15 /gar/ square by 5 1/2 high (Smith, 300 feet by 110), and the wall, in accordance with the usual Babylonian custom, seems to have been ornamented with recessed groovings. The second stage was 13 /gar/ square by 3 in height (Smith, 260 by 60 feet). He conjectured, from the expression used, that it had sloping sides. Stages three to five were each one /gar/ (Smith, 20 feet) high, and respectively 10 /gar/ (Smith, 200 feet), 8 1/2 /gar/ (170 feet), and 7 /gar/ (140 feet) square. The dimensions of the sixth stage are omitted, probably by accident, but Smith conjectures that they were in proportion to those which precede. His description omits also the dimensions of the seventh stage, but he gives those of the sanctuary of Belus, which was built upon it. This was 4 /gar/ long, 3 1/2 /gar/ broad, and 2 1/2 /gar/ high (Smith, 80 x 70 x 50 feet). He points out, that the total height was, therefore, 15 /gar/, the same as the dimensions of the base, i.e., the lowest platform, which would make the total height of this world-renowned building rather more than 300 feet above the plains.

Other temple-towers.

Towers of a similar nature were to be found in all the great cities of Babylonia, and it is probable that in most cases slight differences of form were to be found. That at Niffer, for instance, seems to have had a causeway on each side, making four approaches in the form of a cross. But it was not every city which had a tower of seven stages in addition to the platform on which it was erected, and some of the smaller ones at least seem to have had sloping or rounded sides to the basement-portion, as is indicated by an Assyrian bas-relief. Naturally small temples, with hardly more than the rooms on the ground floor, were to be found, but these temple-towers were a speciality of the country.

Their origin.

There is some probability that, as indicated in the tenth chapter of Genesis, the desire in building these towers was to get nearer the Deity, or to the divine inhabitants of the heavens in general--it would be easier there to gain attention than on the surface of the earth. Then there was the belief, that the god to whom the place was dedicated would come down to such a sanctuary, which thus became, as it were, the stepping-stone between heaven and earth. Sacrifices were also offered at these temple-towers (whether on the highest point or not is not quite certain), in imitation of the Chaldn Noah, Ut-napitim, who, on coming out of the ark, made an offering /ina zikkurat ad, "on the peak of the mountain," in which passage, it is to be noted, the word /zikkurat/ occurs with what is probably a more original meaning.

CHAPTER III

THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE CREATION

This is the final development of the Babylonian creed. It has already been pointed out that the religion of the Babylonians in all probability had two stages before arriving at that in which the god Merodach occupied the position of chief of the pantheon, the two preceding heads having been, seemingly, Anu, the god of the heavens, and or Aa, also called Enki, the god of the abyss and of deep wisdom. In order to show this, and at the same time to give an idea of their theory of the beginning of things, a short paraphrase of the contents of the seven tablets will be found in the following pages.

An Embodiment of doctrine.

As far as our knowledge goes, the doctrines incorporated in this legend would seem to show the final official development of the beliefs held by the Babylonians, due, in all probability, to the priests of Babylon after that city became the capital of the federated states. Modifications of their creed probably took place, but nothing seriously affecting it, until after the abandonment of Babylon in the time of Seleucus Nicator, 300 B.C. or thereabouts, when the deity at the head of the pantheon seems not to have been Merodach, but Anu-B. This legend is therefore the most important document bearing upon the beliefs of the Babylonians from the end of the third millennium B.C. until that time, and the philosophical ideas which it contains seem to have been held, in a more or less modified form, among the remnants who still retained the old Babylonian faith, until the sixth century of the present era, as the record by Damascius implies. Properly speaking, it is not a record of the creation, but the story of the fight between Bel and the Dragon, to which the account of the creation is prefixed by way of introduction.

Water the first creator.

The legend begins by stating that, when the heavens were unnamed and the earth bore no name, the primal ocean was the producer of all things, and Mummu Tiawath (the sea) she who brought forth everything existing. Their waters (that is, of the primal ocean and of the sea) were all united in one, and neither plains nor marshes were to be seen; the gods likewise did not exist, even in name, and the fates were undetermined--nothing had been decided as to the future of things. Then arose the great gods. Lahmu and Lahame came first, followed, after a long period, by Anar and Kiar, generally identified with the "host of heaven" and the "host of earth," these being the meanings of the component parts of their names. After a further long period of days, there came forth their son Anu, the god of the heavens.

The gods.

Here the narrative is defective, and is continued by Damascius in his /Doubts and Solutions of the First Principles/, in which he states that, after Anos (Anu), come Illinos (Ellila or Bel, "the lord" /par excellence/) and Aos (Aa, Ae, or ), the god of Eridu. Of Aos and Dauk(the Babylonian Aa and Damkina) is born, he says, a son called Belos (Bel-Merodach), who, they (apparently the Babylonians) say, is the fabricator of the world--the creator.

The designs against them.

At this point Damascius ends his extract, and the Babylonian tablet also becomes extremely defective. The next deity to come into existence, however, would seem to have been Nudimmud, who was apparently the deity Aa or (the god of the sea and of rivers) as the god of creation. Among the children of Tauth(Tiawath) enumerated by Damascius is one named Moumis, who was evidently referred to in the document at that philosopher's disposal. If this be correct, his name, under the form of Mummu, probably existed in one of the defective lines of the first portion of this legend--in any case, his name occurs later on, with those of Tiawath and Apsu (the Deep), his parents, and the three seem to be compared, to their disadvantage, with the progeny of Lahmu and Lahame, the gods on high. As the ways of these last were not those of Tiawath's brood, and Apsu complained that he had no peace by day nor rest by night on account of their proceedings, the three representatives of the chaotic deep, Tiawath, Apsu, and Mummu, discussed how they might get rid the beings who wished to rise to higher things. Mummu was apparently the prime mover in the plot, and the face of Apsu grew bright at the thought of the evil plan which they had devised against "the gods their sons." The inscription being very mutilated here, its full drift cannot be gathered, but from the complete portions which come later it would seem that Mummu's plan was not a remarkably cunning one, being simply to make war upon and destroy the gods of heaven.

Tiawath's preparations.

The preparations made for this were elaborate. Restlessly, day and night, the powers of evil raged and toiled, and assembled for the fight. 'Mother Hubur," as Tiawath is named in this passage, called her creative powers into action, and gave her followers irresistible weapons. She brought into being also various monsters--giant serpents, sharp of tooth, bearing stings, and with poison filling their bodies like blood; terrible dragons endowed with brilliance, and of enormous stature, reared on high, raging dogs, scorpion-men, fish-men, and many other terrible beings, were created and equipped, the whole being placed under the command of a deity named Kingu, whom she calls her "only husband," and to whom she delivers the tablets of fate, which conferred upon him the godhead of Anu (the heavens), and enabled their possessor to determine the gates among the gods her sons.

Kingu replaces Absu.

The change in the narrative which comes in here suggests that this is the point at which two legends current in Babylonia were united. Henceforward we hear nothing more of Apsu, the begetter of all things, Tiawath's spouse, nor of Mummu, their son. In all probability there is good reason for this, and inscriptions will doubtless ultimately be found which will explain it, but until then it is only natural to suppose that two different legends have been pieced together to form a harmonious whole.

Tiawath's aim.

As will be gathered from the above, the story centres in the wish of the goddess of the powers of evil and her kindred to retain creation-- the forming of all living things--in her own hands. As Tiawath means "the sea," and Apsu "the deep," it is probable that this is a kind of allegory personifying the productive power seen in the teeming life of the ocean, and typifying the strange and wonderful forms found therein, which were symbolical, to the Babylonian mind, of chaos and confusion, as well as of evil.

The gods hear of the conspiracy.

Aa, or , having learned of the plot of Tiawath and her followers against the gods of heaven, naturally became filled with anger, and went and told the whole to Anar, his father, who in his turn gave way to his wrath, and uttered cries of the deepest grief. After considering what they would do, Anar applied to his son Anu, "the mighty and brave," saying that, if he would only speak to her, the great dragon's anger would be assuaged, and her rage disappear. In obedience to this behest, Anu went to try his power with the monster, but on beholding her snarling face, feared to approach her, and turned back. Nudimmud was next called upon to become the representative of the gods against their foe, but his success was as that of Anu, and it became needful to seek another champion.

And choose Merodach as their champion.

The choice fell upon Merodach, the Belus (Bel-Merodach) of Damascius's paraphrase, and at once met with an enthusiastic reception. The god asked simply that an "unchangeable command" might be given to him-- that whatever he ordained should without fail come to pass, in order that he might destroy the common enemy. Invitations were sent to the gods asking them to a festival, where, having met together, they ate and drank, and "decided the fate" for Merodach their avenger, apparently meaning that he was decreed their defender in the conflict with Tiawath, and that the power of creating and annihilating by the word of his mouth was his. Honours were then conferred upon him; princely chambers were erected for him, wherein he sat as judge "in the presence of his fathers," and the rule over the whole universe was given to him. The testing of his newly acquired power followed. A garment was placed in their midst:

"He spake with his mouth, and the garment was destroyed, He spake to it again, and the garment was reproduced."

Merodach proclaimed king.

On this proof of the reality of the powers conferred on him, all the gods shouted "Merodach is king!" and handed to him sceptre, throne, and insignia of royalty. An irresistible weapon, which should shatter all his enemies, was then given to him, and he armed himself also with spear or dart, bow, and quiver; lightning flashed before him, and flaming fire filled his body. Anu, the god of the heavens, had given him a great net, and this he set at the four cardinal points, in order that nothing of the dragon, when he had defeated her, should escape. Seven winds he then created to accompany him, and the great weapon called /Abubu/, "the Flood," completed his equipment. All being ready, he mounted his dreadful, irresistible chariot, to which four steeds were yoked--steeds unsparing, rushing forward, rapid in flight, their teeth full of venom, foam-covered, experienced in galloping, schooled in overthrowing. Being now ready for the fray, Merodach fared forth to meet Tiawath, accompanied by the fervent good wishes of "the gods his fathers."

The fight with Tiawath.

Advancing, he regarded Tiawath's retreat, but the sight of the enemy was so menacing that even the great Merodach (if we understand the text rightly) began to falter. This, however, was not for long, and the king of the gods stood before Tiawath, who, on her side, remained firm and undaunted. In a somewhat long speech, in which he reproaches Tiawath for her rebellion, he challenges her to battle, and the two meet in fiercest fight. To all appearance the type of all evil did not make use of honest weapons, but sought to overcome the king of the gods with incantations and charms. These, however, had not the slightest effect, for she found herself at once enclosed in Merodach's net, and on opening her mouth to resist and free herself, the evil wind, which Merodach had sent on before him, entered, so that she could not close her lips, and thus inflated, her heart was overpowered, and she became a prey to her conqueror. Having cut her asunder and taken out her heart, thus destroying her life, he threw her body down and stood thereon. Her followers then attempted to escape, but found themselves surrounded and unable to get forth. Like their mistress, they were thrown into the net, and sat in bonds, being afterwards shut up in prison. As for Kingu, he was raised up, bound, and delivered to be with Ugga, the god of death. The tablets of fate, which Tiawath had delivered to Kingu, were taken from him by Merodach, who pressed his seal upon them, and placed them in his breast. The deity Anar, who had been, as it would seem, deprived of his rightful power by Tiawath, received that power again on the death of the common foe, and Nudimmud "saw his desire upon his enemy."

Tiawath's fate.

The dismemberment of Tiawath then followed, and her veins having been cut through, the north wind was caused by the deity to carry her blood away into secret places, a statement which probably typifies the opening of obstructions which prevent the rivers flowing from the north from running into the southern seas, helped thereto by the north wind. Finally her body was divided, like "a /mad-fish," into two parts, one of which was made into a covering for the heavens--the "waters above the firmament" of Genesis i. 7.

Merodach orders the world anew.

Then came the ordering of the universe anew. Having made a covering for the heavens with half the body of the defeated Dragon of Chaos, Merodach set the Abyss, the abode of Nudimmud, in front, and made a corresponding edifice above--the heavens--where he founded stations for the gods Anu, Bel, and Ae. Stations for the great gods in the likeness of constellations, together with what is regarded as the Zodiac, were his next work. He then designated the year, setting three constellations for each month, and made a station for Nibiru-- Merodach's own star--as the overseer of all the lights in the firmament. He then caused the new moon, Nannaru, to shine, and made him the ruler of the night, indicating his phases, one of which was on the seventh day, and the other, a /abattu/, or day of rest, in the middle of the month. Directions with regard to the moon's movements seem to follow, but the record is mutilated, and their real nature consequently doubtful. With regard to other works which were performed we have no information, as a gap prevents their being ascertained. Something, however, seems to have been done with Merodach's net-- probably it was placed in the heavens as a constellation, as was his bow, to which several names were given. Later on, the winds were bound and assigned to their places, but the account of the arrangement of other things is mutilated and obscure, though it can be recognised that the details in this place were of considerable interest.

The creation of man.

To all appearance the gods, after he had ordered the universe and the things then existing, urged Merodach to further works of wonder. Taking up their suggestion, he considered what he should do, and then communicated to his father Ae his plan for the creation of man with his own blood, in order that the service and worship of the gods might be established. This portion is also unfortunately very imperfect, and the details of the carrying out of the plan are entirely wanting.

Berosus' narrative fills the gap.

It is noteworthy that this portion of the narrative has been preserved by Abydenus, George the Syncellus, and Eusebius, in their quotations from Berosus. According to this Chaldn writer, there was a woman named Omoroca, or, in Chaldn, Thalatth (apparently a mistake for Thauatth, i.e. Tiawath), whose name was equivalent to the Greek Thalassa, the sea. It was she who had in her charge all the strange creatures then existing. At this period, Belus (Bel-Merodach) came, and cut the woman asunder, forming out of one half the earth, and of the other the heavens, at the same time destroying all the creatures which were within her--all this being an allegory, for the whole universe consists of moisture, and creatures are constantly generated therein. The deity then cut off his own head, and the other gods mixed the blood, as it gushed out, with the earth, and from this men were formed. Hence it is that men are rational, and partake of divine knowledge.

A second creation.

This Belsus, "who is called Zeus," divided the darkness, separated the heavens from the earth, and reduced the universe to order. The animals which had been created, however, not being able to bear the light, died. Belus then, seeing the void thus made, ordered one of the gods to take off his head, and mix the blood with the soil, forming other men and animals which should be able to bear the light. He also formed the stars, the sun, the moon, and the five planets. It would thus seem that there were two creations, the first having been a failure because Belus had not foreseen that it was needful to produce beings which should be able to bear the light. Whether this repetition was really in the Babylonian legend, or whether Berosus (or those who quote him) has merely inserted and united two varying accounts, will only be known when the cuneiform text is completed.

The concluding tablet.

The tablet of the fifty-one names completes the record of the tablets found at Nineveh and Babylon. In this Merodach receives the titles of all the other gods, thus identifying him with them, and leading to that tendency to monotheism of which something will be said later on. In this text, which is written, like the rest of the legend, in poetical form, Merodach is repeatedly called /Tutu/, a mystic word meaning "creator," and "begetter," from the reduplicate root /tu/ or /utu/--which was to all appearances his name when it was desired to refer to him especially in that character. Noteworthy in this portion is the reference to Merodach's creation of mankind:--

Line 25. "Tuto: Aga-azaga (the glorious crown)--may he make the crowns glorious.

26. The lord of the glorious incantation bringing the dead to life;

27. He who had mercy on the gods who had been overpowered;

28. Made heavy the yoke which he had laid on the gods who were his enemies,

29. (And) to redeem(?) them, created mankind.

30. 'The merciful one,' 'he with whom is salvation,'

31. May his word be established, and not forgotten,

32. In the mouth of the black-headed ones[*] whom his hands have made."

[*] I.e. mankind.

Man the redeemer.

The phrase "to redeem them" is, in the original, /ana padi-unu/, the verb being from /pad, "to spare," "set free," and if this rendering be correct, as seems probable, the Babylonian reasons for the creation of mankind would be, that they might carry on the service and worship of the gods, and by their righteousness redeem those enemies of the gods who were undergoing punishment for their hostility. Whether by this Tiawath, Apsu, Mummu, Kingu, and the monsters whom she had created were included, or only the gods of heaven who had joined her, the record does not say. Naturally, this doctrine depends entirely upon the correctness of the translation of the words quoted. Jensen, who first proposed this rendering, makes no attempt to explain it, and simply asks: "Does 'them' in 'to redeem(?) them' refer to the gods named in line 28 or to mankind and then to a future--how meant?-- redemption? Eschatology? Zimmern's 'in their place' unprovable. Delitzsch refrains from an explanation."

The bilingual account of the creation. Aruru aids Merodach.

Whilst dealing with this part of the religious beliefs of the Babylonians, a few words are needed concerning the creation-story which is prefixed to an incantation used in a purification ceremony. The original text is Sumerian (dialectic), and is provided with a Semitic translation. In this inscription, after stating that nothing (in the beginning) existed, and even the great cities and temples of Babylonia were as yet unbuilt, the condition of the world is briefly indicated by the statement that "All the lands were sea." The renowned cities of Babylonia seem to have been regarded as being as much creations of Merodach as the world and its inhabitants--indeed, it is apparently for the glorification of those cities by attributing their origin to Merodach, that the bilingual account of the creation was composed.. "When within the sea there was a stream"--that is, when the veins of Tiawath had been cut through--idu (probably = Paradise) and the temple sagila within the Abyss were constructed, and after that Babylon and the earthly temple of sagila within it. Then he made the gods and the Annunnaki (the gods of the earth), proclaimed a glorious city as the seat of the joy of their hearts, and afterwards made a pleasant place in which the gods might dwell. The creation of mankind followed, in which Merodach was aided by the goddess Aruru, who made mankind's seed. Finally, plants, trees, and the animals, were produced, after which Merodach constructed bricks, beams, houses, and cities, including Niffer and Erech with their renowned temples.

We see here a change in the teaching with regard to Merodach--the gods are no longer spoken of as "his fathers," but he is the creator of the gods, as well as of mankind.

The order of the gods in the principal lists.

It is unfortunate that no lists of gods have been found in a sufficiently complete state to allow of the scheme after which they were drawn up to be determined without uncertainty. It may, nevertheless, be regarded as probable that these lists, at least in some cases, are arranged in conformity (to a certain extent) with the appearance of the deities in the so-called creation-story. Some of them begin with Anu, and give him various names, among them being Anar and Kiar, Lahmu and Lahame, etc. More specially interesting, however, is a well-known trilingual list of gods, which contains the names of the various deities in the following order:--

EXTRACTS FROM THE TRILINGUAL LIST

Sumer. Dialect Sumer. Standard Common Explanation (Semit. or Sumer.)

1. Dimmer Dingir u God.

2. U-ki En-ki a or Aa.

3. Gaan(?)-ki Nin-ki Dawkina Dauk the consort of .

4. Mu-ul-lil En-lil-la B The God Bel.

5. E-lum A-lim B

6. Gaan(?)-lil Nin-lil-la dam-bi sal Bel's consort.

7. U-lu-a Ni-rig u-ru The god of Niffer.

8. U-lib-a Ni-rig u-ru

9-12 have u-ru's consort, sister, and attendant.

13. U-ab-sib En-ag-duga Nusku Nusku

14-19 have two other names of Nusku, followed by three names of his consort. A number of names of minor divinities then follow. At line 43 five names of are given, followed by four of Merodach:--

48. U-bi-lu-lu En-bi-lu-lu Marduk Merodach

49. U-Tin-dir ki En-Tin-dir ki Marduk Merodach as "lord of Babylon."

50. U-dimmer-an-kia En-dinger-an-kia Marduk Merodach as "lord god of heaven and earth."

51. U-ab-ar-u En-ab-ar-u Marduk Merodach, apparently as "lord of the 36,000 steers."

52. U-bar-gi-si Nin-bar-gi-si Zer-panum Merodach's consort.

53. Gaan-abzu Nin-abzu dam-bi sal "the Lady of the Abyss," his consort. The remainder of the obverse is mutilated, but gave the names of Nebo in Sumerian, and apparently also of Tamum, his consort. The beginning of the reverse also is mutilated, but seems to have given the names of the sun-god, ama, and his consort, followed by those of Ktu and Mrum, "justice and righteousness," his attendants. Other interesting names are:

/Reverse/

8. U-libir-si En-ubar-si Dumu-zi Tammuz

9. Sir-tumu Sir-du ama Dumuzi-gi the mother of Tammuz

12. Gaan-anna Innanna Itar Itar (Venus) as "lady of heaven."

20. Nin-si-anna Innanna mul Itar the star (the planet Venus).

21. Nin Nin-tag-taga Nanaa a goddess identified with Itar.

23. U-ah Nina-ah Pap-sukal the gods' messenger.

24. U-banda Lugal-banda Lugal-banda

26. U-Mersi Nin-Girsu Nin-Girsu the chief god of Laga.

27. Ma-sib-sib Ga-tum-duga Bau Bau, a goddess identified with Gula.

Four non-Semitic names of Gula follow, of which that in line 31 is the most interesting:--

31. Gaan-ti-dibba Nin-tin-guua Gula "the lady saving from death."

33. Gaan-ki-gal Ere-ki-gala Allatu Persephone.

36. U-mu-zi-da Nin-gi-zi-da Nin-gi-zida "the lord of the everlasting tree."

37. U-urugal Ne-eri-gal Nerigal Nergal.

42. Mulu-hursag Galu-hursag Amurru the Amorite god.

43. Gaan-gu-edina Nin-gu-edina (apparently the consort of Amurru).

In all probability this list is one of comparatively late date, though its chronological position with regard to the others is wholly uncertain--it may not be later, and may even be earlier, than those beginning with Anu, the god of the heavens. The important thing about it is, that it begins with /u/, god, in general, which is written, in the standard dialect (that of the second column) with the same character as that used for the name of Anu. After this comes Aa or , the god of the earth, and his consort, followed by En-lilla, the older Bel--Illinos in Damascius. The name of is repeated again in line 43 and following, where he is apparently re-introduced as the father of Merodach, whose names immediately follow. This peculiarity is also found in other lists of gods and is undoubtedly a reflection of the history of the Babylonian religion. As this list replaces Anu by /u/, it indicates the rule of Enki or , followed by that of Merodach, who, as has been shown, became the chief divinity of the Babylonian pantheon in consequence of Babylon having become the capital of the country.

CHAPTER IV

THE PRINCIPAL GODS OF THE BABYLONIANS AND ASSYRIANS

Anu.

The name of this divinity is derived from the Sumero-Akkadian /ana/, "heaven," of which he was the principal deity. He is called the father of the great gods, though, in the creation-story, he seems to be described as the son of Anar and Kiar. In early names he is described as the father, creator, and god, probably meaning the supreme being. His consort was Anatu, and the pair are regarded in the lists as the same as the Lahmu and Lahame of the creation-story, who, with other deities, are also described as gods of the heavens. Anu was worshipped at Erech, along with Itar.

Ea.

Is given as if it were the /Semitic/ equivalent of /Enki/, "the lord of the earth," but it would seem to be really a Sumerian word, later written /Ae/, and certain inscriptions suggest that the true reading was /Aa/. His titles are "king of the Abyss, creator of everything, lord of all," the first being seemingly due to the fact that Aa is a word which may, in its reduplicate form, mean "waters," or if read //, "house of water." He also, like Anu, is called "father of the gods." As this god was likewise "lord of deep wisdom," it was to him that his son Merodach went for advice whenever he was in doubt. On account of his knowledge, he was the god of artisans in general-- potters, blacksmiths, sailors, builders, stone-cutters, gardeners, seers, barbers, farmers, etc. This is the Aos (a form which confirms the reading Aa) of Damascius, and the Oannes of the extracts from Berosus, who states that he was "a creature endowed with reason, with a body like that of a fish, and under the fish's head another head, with feet below, like those of a man, with a fish's tail." This description applies fairly well to certain bas-reliefs from Nimroud in the British Museum. The creature described by Berosus lived in the Persian Gulf, landing during the day to teach the inhabitants the building of houses and temples, the cultivation of useful plants, the gathering of fruits, and also geometry, law, and letters. From him, too, came the account of the beginning of things referred to in chapter III. which, in the original Greek, is preceded by a description of the composite monsters said to have existed before Merodach assumed the rule of the universe.

The name of his consort, Damkina or Dawkina, probably means "the eternal spouse," and her other names, /Gaan-ki/ (Sumerian dialectic) and /Nin-ki/ (non-dialectic), "Lady of the earth," sufficiently indicates her province. She is often mentioned in the incantations with .

The forsaking of the worship of as chief god for that of Merodach seems to have caused considerable heartburning in Babylonia, if we may judge from the story of the Flood, for it was on account of his faithfulness that Utnipitim, the Babylonian Noah, attained to salvation from the Flood and immortality afterwards. All through this adventure it was the god who favoured him, and afterwards gave him immortality like that of the gods. There is an interesting Sumerian text in which the ship of seems to be described, the woods of which its various parts were formed being named, and in it, apparently, were Enki (), Damgal-nunna (Damkina), his consort, Asari-lu-duga (Merodach), In-ab (or Ine), the pilot of idu ('s city), and Nin-igi-nagar-sir, "the great architect of heaven":--

"May the ship before thee bring fertility, May the ship after thee bring joy, In thy heart may it make joy of heart . . . ."

was the god of fertility, hence this ending to the poetical description of the ship of .

Bel.

The deity who is mentioned next in order in the list given above is the "older Bel," so called to distinguish him from Bel-Merodach. His principal names were /Mullil/ (dialectic) or /En-lilla/[*] (standard speech), the /Illinos/ of Damascius. His name is generally translated "lord of mist," so-called as god of the underworld, his consort being /Gaan-lil/ or /Nan-lilla/, "the lady of the mist," in Semitic Babylonian /Btu/, "the Lady," par excellence. Bel, whose name means "the lord," was so called because he was regarded as chief of the gods. As there was considerable confusion in consequence of the title Bel having been given to Merodach, Tiglath-pileser I. (about 1200 B.C.) refers to him as the "older Bel" in describing the temple which he built for him at Aur. Numerous names of men compounded with his occur until the latest times, implying that, though the favourite god was Merodach, the worship of Bel was not forgotten, even at Babylon-- that he should have been adored at his own city, Niffur, and at Dur- Kuri-galzu, where Kuri-galzu I. built a temple for "Bel, the lord of the lands," was naturally to be expected. Being, like , a god of the earth, he is regarded as having formed a trinity with Anu, the god of heaven, and , the god of the deep, and prayer to these three was as good as invoking all the gods of the universe. Classification of the gods according to the domain of their power would naturally take place in a religious system in which they were all identified with each other, and this classification indicates, as Jastrow says, a deep knowledge of the powers of nature, and a more than average intelligence among the Babylonians--indeed, he holds it as a proof that, at the period of the older empire, there were schools and students who had devoted themselves to religious speculation upon this point. He also conjectures that the third commandment of the Law of Moses was directed against this doctrine held by the Babylonians.

[*] Ordinarily pronounced /Illila/, as certain glosses and Damascius's /Illinos/ (for /Illilos/) show.

Beltis.

This goddess was properly only the spouse of the older Bel, but as /Btu/, her Babylonian name, simply meant "lady" in general (just as /B/ or /bu/ meant "lord"), it became a title which could be given to any goddess, and was in fact borne by Zer-panum, Itar, Nanaa, and others. It was therefore often needful to add the name of the city over which the special /Btu/ presided, in order to make clear which of them was meant. Besides being the title of the spouse of the older Bel, having her earthly seat with him in Niffur and other less important shrines, the Assyrians sometimes name Btu the spouse of Aur, their national god, suggesting an identification, in the minds of the priests, with that deity.

u-ru or Nirig.

[*] Whether /u-ru/ be a translation of /Nirig/ or not, is uncertain, but not improbable, the meaning being "primeval lord," or something similar, and "lord" that of the first element, /ni/, in the Sumerian form. In support of this reading and rendering may be quoted the fact, that one of the descriptions of this divinity is /asarid ani u/, "the eldest of the gods his brothers." It is noteworthy that this deity was a special favourite among the Assyrians, many of whose kings, to say nothing of private persons, bore his name as a component part of theirs. In the bilingual poem entitled /Ana-kime gimma/ ("Formed like Anu"), he is described as being the son of Bel (hence his appearance after Bel in the list printed above), and in the likeness of Anu, for which reason, perhaps, his divinity is called "Anuship." Beginning with words praising him, it seems to refer to his attitude towards the gods of hostile lands, against whom, apparently, he rode in a chariot of the sacred lapis-lazuli. Anu having endowed him with terrible glory, the gods of the earth feared to attack him, and his onrush was as that of a storm-flood. By the command of Bel, his course was directed towards kur, the temple of Bel at Niffur. Here he was met by Nusku, the supreme messenger of Bel, who, with words of respect and of praise, asks him not to disturb the god Bel, his father, in his seat, nor make the gods of the earth tremble in Upukennaku (the heavenly festival-hall of the gods), and offers him a gift.

[] It will thus be seen that u-ru was a rival to the older Bel, whose temple was the great tower in stages called kura, in which, in all probability, u-me-du, the shrine of u-ru, was likewise situated. The inscriptions call him "god of war," though, unlike Nergal, he was not at the same time god of disease and pestilence. To all appearance he was the god of the various kinds of stones, of which another legend states that he "determined their fate." He was "the hero, whose net overthrows the enemy, who summons his army to plunder the hostile land, the royal son who caused his father to bow down to him from afar." "The son who sat not with the nurse, and eschewed(?) the strength of milk," "the offspring who did not know his father." "He rode over the mountains and scattered seed--unanimously the plants proclaimed his name to their dominion, among them like a great wild bull he raises his horns."

[*] /u-ru/ is the reading which I have adopted as the Semitic Babylonian equivalent of the name of this divinity, in consequence of the Aramaic transcription given by certain contract-tablets discovered by the American expedition to Niffer, and published by Prof. Clay of Philadelphia.

[] The result of this request is not known, in consequence of the defective state of the tablets.

Many other interesting descriptions of the deity Nirig (generally read Nin-ip) occur, and show, with those quoted here, that his story was one of more than ordinary interest.

Nusku.

This deity was especially invoked by the Assyrian kings, but was in no wise exclusively Assyrian, as is shown by the fact that his name occurs in many Babylonian inscriptions. He was the great messenger of the gods, and is variously given as "the offspring of the abyss, the creation of ," and "the likeness of his father, the first-born of Bel." As Gibil, the fire-god, has likewise the same diverse parentage, it is regarded as likely that these two gods were identical. Nusku was the god whose command is supreme, the counsellor of the great gods, the protector of the Igigi (the gods of the heavens), the great and powerful one, the glorious day, the burning one, the founder of cities, the renewer of sanctuaries, the provider of feasts for all the Igigi, without whom no feast took place in kura. Like Nebo, he bore the glorious spectre, and it was said of him that he attacked mightily in battle. Without him the sun-god, the judge, could not give judgment.

All this points to the probability, that Nusku may not have been the fire-god, but the brother of the fire-god, i.e. either flame, or the light of fire. The sun-god, without light, could not see, and therefore could not give judgment: no feast could be prepared without fire and its flame. As the evidence of the presence of the shining orbs in the heavens--the light of their fires--he was the messenger of the gods, and was honoured accordingly. From this idea, too, he became their messenger in general, especially of Bel-Merodach, the younger Bel, whose requests he carried to the god in the Deep. In one inscription he is identified with Nirig or u-ru, who is described above.

Merodach.

Concerning this god, and how he arose to the position of king of all the gods of heaven, has been fully shown in chapter III. Though there is but little in his attributes to indicate any connection with ama, there is hardly any doubt that he was originally a sun-god, as is shown by the etymology of his name. The form, as it has been handed down to us, is somewhat shortened, the original pronunciation having been /Amar-uduk/, "the young steer of day," a name which suggests that he was the morning sun. Of the four names given at the end of chapter III., two--"lord of Babylon," and "lord god of heaven and earth,"--may be regarded as expressing his more well-known attributes. /En-ab-ar- u/, however, is a provisional, though not impossible, reading and rendering, and if correct, the "36,000 wild bulls" would be a metaphorical way of speaking of "the 36,000 heroes," probably meaning the gods of heaven in all their grades. The signification of /En- bilulu/ is unknown. Like most of the other gods of the Babylonian pantheon, however, Merodach had many other names, among which may be mentioned /Asari/, which has been compared with the Egyptian Osiris, /Asari-lu-duga/, "/Asari/ who is good," compared with Osiris Unnefer; /Namtila/, "life", /Tutu/, "begetter (of the gods), renewer (of the gods)," /ar-azaga/, "the glorious incantation," /Mu-azaga/, "the glorious charm," and many others. The last two refer to his being the god who, by his kindness, obtained from his father , dwelling in the abyss, those charms and incantations which benefited mankind, and restored the sick to health. In this connection, a frequent title given to him is "the merciful one," but most merciful was he in that he spared the lives of the gods who, having sided with Taiwath, were his enemies, as is related in the tablet of the fifty-one names. In connection with the fight he bore also the names, "annihilator of the enemy," "rooter out of all evil," "troubler of the evil ones," "life of the whole of the gods." From these names it is clear that Merodach, in defeating Tiawath, annihilated, at the same time, the spirit of evil, Satan, the accuser, of which she was, probably, the Babylonian type. But unlike the Saviour in the Christian creed, he saved not only man, at that time uncreated, but the gods of heaven also. As "king of the heavens," he was identified with the largest of the planets, Jupiter, as well as with other heavenly bodies. Traversing the sky in great zigzags, Jupiter seemed to the Babylonians to superintend the stars, and this was regarded as emblematic of Merodach shepherding them--"pasturing the gods like sheep," as the tablet has it.

A long list of gods gives as it were the court of Merodach, held in what was apparently a heavenly /sagila/, and among the spiritual beings mentioned are /Minul-bi/ and /Minitbi/, "what my lord has eaten," and "what has my lord drunk," /Nadin-mgati/, "he who gives water for the hands," also the two door-keepers, and the four dogs of Merodach, wherein people are inclined to see the four satellites of Jupiter, which, it is thought, were probably visible to certain of the more sharp-sighted stargazers of ancient Babylonia. These dogs were called /Ukkumu/, /Akkulu/, /Iksuda/, and /Iltebu/, "Seizer," "Eater," "Grasper," and "Holder." Images of these beings were probably kept in the temple of sagila at Babylon.

Zer-panum.

This was the name of the consort of Merodach, and is generally read Sarp(b)anitum--a transcription which is against the native orthography and etymology, namely, "seed-creatress" (Zer-banum). The meaning attributed to this word is partly confirmed by another name which Lehmann has pointed out that she possessed, namely, /Erua/ or /Aru'a/, who, in an inscription of Antiochus Soter (280-260 B.C.) is called "the queen who produces birth," but more especially by the circumstance, that she must be identical with Aruru, who created the seed of mankind along with Merodach. Why she was called "the lady of the abyss," and elsewhere "the voice of the abyss" (/Me-abzu/) is not known. Zer-panum was no mere reflection of Merodach, but one of the most important goddesses in the Babylonian pantheon. The tendency of scholars has been to identify her with the moon, Merodach being a solar deity and the meaning "silvery"--/Sarpanitum/, from /sarpu/, one of the words for "silver," was regarded as supporting this idea. She was identified with the Elamite goddess named Elagu, and with the Lahamum of the island of Bahrein, the Babylonian Tilmun.

Nebo and Tamum.

As "the teacher" and "the hearer" these were among the most popular of the deities of Babylonia and Assyria. Nebo (in Semitic Babylonian Nab was worshipped at the temple-tower known as zida, "the ever- lasting house," at Borsippa, now the Birs Nimroud, traditionally regarded as the site of the Tower of Babel, though that title, as has already been shown, would best suit the similar structure known as sagila, "the house of the high head," in Babylon itself. In composition with men's names, this deity occurs more than any other, even including Merodach himself--a clear indication of the estimation in which the Babylonians and Assyrians held the possession of knowledge. The character with which his name is written means, with the pronunciation of /ak/, "to make," "to create," "to receive," "to proclaim," and with the pronunciation of /me/, "to be wise," "wisdom," "open of ear," "broad of ear," and "to make, of a house," the last probably referring to the design rather than to the actual building. Under the name of /Dim-ara/ he was "the creator of the writing of the scribes," as /Ni-zu/, "the god who knows" (/zu/, "to know"), as /Mermer/, "the speeder(?) of the command of the gods"--on the Sumerian side indicating some connection with Addu or Rimmon, the thunderer, and on the Semitic side with u-ru, who was one of the gods' messengers. A small fragment in the British Museum gave his attributes as god of the various cities of Babylonia, but unfortunately their names are lost or incomplete. From what remains, however, we see that Nebo was god of ditching(?), commerce(?), granaries(?), fasting(?), and food; it was he who overthrew the land of the enemy, and who protected planting; and, lastly, he was god of Borsippa.

The worship of Nebo was not always as popular as it became in the later days of the Babylonian empire and after its fall, and Jastrow is of opinion that Hammurabi intentionally ignored this deity, giving the preference to Merodach, though he did not suppress the worship. Why this should have taken place is not by any means certain, for Nebo was a deity adored far and wide, as may be gathered from the fact that there was a mountain bearing his name in Moab, upon which Moses--also an "announcer," adds Jastrow--died. Besides the mountain, there was a city in Moab so named, and another in Jud. That it was the Babylonian Nebo originally is implied by the form--the Hebrew corresponding word is /nabi/.

How old the worship of Tamum, his consort, is, is doubtful, but her name first occurs in a date of the reign of Hammurabi. Details concerning her attributes are rare, and Jastrow regards this goddess as the result of Babylonian religious speculations. It is noteworthy that her worship appears more especially in later times, but it may be doubted whether it is a product of those late times, especially when we bear in mind the remarkable seal-impression on an early tablet of 3500-4500 B.C., belonging to Lord Amherst of Hackney, in which we see a male figure with wide-open mouth seizing a stag by his horns, and a female figure with no mouth at all, but with very prominent ears, holding a bull in a similar manner. Here we have the "teacher" and the "hearer" personified in a very remarkable manner, and it may well be that this primitive picture shows the idea then prevailing with regard to these two deities. It is to be noted that the name of Tamum has a Sumerian equivalent, namely, /Kurnun/, and that the ideograph by which it is represented is one whose general meaning seems to be "to bind," perhaps with the additional signification of "to accomplish," in which case "she who hears" would also be "she who obeys."

ama and his consort.

At all times the worship of the sun in Babylonia and Assyria was exceedingly popular, as, indeed, was to be expected from his importance as the greatest of the heavenly bodies and the brightest, without whose help men could not live, and it is an exceedingly noteworthy fact that this deity did not become, like Ra in Egypt, the head of the pantheon. This place was reserved for Merodach, also a sun-god, but possessing attributes of a far wider scope. ama is mentioned as early as the reign of anna-tum, whose date is set at about 4200 B.C., and at this period his Semitic name does not, naturally, occur, the character used being /Utu/, or, in its longer form, /Utuki/.

It is worthy of note that, in consequence of the Babylonian idea of evolution in the creation of the world, less perfect beings brought forth those which were more perfect, and the sun was therefore the offspring of Nannara or Sin, the moon. In accordance with the same idea, the day, with the Semites, began with the evening, the time when the moon became visible, and thus becomes the offspring of the night. In the inscriptions ama is described as "the light of things above and things below, the illuminator of the regions," "the supreme judge of heaven and earth," "the lord of living creatures, the gracious one of the lands." Dawning in the foundation of the sky, he opened the locks and threw wide the gates of the high heavens, and raised his head, covering heaven and earth with his splendour. He was the constantly righteous in heaven, the truth within the ears of the lands, the god knowing justice and injustice, righteousness he supported upon his shoulders, unrighteousness he burst asunder like a leather bond, etc. It will thus be seen, that the sun-god was the great god of judgment and justice--indeed, he is constantly alluded to as "the judge," the reason in all probability being, that as the sun shines upon the earth all day long, and his light penetrates everywhere, he was regarded as the god who knew and investigated everything, and was therefore best in a position to judge aright, and deliver a just decision. It is for this reason that his image appears at the head of the stele inscribed with Hammurabi's laws, and legal ceremonies were performed within the precincts of his temples. The chief seats of his worship were the great temples called babbara, "the house of great light," in the cities of Larsa and Sippar.

The consort of ama was Aa, whose chief seat was at Sippar, side by side with ama. Though only a weak reflex of the sun-god, her worship was exceedingly ancient, being mentioned in an inscription of Man-itusu, who is regarded as having reigned before Sargon of Agad From the fact that, in one of the lists, she has names formed by reduplicating the name of the sun-god, /Utu/, she would seem once to have been identical with him, in which case it may be supposed that she personified the setting sun--"the double sun" from the magnified disc which he presents at sunset, when, according to a hymn to the setting sun sung at the temple at Borsippa, Aa, in the Sumerian line Kur-nirda, was accustomed to go to receive him. According to the list referred to above, Aa, with the name of Burida in Sumerian, was more especially the consort of a-zu, "him who knows the heart," one of the names of Merodach, who was probably the morning sun, and therefore the exact counterpart of the sun at evening.

Besides ama and Utu, the latter his ordinary Sumerian name, the sun- god had several other non-Semitic names, including /Ginu/

[*] "the light," /Ma-banda-anna/, "the bark of heaven," /U-, "the rising sun," /Mitra/, apparently the Persian Mithra; /Ume-ima/ and Nahunda, Elamite names, and Sahi, the Kassite name of the sun. He also sometimes bears the names of his attendants Kittu and Mru, "Truth" and "Righteousness," who guided him upon his path as judge of the earth.

[*] It is the group expressing this word which is used for ama in the name of ama-um-uk (Saosduchinos), the brother of Aur- bani-li (Assurbanipal). The Greek equivalent implies the pronunciation /awa/, as well as /ama/.

Tammuz and Itar.

The date of the rise of the myth of Tammuz is uncertain, but as the name of this god is found on tablets of the time of Lugal-anda and Uru-ka-gina (about 3500 B.C.), it can hardly be of later date than 4000 B.C., and may be much earlier. As he is repeatedly called "the shepherd," and had a domain where he pastured his flock, Professor Sayce sees in Tammuz "Daonus or Daos, the shepherd of Pantibibla," who, according to Berosus, ruled in Babylonia for 10 /sari/, or 36,000 years, and was the sixth king of the mythical period. According to the classic story, the mother of Tammuz had unnatural intercourse with her own father, being urged thereto by Aphrodite whom she had offended, and who had decided thus to avenge herself. Being pursued by her father, who wished to kill her for this crime, she prayed to the gods, and was turned into a tree, from whose trunk Adonis was afterwards born. Aphrodite was so charmed with the infant that, placing him in a chest, she gave him into the care of Persephone, who, however, when she discovered what a treasure she had in her keeping, refused to part with him again. Zeus was appealed to, and decided that for four months in the year Adonis should be left to himself, four should be spent with Aphrodite, and four with Persephone, and six with Aphrodite on earth. He was afterwards slain, whilst hunting, by a wild boar.

Nothing has come down to us as yet concerning this legend except the incident of his dwelling in Hades, whither Itar, the Babylonian Venus, went in search of him. It is not by any means unlikely, however, that the whole story existed in Babylonia, and thence spread to Phnicia, and afterwards to Greece. In Phnicia it was adapted to the physical conditions of the country, and the place of Tammuz's encounter with the boar was said to be the mountains of Lebanon, whilst the river named after him, Adonis (now the Nahr Ibrahim), which ran red with the earth washed down by the autumn rains, was said to be so coloured in consequence of being mingled with his blood. The descent of Tammuz to the underworld, typified by the flowing down of the earth-laden waters of the rivers to the sea, was not only celebrated by the Phnicians, but also by the Babylonians, who had at least two series of lamentations which were used on this occasion, and were probably the originals of those chanted by the Hebrew women in the time of Ezekiel (about 597 B.C.). Whilst on earth, he was the one who nourished the ewe and her lamb, the goat and her kid, and also caused them to be slain--probably in sacrifice. "He has gone, he has gone to the bosom of the earth," the mourners cried, "he will make plenty to overflow for the land of the dead, for its lamentations for the day of his fall, in the unpropitious month of his year." There was also lamentation for the cessation of the growth of vegetation, and one of these hymns, after addressing him as the shepherd and husband of Itar, "lord of the underworld," and "lord of the shepherd's seat," goes on to liken him to a germ which has not absorbed water in the furrow, whose bud has not blossomed in the meadow; to the sapling which has not been planted by the watercourse, and to the sapling whose root has been removed. In the "Lamentations" in the Manchester Museum, Itar, or one of her devotees, seems to call for Tammuz, saying, "Return, my husband," as she makes her way to the region of gloom in quest of him. Ere-gala, "the lady of the great house" (Persephone), is also referred to, and the text seems to imply that Itar entered her domain in spite of her. In this text other names are given to him, namely, /Tumu-giba/, "son of the flute," /Ama-elaggi/, and /i-umunnagi/, "life of the people."

The reference to sheep and goats in the British Museum fragment recalls the fact that in an incantation for purification the person using it is told to get the milk of a yellow goat which has been brought forth in the sheep-fold of Tammuz, recalling the flocks of the Greek sun-god Helios. These were the clouds illuminated by the sun, which were likened to sheep--indeed, one of the early Sumerian expressions for "fleece" was "sheep of the sky." The name of Tammuz in Sumerian is Dumu-zi, or in its rare fullest form, Dumu-zida, meaning "true" or "faithful son." There is probably some legend attached to this which is at present unknown.

In all probability Itar, the spouse of Tammuz, is best known from her descent into Hades in quest of him when with Persephone (Ere-ki-gal) in the underworld. In this she had to pass through seven gates, and an article of clothing was taken from her at each, until she arrived in the underworld quite naked, typifying the teaching, that man can take nothing away with him when he departs this life. During her absence, things naturally began to go wrong upon the earth, and the gods were obliged to intervene, and demand her release, which was ultimately granted, and at each gate, as she returned, the adornments which she had left were given back to her. It is uncertain whether the husband whom she sought to release was set free, but the end of the inscription seems to imply that Itar was successful in her mission.

In this story she typifies the faithful wife, but other legends show another side of her character, as in that of Gilgame, ruler of her city Erech, to whom she makes love. Gilgame, however, knowing the character of the divine queen of his city too well, reproaches her with her treatment of her husband and her other lovers--Tammuz, to whom, from year to year, she caused bitter weeping; the bright coloured Allala bird, whom she smote and broke his wings; the lion perfect in strength, in whom she cut wounds "by sevens"; the horse glorious in war, to whom she caused hardship and distress, and to his mother Silili bitter weeping; the shepherd who provided for her things which she liked, whom she smote and changed to a jackal; Iullanu, her father's gardener, whom she tried, apparently, to poison, but failing, she smote him, and changed him to a statue(?). On being thus reminded of her misdeeds, Itar was naturally angry, and, ascending to heaven, complained to her father Anu and her mother Anatu, the result being, that a divine bull was sent against Gilgame and Enki-du, his friend and helper. The bull, however, was killed, and a portion of the animal having been cut off, Enki-du threw it at the goddess, saying at the same time that, if he could only get hold of her, he would treat her similarly. Apparently Itar recognised that there was nothing further to be done in the matter, so, gathering the hand-maidens, pleasure- women and whores, in their presence she wept over the portion of the divine bull which had been thrown at her.

The worship of Itar, she being the goddess of love and war, was considerably more popular than that of her spouse, Tammuz, who, as among the western Semitic nations, was adored rather by the women than the men. Her worship was in all probability of equal antiquity, and branched out, so to say, in several directions, as may be judged by her many names, each of which had a tendency to become a distinct personality. Thus the syllabaries give the character which represents her name as having also been pronounced /Innanna/, /Ennen/, and /Nin/, whilst a not uncommon name in other inscriptions is /Ama-Innanna/, "mother Itar." The principal seat of her worship in Babylonia was at Erech, and in Assyria at Nineveh--also at Arbela, and many other places. She was also honoured (at Erech and elsewhere) under the Elamite names of Tipak and uinak, "the Susian goddess."

Nina.

From the name /Nin/, which Itar bore, there is hardly any doubt that she acquired the identification with Nina, which is provable as early as the time of the Lagaite kings, Lugal-anda and Uru-ka-gina. As identified with Aruru, the goddess who helped Merodach to create mankind, Itar was also regarded as the mother of all, and in the Babylonian story of the Flood, she is made to say that she had begotten man, but like "the sons of the fishes," he filled the sea. Nina, then, as another form of Itar, was a goddess of creation, typified in the teeming life of the ocean, and her name is written with a character standing for a house or receptacle, with the sign for "fish" within. Her earliest seat was the city of Nina in southern Babylonia, from which place, in all probability, colonists went northwards, and founded another shrine at Nineveh in Assyria, which afterwards became the great centre of her worship, and on this account the city was called after her Ninaa or Ninua. As their tutelary goddess, the fishermen in the neighbourhood of the Babylonian Nina and Laga were accustomed to make to her, as well as to Innanna or Itar, large offerings of fish.

As the masculine deities had feminine forms, so it is not by any means improbable that the goddesses had masculine forms, and if that be the case, we may suppose that it was a masculine counterpart of Nina who founded Nineveh, which, as is well known, is attributed to Ninos, the same name as Nina with the Greek masculine termination.

Nin-Gursu.

This deity is principally of importance in connection with the ancient Babylonian state of Laga, the home of an old and important line of kings and viceroys, among the latter being the celebrated Gudea, whose statues and inscribed cylinders now adorn the Babylonian galleries of the Louvre at Paris. His name means "Lord of Girsu," which was probably one of the suburbs, and the oldest part, of Laga. This deity was son of En-lila or B, and was identified with Nirig or u-ru. To all appearance he was a sun-deity. The dialectic form of his name was /U-Mersi/, of which a variant, /En-Mersi/, occurs in an incantation published in the fourth volume of the /Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia/, pl. 27, where, for the Sumerian "Take a white kid of En-Mersi," the Semitic translation is "of Tammuz," showing that he was identified with the latter god. In the second volume of the same work Nin-Girsu is given as the pronunciation of the name of the god of agriculturalists, confirming this identification, Tammuz being also god of agriculture.

Bau.

This goddess at all times played a prominent part in ancient Babylonian religion, especially with the rulers before the dynasty of Hammurabi. She was the "mother" of Laga, and her temple was at Uru-azaga, a district of Laga, the chief city of Nin-Girsu, whose spouse she was. Like Nin-Girsu, she planted (not only grain and vegetation, but also the seed of men). In her character of the goddess who gave life to men, and healed their bodies in sickness, she was identified with Gula, one of those titles is "the lady saving from death". Ga-tum-duga, whose name probably means "making and producing good," was also exceedingly popular in ancient times, and though identified with Bau, is regarded by Jastrow has having been originally distinct from her.

Ere-ki-gal or Allatu.

As the prototype of Persephone, this goddess is one of much importance for comparative mythology, and there is a legend concerning her of considerable interest. The text is one of those found at Tel-el- Armana, in Egypt, and states that the gods once made a feast, and sent to Ere-ki-gal, saying that, though they could go down to her, she could not ascend to them, and asking her to send a messenger to fetch away the food destined for her. This she did, and all the gods stood up to receive her messenger, except one, who seems to have withheld this token of respect. The messenger, when he returned, apparently related to Ere-ki-gal what had happened, and angered thereat, she sent him back to the presence of the gods, asking for the delinquent to be delivered to her, that she might kill him. The gods then discussed the question of death with the messenger, and told him to take to his mistress the god who had not stood up in his presence. When the gods were brought together, that the culprit might be recognised, one of them remained in the background, and on the messenger asking who it was who did not stand up, it was found to be Nerigal. This god was duly sent, but was not at all inclined to be submissive, for instead of killing him, as she had threatened, Ere- ki-gal found herself seized by the hair and dragged from her throne, whilst the death-dealing god made ready to cut off her head. "Do not kill me, my brother, let me speak to thee," she cried, and on his loosing his hold upon her hair, she continued, "thou shalt be my husband, and I will be thy wife--I will cause you to take dominion in the wide earth. I will place the tablet of wisdom in thine hand--thou shalt be lord, I will be lady." Nerigal thereupon took her, kissed her, and wiped away her tears, saying, "Whatever thou hast asked me for months past now receives assent."

Ere-ki-gal did not treat her rival in the affections of Tammuz so gently when Itar descended to Hades in search of the "husband of her youth." According to the story, not only was Itar deprived of her garments and ornaments, but by the orders of Ere-ki-gal, Namtar smote her with disease in all her members. It was not until the gods intervened that Itar was set free. The meaning of her name is "lady of the great region," a description which is supposed to apply to Hades, and of which a variant, Ere-ki-gal, "lady of the great house," occurs in the Hymns to Tammuz in the Manchester Museum.

Nergal.

This name is supposed to mean "lord of the great habitation," which would be a parallel to that of his spouse Ere-ki-gal. He was the ruler of Hades, and at the same time god of war and of disease and pestilence. As warrior, he naturally fought on the side of those who worshipped him, as in the phrase which describes him as "the warrior, the fierce storm-flood overthrowing the land of the enemy." As pointed out by Jastrow, he differs from Nirig, who was also a god of war, in that he symbolises, as god of disease and death, the misery and destruction which accompany the strife of nations. It is in consequence of this side of his character that he appears also as god of fire, the destroying element, and Jensen says that Nerigal was god of the midday or of the summer sun, and therefore of all the misfortunes caused by an excess of his heat.

The chief centre of his worship was Cuthah (/Kut, Sumerian /Gudua/) near Babylon, now represented by the mounds of Tel Ibrahim. The identity with the Greek Aries and the Roman Mars is proved by the fact that his planet was /Mutabarrmanu/, "the death-spreader," which is probably the name of Mars in Semitic Babylonian.

Amurru.

Although this is not by any means a frequent name among the deities worshipped in Babylonia, it is worthy of notice on account of its bearing upon the date of the compilation of the tablet which has been taken as a basis of this list of gods. He was known as "Lord of the mountains," and his worship became very popular during the period of the dynasty to which Hammurabi belonged--say from 2200 to 1937 B.C., when Amurru was much combined with the names of men, and is found both on tablets and cylinder-seals. The ideographic manner of writing it is /Mar-tu/, a word that is used for /Amurru/, the land of the Amorites, which stood for the West in general. Amorites had entered Babylonia in considerable numbers during this period, so that there is but little doubt that his popularity was largely due to their influence, and the tablet containing these names was probably drawn up, or at least had the Semitic equivalents added, towards the beginning of that period.

Sin or Nannara.

The cult of the moon-god was one of the most popular in Babylonia, the chief seat of his worship being at Uru (now Muqayyar) the Biblical Ur of the Chaldees. The origin of the name Sin is unknown, but it is thought that it may be a corruption of Zu-ena, "knowledge-lord," as the compound ideograph expressing his name may be read and translated. Besides this compound ideograph, the name of the god Sin was also expressed by the character for "30," provided with the prefix of divinity, an ideograph which is due to the thirty days of the month, and is thought to be of late date. With regard to Nannar, Jastrow explains it as being for Narnar, and renders it "light-producer." In a long hymn to this god he is described in many lines as "the lord, prince of the gods, who in heaven alone is supreme," and as "father Nannar." Among his other descriptive titles are "great Anu" (Sum. /ana gale/, Semitic Bab. /Anu rab)--another instance of the identification of two deities. He was also "lord of Ur," "lord of the temple Ginu-gala," "lord of the shining crown," etc. He is also said to be "the mighty steer whose horns are strong, whose limbs are perfect, who is bearded with a beard of lapis-stone,[*] who is filled with beauty and fullness (of splendour)."

[*] Probably of the colour of lapis only, not made of the stone itself.

Besides Babylonia and Assyria, he was also worshipped in other parts of the Semitic east, especially at Harran, to which city Abraham migrated, scholars say, in consequence of the patron-deity being the same as at Ur of the Chaldees, where he had passed the earlier years of his life. The Mountain of Sinai and the Desert of Sin, both bear his name.

According to king Dungi (about 2700 B.C.), the spouse of Sin or Nannara was Nin-Uruwa, "the lady of Ur." Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B.C.) calls her Nin-gala.

Addu or Rammanu.

The numerous names which Hadad bears in the inscriptions, both non- Semitic and Semitic, testify to the popularity which this god enjoyed at all times in Babylonia. Among his non-Semitic names may be mentioned Mer, Mermer, Muru, all, it may be imagined, imitative. Addu is explained as being his name in the Amorite language, and a variant form, apparently, which has lost its first syllable, namely, Dadu, also appears--the Assyrians seem always to have used the terminationless form of Addu, namely, Adad. In all probability Addu, Adad, and Dadu are derived from the West Semitic Hadad, but the other name, Rammanu, is native Babylonian, and cognate with Rimmon, which is thus shown by the Babylonian form to mean "the thunderer," or something similar. He was the god of winds, storms, and rain, feared on account of the former, and worshipped, and his favour sought, on account of the last. In his name Birqu, he appears as the god of lightning, and Jastrow is of opinion, that he is sometimes associated on that account with ama, both of them being (although in different degrees) gods of light, and this is confirmed by the fact that, in common with the sun-god, he was called "god of justice." In the Assyrian inscriptions he appears as a god of war, and the kings constantly compare the destruction which their armies had wrought with that of "Adad the inundator." For them he was "the mighty one, inundating the regions of the enemy, lands and houses," and was prayed to strike the land of the person who showed hostility to the Assyrian king, with evil-working lightning, to throw want, famine, drought, and corpses therein, to order that he should not live one day longer, and to destroy his name and his seed in the land.

The original seat of his worship was Muru in South Babylonia, to which the patesi of Girsu in the time of Ibi-Sin sent grain as an offering. Its site is unknown. Other places (or are they other names of the same?) where he was worshipped were Ennigi and Kakru. The consort of Addu was ala, whose worship was likewise very popular, and to whom there were temples, not only in Babylonia and Assyria, but also in Elam, seemingly always in connection with Addu.

Aur.

In all the deities treated of above, we see the chief gods of the Babylonian and Assyrian pantheon, which were worshipped by both peoples extensively, none of them being specifically Assyrian, though worshipped by the Assyrians. There was one deity, however, whose name will not be found in the Babylonian lists of gods, namely, Aur, the national god of Assyria, who was worshipped in the city of Aur, the old capital of the country.

From this circumstance, it may be regarded as certain, that Aur was the local god of the city whose name he bore, and that he attained to the position of chief god of the Assyrian pantheon in the same way as Merodach became king of the gods in Babylonia--namely, because Aur was the capital of the country. His acceptance as chief divinity, however, was much more general than that of Merodach, as temples to him were to be found all over the Assyrian kingdom--a circumstance which was probably due to Assyria being more closely united in itself than Babylonia, causing his name to arouse patriotic feelings wherever it might be referred to. This was probably partly due to the fact, that the king in Assyria was more the representative of the god than in Babylonia, and that the god followed him on warlike expeditions, and when engaged in religious ceremonies--indeed, it is not by any means improbable that he was thought to follow him wherever he went. On the sculptures he is seen accompanying him in the form of a circle provided with wings, in which is shown sometimes a full-length figure of the god in human form, sometimes the upper part only, facing towards and drawing his bow against the foe. In consequence of its general appearance, the image of the god has been likened to the sun in eclipse, the far-stretching wings being thought to resemble the long streamers visible at the moment of totality, and it must be admitted as probable that this may have given the idea of the symbol shown on the sculptures. As a sun-god, and at the same time not the god ama, he resembled the Babylonian Merodach, and was possibly identified with him, especially as, in at least one text, Btu (Btis) is described as his consort, which would possibly identify Aur's spouse with Zer-panum. The original form of his name would seem to have been Auar, "water-field," probably from the tract where the city of Aur was built. His identification with Merodach, if that was ever accepted, may have been due to the likeness of the word to Asari, one of that deity's names. The pronunciation Aur, however, seems to have led to a comparison with the Anar of the first tablet of the Creation-story, though it may seem strange that the Assyrians should have thought that their patron-god was a deity symbolising the "host of heaven." Nevertheless, the Greek transcription of Anar, namely, /Assoros/, given by Damascius, certainly strengthens the indications of the ideograph in this matter. Delitzsch regards the word Aur, or Aur, as he reads it, as meaning "holy," and quotes a list of the gods of the city of Nineveh, where the word Aur occurs three times, suggesting the exclamation "holy, holy, holy," or "the holy, holy, holy one." In all probability, however, the repetition of the name three times simply means that there were three temples dedicated to Aur in the cities in question.[*] Jastrow agrees with Delitzsch in regarding Aur as another form of Air (found in early Cappadocian names), but he translates it rather as "overseer" or "guardian" of the land and the people--the terminationless form of /airu/, which has this meaning, and is applied to Merodach.

[*] Or there may have been three shrines to Aur in each temple referred to.

As the use of the characters /An-ar/ for the god Aur only appears at a late date (Jastrow says the eighth century B.C.), this would seem to have been the work of the scribes, who wished to read into the name the earlier signification of Anar, "the host of heaven," an explanation fully in accord with Jastrow's reasonings with regard to the nature of the deity. As he represented no personification or power of nature, he says, but the general protecting spirit of the land, the king, the army, and the people, the capital of the country could be transferred from Aur to Calah, from there back to Aur, and finally to Nineveh, without affecting the position of the protecting god of the land in any way. He needed no temple--though such things were erected to him--he had no need to fear that he should suffer in esteem by the preference for some other god. As the embodiment of the spirit of the Assyrian people the personal side of his being remained to a certain extent in the background. If he was the "host of heaven," all the deities might be regarded as having their being in him.

Such was the chief deity of the Assyrians--a national god, grafted on to, but always distinct from, the rest of the pantheon, which, as has been shown, was of Babylonian origin, and always maintained the characteristics and stamp of its origin.

The spouse of Aur does not appear in the historical texts, and her mention elsewhere under the title of Btu, "the lady," does not allow of any identification being made. In one inscription, however, Auritu is called the goddess, and Aur the god, of the star Sib-zi- anna, identified by Jensen with Regulus, which was apparently the star of Merodach in Babylonia. This, however, brings us no nearer, for Auritu would simply mean "the Assurite (goddess)."

The minor divinities.

Among the hundreds of names which the lists furnish, a few are worthy of mention, either because of more than ordinary interest, or in consequence of their furnishing the name of some deity, chief in its locality, but identified elsewhere with one of the greater gods.

Aa.--This may be regarded either as the god (though the name is written differently), or as the sun-god assuming the name of his consort; or (what is, perhaps, more probable) as a way of writing A'u or Ya'u (the Hebrew Jah), without the ending of the nominative. This last is also found under the form /Aa'u/, /ya'u/, /yau/, and /ya/.

Abil-addu.--This deity seems to have attained a certain popularity in later times, especially among immigrants from the West. As "the son of Hadad," he was the equivalent of the Syrian Ben-Hadad. A tablet in New York shows that his name was weakened in form to /Ablada/.

Aku, the moon-god among the heavenly bodies. It is this name which is regarded as occurring in the name of the Babylonian king Eri-Aku, "servant of the moon-god," the biblical Arioch (Gen. xiv.).

Amma-an-ki, or Aa as lord of heaven and earth.

Amna.--A name only found in a syllabary, and assigned to the sun-god, from which it would seem that it is a form of the Egyptian Ammon.

Anunitum, the goddess of one of the two Sippars, called Sippar of Anunitum, who was worshipped in the temple ulma within the city of Agad(Akkad). Sayce identifies, on this account, these two places as being the same. In a list of stars, Anunitum is coupled with inunutum, which are explained as (the stars of) the Tigris and Euphrates. These were probably names of Venus as the morning and evening (or evening and morning) star.

Apsu.--The deep dissociated from the evil connection with Tiawath, and regarded as "the house of deep wisdom," i.e. the home of the god or Aa.

Aruru.--One of the deities of Sippar and Aruru (in the time of the dynasty of Hammurabi called Ya'ruru), of which she was the chief goddess. Aruru was one of the names of the "lady of the gods," and aided Merodach to make the seed of mankind.

B.--As this name means "lord," it could be applied, like the Phnician Baal, to the chief god of any city, as B of Niffur, B of Hursag-kalama, B of Aratta, B of Babylon, etc. This often indicates also the star which represented the chief god of a place.

Btu.--In the same way Btu, meaning "lady," meant also the chief goddess of any place, as "Aruru, lady of the gods of Sippar of Aruru," "Nin-mah, lady of the gods of mah," a celebrated temple within Babylon, recently excavated by the Germans, "Nin-hur-saga, lady of the gods of K" etc.

Bunene.--A god associated with ama and Itar at Sippar and elsewhere. He "gave" and "renewed" to his worshippers.

Dagan.--This deity, whose worship extends back to an exceedingly early date, is generally identified with the Phnician Dagon. Hammurabi seems to speak of the Euphrates as being "the boundary of Dagan," whom he calls his creator. In later inscriptions the form Daguna, which approaches nearer to the West Semitic form, is found in a few personal names. The Phnician statues of this deity showed him with the lower part of his body in the form of a fish (see 1 Sam. v. 4). Whether the deities clothed in a fish's skin in the Nimroud gallery be Dagon or not is uncertain--they may be intended for or Aa, the Oannes of Berosus, who was represented in this way. Probably the two deities were regarded as identical.

Damu.--a goddess regarded as equivalent to Gula by the Babylonians and Assyrians. She was goddess of healing, and made one's dreams happy.

Dumu-zi-abzu, "Tammuz of the Abyss."--This was one of the six sons of or Aa, according to the lists. His worship is exceedingly ancient, and goes back to the time of E-anna-tum of Laga (about 4000 B.C.). What connection, if any, he may have with Tammuz, the spouse of Itar, is unknown. Jastrow apparently regards him as a distinct deity, and translates his name "the child of the life of the water-deep."

Elali.--A deity identified with the Hebrew Helal, the new moon. Only found in names of the time of the Hammurabi dynasty, in one of which he appears as "a creator."

En-nugi is described as "lord of streams and canals," and "lord of the earth, lord of no-return." This last description, which gives the meaning of his name, suggests that he was one of the gods of the realm of Ere-ki-gal, though he may have borne that name simply as god of streams, which always flow down, never the reverse.

Gibil.--One of the names of the god of fire, sometimes transcribed Girru by Assyriologists, the meaning apparently being "the fire- bearer" or "light-bearer." Girru is another name of this deity, and translates an ideographic group, rendered by Delitzsch "great" or "highest decider," suggesting the custom of trial by ordeal. He was identified with Nirig, in Semitic u-ru.

Guqi-banda or Kuski-banda, one of the names of , probably as god of gold-workers.

Ium, "the glorious sacrificer," seemingly a name of the fire-god as a means whereby burnt offerings were made. N-Ium, "light of Ium," is found as a man's name.

Kwanu, the planet Saturn.

Lagamal.--A god identified with the Elamite Lagamar, whose name is regarded as existing in Chedorlaomer (cf. Gen. xiv. 2). He was the chief god of Mair, "the ship-city."

Lugal-Amarada or Lugal-Marad.--This name means "king of Marad," a city as yet unidentified. The king of this place seems to have been Nerigal, of whom, therefore, Lugal-Marad is another name.

Lugal-banda.--This name means "the powerful king," or something similar, and the god bearing it is supposed to be the same as Nerigal. His consort, however, was named Nin-sun (or Nin-gul).

Lugal-Du-azaga, "the king of the glorious seat."--The founder of idu, "the good city within the Abyss," probably the paradise (or a paradise) of the world to come. As it was the aim of every good Babylonian to dwell hereafter with the god whom he had worshipped upon earth, it may be conjectured that this was the paradise in the domain of or Aa.

Mama, Mami.--Names of "the lady of the gods," and creatress of the seed of mankind, Aruru. Probably so called as the "mother" of all things. Another name of this goddess is Ama, "mother."

Mammitum, Mamitum, goddess of fate.

Mur, one of the names of Addu or Rammanu (Hadad or Rimmon).

Nanor Nanaa was the consort of Nebo at Borsippa, but appears as a form of Itar, worshipped, with Anu her father, at Erech.

Nin-aha-kuku, a name of or Aa and of his daughter as deity of the rivers, and therefore of gardens and plantations, which were watered by means of the small canals leading therefrom. As daughter of , this deity was also "lady of the incantation."

Nin-azu, the consort of Ere-ki-gal, probably as "lord physician." He is probably to be identified with Nerigal.

Nin-igi-nagar-si, a name somewhat more doubtful as to its reading than the others, designates or Aa as "the god of the carpenter." He seems to have borne this as "the great constructor of heaven" or "of Anu."

Nin-mah, chief goddess of the temple mah in Babylon. Probably to be identified with Aruru, and therefore with Zer-panum.

Nin-ah, a deity whose name is conjectured to mean "lord of the wild boar." He seems to have been a god of war, and was identified with Nirig or u-ru and Pap-sukal.

Nin-sirsir, as the god of sailors.

Nin-sun, as pointed out by Jastrow, was probably the same as Itar or Nan of Erech, where she had a shrine, with them, in anna, "the house of Anu." He renders her name "the annihilating lady,"[*] "appropriate for the consort of a sun-god," for such he regards Lugal- banda her spouse. King Sin-gasid of Erech (about 3000 B.C.) refers to her as his mother.

[*] This is due to the second element of the name having, with another pronunciation, the meaning of "to destroy."

Nun-urra.--, as the god of potters.

Pap-sukal.--A name of Nin-ah as the "divine messenger," who is also described as god "of decisions." Nin-ah would seem to have been one of the names of Pap-sukal rather than the reverse.

Qarradu, "strong," "mighty," "brave."--This word, which was formerly translated "warrior," is applied to several deities, among them being B, Nergal, Nirig (u-ru), and ama, the sun-god.

Ragimu and Ramimu, names of Rimmon or Hadad as "the thunderer." The second comes from the same root as Rammanu (Rimmon).

uqamunu.--A deity regarded as "lord of watercourses," probably the artificial channels dug for the irrigation of fields.

Ura-gala, a name of Nerigal.

Ura, a name of Nirig, under which he was worshipped at Dailem, near Babylon.

Zagaga, dialectic Zamama.--This deity, who was a god of war, was identified with Nirig. One of this titles was /b parakki/, "lord of the royal chamber," or "throne-room."

Zaraqu or Zariqu.--As the root of this name means "to sprinkle," he was probably also a god of irrigation, and may have presided over ceremonial purification. He is mentioned in names as the "giver of seed" and "giver of a name" (i.e. offspring).

These are only a small proportion of the names found in the inscriptions, but short as the list necessarily is, the nature, if not the full composition, of the Babylonian pantheon will easily be estimated therefrom.

It will be seen that besides the identifications of the deities of all the local pantheons with each other, each divinity had almost as many names as attributes and titles, hence their exceeding multiplicity. In such an extensive pantheon, many of the gods composing it necessarily overlap, and identification of each other, to which the faith, in its primitive form, was a stranger, were inevitable. The tendency to monotheism which this caused will be referred to later on.

The gods and the heavenly bodies.

It has already been pointed out that, from the evidence of the Babylonian syllabary, the deities of the Babylonians were not astral in their origin, the only gods certainly originating in heavenly bodies being the sun and the moon. This leads to the supposition that the Babylonians, bearing these two deities in mind, may have asked themselves why, if these two were represented by heavenly bodies, the others should not be so represented also. Be this as it may, the other deities of the pantheon were so represented, and the full planetary scheme, as given by a bilingual list in the British Museum, was as follows:

Aku Sin the moon Sin

Biebi ama the sun ama

Dapinu Umun-sig- Jupiter Merodach

Zib[*] Dele-bat Venus Itar

Lu-lim Lu-bat-sag-u Saturn Nirig (acc. to Jensen)

Bibbu Lubat-gud Mercury Nebo

Simutu Mutabarru Mars Nergal manu

All the above names of planets have the prefix of divinity, but in other inscriptions the determinative prefix is that for "star," /kakkabu/.

[*] This is apparently a Sumerian dialectic form, the original word having seemingly been Zig.

Moon and Sun.

Unfortunately, all the above identifications of the planets with the deities in the fourth column are not certain, namely, those corresponding with Saturn, Mercury, and Mars. With regard to the others, however, there is no doubt whatever. The reason why the moon is placed before the sun is that the sun, as already explained, was regarded as his son. It was noteworthy also that the moon was accredited with two other offspring, namely, M and Mu--son and daughter respectively. As /m/ means "twin," these names must symbolise the two halves, or, as we say, "quarters" of the moon, who were thus regarded, in Babylonian mythology, as his "twin children."

Jupiter and Saturn.

Concerning Jupiter, who is in the above called Dapinu (Semitic), and Umun-sig- (Sumerian), it has already been noted that he was called Nibiru--according to Jensen, Merodach as he who went about among the stars "pasturing" them like sheep, as stated in the Babylonian story of the Creation (or Bel and the Dragon). This is explained by him as being due to the comparatively rapid and extensive path of Jupiter on the ecliptic, and it would seem probable that the names of Saturn, /Kwanu/ and /Sag-u/ (the former, which is Semitic Babylonian, meaning "steadfast," or something similar, and the latter, in Sumerian, "head-firm" or "steadfast"--"phlegmatic"), to all appearance indicate in like manner the deliberation of his movements compared with those of the planet dedicated to the king of the gods.

Venus at sunrise and sunset.

A fragment of a tablet published in 1870 gives some interesting particulars concerning the planet Venus, probably explaining some as yet unknown mythological story concerning her. According to this, she was a female at sunset, and a male at sunrise; Itar of Agad(Akad or Akkad) at sunrise, and Itar of Erech at sunset: Itar of the stars at sunrise, and the lady of the gods at sunset.

And in the various months.

Itar was identified with Nin-si-anna in the first month of the year (Nisan = March-April), with the star of the bow in Ab (August- September), etc. In Sebat (January-February) she was the star of the water-channel, Ik which was Merodach's star in Sivan (May-June), and in Marcheswan her star was Rabbu, which also belonged to Merodach in the same month. It will thus be seen, that Babylonian astronomy is far from being as clear as would be desired, but doubtless many difficulties will disappear when further inscriptions are available.

Stars identified with Merodach.

The same fragment gives the celestial names of Merodach for every month of the year, from which it would appear, that the astrologers called him Umun-sig- in Nisan (March-April), Dapinu in Tammuz (June- July), Nibiru in Tisri (September-October), arru (the star Regulus), in Tebet (December-January), etc. The first three are names by which the planet Jupiter was known.

As for the planets and stars, so also for the constellations, which are identified with many gods and divine beings, and probably contain references, in their names and descriptions, to many legends. In the sixth tablet of the Creation-series, it is related of Merodach that, after creating the heavens and the stations for Anu, B, and Ae, "

He built firmly the stations of the great gods-- Stars their likeness--he set up the /Lumali/, He designated the year, he outlined the (heavenly) forms. He set for the twelve months three stars each, From the day when the year begins, . . . for signs."

As pointed out by Mr. Robert Brown, jr., who has made a study of these things, the "three stars" for each month occur on one of the remains of planispheres in the British Museum, and are completed by a tablet which gives them in list-form, in one case with explanations. Until these are properly identified, however, it will be impossible to estimate their real value. The signs of the Zodiac, which are given by another tablet, are of greater interest, as they are the originals of those which are in use at the present time:--

Month Sign Equivalent

Nisan (Mar.-Apr.) The Labourer The Ram

Iyyar (Apr.-May) /Mulmula/ and the Bull of heaven The Bull Sivan (May-June) /Sib-zi-anna/ and the great Twins The Twins

Tammuz (June-July) /Allul/ or /Nagar/ The Crab

Ab (July.-Aug.) The Lion (or dog) The Lion

Elul (Aug.-Sep.) The Ear of corn(?) The ear of Corn (Virgo)

Tisri (Sep.-Oct.) The Scales The Scales

Marcheswan (Oct.-Nov.) The Scorpion The Scorpion

Chisleu (Nov.-Dec.) /Pa-bil-sag/ The Archer

Tebet (Dec.-Jan.) /Sahar-ma/, the Fish-kid The Goat

Sebat (Jan.-Feb.) /Gula/ The Water-bearer

Adar (Feb.-Mar.) The Water Channel and the Tails The Fishes.

Parallels in Babylonian legends.

The "bull of heaven" probably refers to some legend such as that of the story of Gilgame in his conflict with the goddess Itar when the divine bull was killed; /Sib-zi-anna/, "the faithful shepherd of heaven," suggests that this constellation may refer to Tammuz, the divine shepherd; whilst "the scorpion" reminds us of the scorpion-men who guarded the gate of the sun (ama), when Gilgame was journeying to gain information concerning his friend Enki-du, who had departed to the place of the dead. Sir Henry Rawlinson many years ago pointed out that the story of the Flood occupied the eleventh tablet of the Gilgame series, corresponding with the eleventh sign of the Zodiac, Aquarius, or the Water-bearer.

Other star-names.

Other names of stars or constellations include "the weapon of Merodach's hand," probably that with which he slew the dragon of Chaos; "the Horse," which is described as "the god Z" Rimmon's storm-bird--Pegasus; "the Serpent," explained as Ere-ki-gal, the queen of Hades, who would therefore seem to have been conceived in that form; "the Scorpion," which is given as /Ihara ttim/, "Ihara of the sea," a description difficult to explain, unless it refer to her as the goddess of the Phnician coast. Many other identifications, exceedingly interesting, await solution.

How the gods were represented. On cylinder-seals.

Many representations of the gods occur, both on bas-reliefs, boundary- stones, and cylindrical and ordinary seals. Unfortunately, their identification generally presents more or less difficulty, on account of the absence of indications of their identity. On a small cylinder- seal in the possession of the Rev. Dr. W. Hayes Ward, Merodach is shown striding along the serpentine body of Tiawath, who turns her head to attack him, whilst the god threatens her with a pointed weapon which he carries. Another, published by the same scholar, shows a deity, whom he regards as being Merodach, driven in a chariot drawn by a winged lion, upon whose shoulders stands a naked goddess, holding thunderbolts in each hand, whom he describes as Zer-panum. Another cylinder-seal shows the corn-deity, probably Nisaba, seated in flounced robe and horned hat, with corn-stalks springing out from his shoulders, and holding a twofold ear of corn in his hand, whilst an attendant introduces, and another with a threefold ear of corn follows, a man carrying a plough, apparently as an offering. On another, a beautiful specimen from Assyria, Itar is shown standing on an Assyrian lion, which turns his head as if to caress her feet. As goddess of war, she is armed with bow and arrows, and her star is represented upon the crown of her tiara.

On boundary-stones, etc.

On the boundary-stones of Babylonia and the royal monoliths of Assyria the emblems of the gods are nearly always seen. Most prominent are three horned tiaras, emblematic, probably, of Merodach, Anu, and B (the older). A column ending in a ram's head is used for or Ae, a crescent for Sin or Nannar, the moon-god; a disc with rays for ama, the sun-god; a thunderbolt for Rimmon or Hadad, the god of thunder, lightning, wind, and storms; a lamp for Nusku, etc. A bird, perhaps a hawk, stood for Utu-gigallu, a deity whose name has been translated "the southern sun," and is explained in the bilingual inscriptions as ama, the sun-god, and Nirig, one of the gods of war. The emblem of Gal-alim, who is identified with the older B, is a snarling dragon's head forming the termination of a pole, and that of Dun-aaga is a bird's head similarly posed. On a boundary-stone of the time of Nebuchadnezzar I., about 1120 B.C., one of the signs of the gods shows a horse's head in a kind of shrine, probably the emblem of Rimmon's storm-bird, Z the Babylonian Pegasus.

Other divine figures.

One of the finest of all the representations of divinities is that of the "Sun-god-stone," found by Mr. Hormuzd Rassam at Abu-habbah (the ancient Sippar), which was one of the chief seats of his worship. It represents him, seated in his shrine, holding in his hand a staff and a ring, his usual emblems, typifying his position as judge of the world and his endless course. The position of Merodach as sun-god is confirmed by the small lapis-lazuli relief found by the German expedition at the mound known as Amran ibn 'Ali, as he also carries a staff and a ring, and his robe is covered with ornamental circles, showing, in all probability, his solar nature. In the same place another small relief representing Rimmon or Hadad was found. His robe has discs emblematical of the five planets, and he holds in each hand a thunderbolt, one of which he is about to launch forth. Merodach is accompanied by a large two-horned dragon, whilst Hadad has a small winged dragon, typifying the swiftness of his course, and another animal, both of which he holds with cords.

CHAPTER V

THE DEMONS: EXORCISMS AND CEREMONIES

Good and evil spirits, gods and demons, were fully believed in by the Babylonians and Assyrians, and many texts referring to them exist. Naturally it is not in some cases easy to distinguish well between the special functions of these supernatural appearances which they supposed to exist, but their nature is, in most cases, easily ascertained from the inscriptions.

To all appearance, the Babylonians imagined that spirits resided everywhere, and lay in wait to attack mankind, and to each class, apparently, a special province in bringing misfortune, or tormenting, or causing pain and sickness, was assigned. All the spirits, however, were not evil, even those whose names would suggest that their character was such--there were good "liers in wait," for instance, as well as evil ones, whose attitude towards mankind was beneficent.

The /utukku/. This was a spirit which was supposed to do the will of Anu, the god of the heavens. There was the /utukku/ of the plain, the mountains, the sea, and the grave.

The /. Regarded as the demon of the storm, and possibly, in its origin, the same as the divine bull sent by Itar to attack Gilgame, and killed by Enki-du. It spread itself over a man, overpowering him upon his bed, and attacking his breast.

The /immu/. This is generally, but wrongly, read /immu/, and translated "the seizer," from /emu/, "to seize." In reality, however, it was an ordinary spirit, and the word is used for the wraiths of the departed. The "evil /immu/" was apparently regarded as attacking the middle part of a man.

The /gallu/. As this word is borrowed from the Sumerian /galla/, which has a dialectic form, /mulla/, it is not improbable that it may be connected with the word /mula/, meaning "star," and suggesting something which is visible by the light it gives--possibly a will-o'- the-wisp,--though others are inclined to regard the word as being connected with /gala/, "great." In any case, its meaning seems to have become very similar to "evil spirit" or "devil" in general, and is an epithet applied by the Assyrian king Aur-bani-li to Te-umman, the Elamite king against whom he fought.

The /u limnu/, "evil god," was probably originally one of the deities of Tiawath's brood, upon whom Merodach's redemption had had no effect.

The /rabisu/ is regarded as a spirit which lay in wait to pounce upon his prey.

The /labartu/, in Sumerian /dimme/, was a female demon. There were seven evil spirits of this kind, who were apparently regarded as being daughters of Anu, the god of the heavens.

The /labasu/, in Sumerian /dimmea/, was apparently a spirit which overthrew, that being the meaning of the root from which the word comes.

The /hazu/, in Sumerian /dimme-kur/, was apparently so called as "the seizer," that being the meaning indicated by the root.

The /lilu/, in Sumerian /lila/, is generally regarded as "the night- monster," the word being referred to the Semitic root /l/ or /layl/, whence the Hebrew /layil/, Arabic /layl/, "night." Its origin, however, is Sumerian, from /lila/, regarded as meaning "mist." To the word /lilu/ the ancient Babylonians formed a feminine, /lilhu/, which entered the Hebrew language under the form of /lilith/, which was, according to the rabbins, a beautiful woman, who lay in wait for children by night. The /lilu/ had a companion who is called his handmaid or servant.

The /namtaru/ was apparently the spirit of fate, and therefore of greater importance than those already mentioned. This being was regarded as the beloved son of B, and offspring of /Ere-ki-gal/ or Persephone, and he had a spouse named /Hu-bi-aga/. Apparently he executed the instructions given him concerning the fate of men, and could also have power over certain of the gods.

The /u/ were apparently deities in the form of bulls. They were destructive, of enormous power, and unsparing. In a good sense the /u/ was a protecting deity, guarding against hostile attacks. Erech and the temple kura were protected by spirits such as these, and to one of them Ium, "the glorious sacrificer," was likened.

The /lamassu/, from the Sumerian /lama/, was similar in character to the /u/, but is thought to have been of the nature of a colossus--a winged man-headed bull or lion. It is these creatures which the kings placed at the sides of the doors of their palaces, to protect the king's footsteps. In early Babylonian times a god named Lama was one of the most popular deities of the Babylonian pantheon.

A specimen incantation.

Numerous inscriptions, which may be regarded as dating, in their origin, from about the middle of the third millennium before Christ, speak of these supernatural beings, and also of others similar. One of the most perfect of these inscriptions is a large bilingual tablet of which a duplicate written during the period of the dynasty of Hammurabi (before 2000 B.C.) exists, and which was afterwards provided with a Semitic Babylonian translation. This inscription refers to the evil god, the evil /utukku/, the /utukku/ of the plain, of the mountain, of the sea, and of the grave; the evil /u/, the glorious /, or divine bull, and the evil unsparing wind. There was also that which takes the form of a man, the evil face, the evil eye, the evil mouth, the evil tongue, the evil lip, the evil breath; also the afflicting /asakku/ (regarded as the demon of fever), the /asakku/ which does not leave a man: the afflicting /namtaru/ (fate), the severe /namtaru/, the /namtaru/ which does not quit a man. After this are mentioned various diseases, bodily pains, annoyances, such as "the old shoe, the broken shoe-lace, the food which afflicts the body of a man, the food which turns in eating, the water which chokes in drinking," etc. Other things to be exorcised included the spirit of death, people who had died of hunger, thirst, or in other ways; the handmaid of the /lilu/ who had no husband, the prince of the /lilu/ who had no wife, whether his name had been recorded or unrecorded.

The method of exorcising the demons causing all these things is curious. White and black yarn was spun, and fastened to the side and canopy of the afflicted person's bed--the white to the side and the top or canopy, the black to the left hand--and then, apparently, the following words were said:-- "Evil /utukku/, evil /, evil /immu/, evil /gallu/, evil god, evil /rabisu/, /labartu/, /labasu/, /hazu/, /lilu/, /lilithu/, handmaid of /lilu/, sorcery, enchantment, magic, disaster, machination which is not good--may they not set their head to his head, their hand to his hand, their foot to his foot--may they not draw near. Spirit of heaven, mayest thou exorcise, spirit of earth, mayest thou exorcise."

But this was only the beginning of the real ceremony. The god Asari- alim-nunna (Merodach), "eldest son of idu," was asked to wash him in pure and bright water twice seven times, and then would the evil lier- in-wait depart, and stand aside, and a propitious /u/ and a propitious /labartu/ reside in his body. The gates right and left having been thus, so to say, shut close, the evil gods, demons, and spirits would be unable to approach him, wherever he might be. "Spirit of heaven, exorcise, spirit of earth, exorcise." Then, after an invocation of ki-gal and Ium, the final paragraph was pronounced:-- "

The afflicted man, by an offering of grace In health like shining bronze shall be made bright. As for that man, ama shall give him life. Merodach, first-born son of the Abyss, It is thine to purify and glorify. Spirit of heaven, mayest thou exorcise, spirit of earth, mayest thou exorcise."

Rites and ceremonies.

As may be expected, the Babylonians and Assyrians had numerous rites and ceremonies, the due carrying out of which was necessary for the attainment of the grace demanded, or for the efficacy of the thanks tendered for favours received.

Perhaps the oldest ceremony recorded is that which Ut-napitim, the Chaldn Noah, made on the /zikkurat/ or peak of the mountain after the coming forth from the ship which had saved him and his from the Flood. The Patriarch's description of this ceremony is short:--

"I sent forth to the four winds, I poured out a libation I made an offering on the peak of the mountain: Seven and seven I set incense-vases there, Into their depths I poured cane, cedar, and scented wood(?). The gods smelled a savour, The gods smelled a sweet savour, The gods gathered like flies over the sacrificer."

Following in the footsteps of their great progenitor, the Babylonians and Assyrians became a most pious race, constantly rendering to their gods the glory for everything which they succeeded in bringing to a successful issue. Prayer, supplication, and self-abasement before their gods seem to have been with them a duty and a pleasure:-- "

The time for the worship of the gods was my heart's delight, The time of the offering to Itar was profit and riches," sings Ludlul the sage, and all the people of his land were one with him in that opinion.

It is noteworthy that the offering of the Chaldn Noah consisted of vegetable produce only, and there are many inscriptions referring to similar bloodless sacrifices, and detailing the ritual used in connection therewith. Sacrifices of animals, however, seem to have been constantly made--in any case, offerings of cattle and fowl, in list-form, are fairly numerous. Many a cylinder-seal has a representation of the owner bringing a young animal--a kid or a lamb-- as an offering to the deity whom he worshipped, and in the inscriptions the sacrifice of animals is frequently referred to. One of the bilingual texts refers to the offering of a kid or some other young animal, apparently on behalf of a sick man. The text of this, where complete, runs as follows:--

"The fatling which is the 'head-raiser' of mankind-- He has given the fatling for his life. He has given the head of the fatling for his head, He has given the neck of the fatling for his neck, He has given the breast of the fatling for his breast."

Whether human sacrifices were common or not is a doubtful point. Many cylinder-seals exist in which the slaying of a man is depicted, and the French Assyriologist Menant was of opinion that they represented a human offering to the gods. Hayes Ward, however, is inclined to doubt this explanation, and more evidence would seem, therefore, to be needed. He is inclined to think that, in the majority of cases, the designs referred to show merely the victims of divine anger or vengeance, punished by the deity for some misdeed or sin, either knowingly or unknowingly committed.

In the Assyrian galleries of the British Museum, Aur-nasir-li, king of Assyria, is several times shown engaged in religious ceremonies--either worshipping before the sacred tree, or about to pour out, apparently, a libation to the gods before departing upon some expedition, and priests bringing offerings, either animal or vegetable, are also represented. Aur-banli, who is identified with "the great and noble Asnapper," is shown, in bas-reliefs of the Assyrian Saloon, pouring out a thank-offering over the lions which he has killed, after his return from the hunt.

CHAPTER VI

PROBLEMS WHICH THE STUDY OFFERS

Monotheism.

As the matter of Babylonian monotheism has been publicly touched upon by Fried. Delitzsch in his "Babel und Bibel" lectures, a few words upon that important point will be regarded in all probability as appropriate. It has already been indicated that the giving of the names of "the gods his fathers" to Merodach practically identified them with him, thus leading to a tendency to monotheism. That tendency is, perhaps, hinted at in a letter of Aur-banli to the Babylonians, in which he frequently mentions the Deity, but in doing so, uses either the word /u/, "God," Merodach, the god of Babylon, or B, which may be regarded as one of his names. The most important document for this monotheistic tendency, however (confirming as it does the tablet of the fifty-one names), is that in which at least thirteen of the Babylonian deities are identified with Merodach, and that in such a way as to make them merely forms in which he manifested himself to men. The text of this inscription is as follows:--

". . . is Merodach of planting.

Lugal-aki-. . . is Merodach of the water-course.

Nirig is Merodach of strength.

Nergal is Merodach of war.

Zagaga is Merodach of battle.

B is Merodach of lordship and domination.

Nebo is Merodach of trading(?).

Sin is Merodach the illuminator of the night.

ama is Merodach of righteous things.

Addu is Merodach of rain.

Tipak is Merodach of frost(?).

Sig is Merodach of green things(?).

uqamunu is Merodach of the irrigation-channel."

Here the text breaks off, but must have contained several more similar identifications, showing how at least the more thoughtful of the Babylonians of old looked upon the host of gods whom they worshipped. What may be the date of this document is uncertain, but as the colophon seems to describe it as a copy of an older inscription, it may go back as far as 2000 years B.C. This is the period at which the name /Yaum-u/ "Jah is God," is found, together with numerous references to /u/ as the name for the one great god, and is also, roughly, the date of Abraham, who, it may be noted, was a Babylonian of Ur of the Chaldees. It will probably not be thought too venturesome to say that his monotheism was possibly the result of the religious trend of thought in his time.

Dualism.

Damascius, in his valuable account of the belief of the Babylonians concerning the Creation, states that, like the other barbarians, they reject the doctrine of the one origin of the universe, and constitute two, Tauth(Tiawath) and Apason (Apsu). This twofold principle, however, is only applicable to the system in that it makes of the sea and the deep (for such are the meanings of the two words) two personages--the female and the male personifications of primal matter, from which all creation sprang, and which gave birth to the gods of heaven themselves. As far as the physical constituents of these two principals are concerned, their tenets might be described as having "materialistic monism" as their basis, but inasmuch as they believed that each of these two principals had a mind, the description "idealistic monism" cannot be applied to it--it is distinctly a dualism.

And Monism.

Divested of its idealistic side, however, there would seem to be no escape from regarding the Babylonian idea of the origin of things as monistic.[*] This idea has its reflection, though not its reproduction, in the first chapter of Genesis, in which, verses 2, 6, and 7, water is represented as the first thing existing, though not the first abode of life. This divergency from the Babylonian view was inevitable with a monotheistic nation, such as the Jews were, regarding as they did the Deity as the great source of everything existing. What effect the moving of the Spirit of God upon the face of the waters (v.2) was supposed by them to have had, is uncertain, but it is to be noted that it was the land (vv. 11, 12) which first brought forth, at the command of God.

[*] Monism. The doctrine which holds that in the universe there is only a single element or principle from which everything is developed, this single principle being either mind (/idealistic monism/) or matter (/materialistic monism/). (Annandale.)

The future life.

The belief in a future life is the natural outcome of a religious belief such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, and many of the surrounding nations possessed. As has been shown, a portion of their creed consisted in hero-worship, which pre-supposes that the heroes in question continued to exist, in a state of still greater power and glory, after the conclusion of their life here upon earth. "

The god B hates me--I cannot dwell in this land, and in the territory of B I cannot set my face. I shall descend then to the Abyss; with Aa my lord shall I constantly dwell." It is with these words that, by the counsel of the god Aa, Ut-napitim explained to those who questioned him the reason why he was building the ship or ark which was to save him and his from the Flood, and there is but little doubt that the author of the story implied that he announced thereby his approaching death, or his departure to dwell with his god without passing the dread portals of the great leveller. This belief in the life beyond the grave seems to have been that which was current during the final centuries of the third millennium before Christ--when a man died, it was said that his god took him to himself, and we may therefore suppose, that there were as many heavens--places of contentment and bliss--as there were gods, and that every good man was regarded as going and dwelling evermore with the deity which he had worshipped and served faithfully during his lifetime.

Gilgame, the half-divine king of Erech, who reigned during the half- mythical period, on losing his friend and counsellor, Enki-du, set out to find him, and to bring him back, if possible, from the underworld where he was supposed to dwell. His death, however, had not been like that of an ordinary man; it was not Namtaru, the spirit of fate, who had taken him, nor a misfortune such as befalls ordinary men, but Nerigal's unsparing lier-in-wait--yet though Nerigal was the god of war, Enki-du had not fallen on the battlefield of men, but had been seized by the earth (apparently the underworld where the wicked are is meant) in consequence, seemingly, of some trick or trap which had been laid for him.

The gods were therefore prayed, in turn, to bring him back, but none of them listened except , who begged him of Nerigal, whereupon the latter opened the entrance to the place where he was--the hole of the earth--and brought forth "the spirit (/utukku/) of Enki-du like mist." Immediately after this come the words, "Tell, my friend, tell, my friend--the law of the land which thou sawest, tell," and the answer, "I will not tell thee, friend, I will not tell thee--if I tell thee the law of the land which I saw, . . . sit down, weep." Ultimately, however, the person appealed to--apparently the disembodied Enki-du-- reveals something concerning the condition of the souls in the place of his sojourn after death, as follows:-- "

Whom thou sawest [die] the death(?) [of][*] . . . [I see]-- In the resting-place of . . . reposing, pure waters he drinketh. Whom in the battle thou sawest killed, I see-- His father and his mother raise his head, And his wife upon [him leaneth?]. Whose corpse thou hast seen thrown down in the plain, I see-- His /edimmu/ in the earth reposeth not. Whose /edimmu/ thou sawest without a caretaker, I see-- The leavings of the dish, the remains of the food, Which in the street is thrown, he eateth."

[*] (?)"The death of the righteous," or something similar?

It is naturally difficult to decide in a passage like this, the difference existing between a man's /utukku/ and his /edimmu/, but the probability is, that the former means his spiritual essence, whilst the latter stands for the ghostly shadow of his body, resembling in meaning the /ka/ of the Egyptians. To all appearance the abode described above is not the place of the punishment of the wicked, but the dwelling of those accounted good, who, if lucky in the manner of their death, and the disposal of their bodies, enjoyed the highest happiness in the habitation of the blest. The other place, however, is otherwise described (it occurs in the account of Itar's descent into Hades, and in the seventh tablet of the Gilgame series--the latter differing somewhat):-- "

Upon the land of No-return, the region of . . ., [Set] Istar, daughter of Sin, her ear. The daughter of Sin set then her ear . . . Upon the house of gloom, the seat of Irkalla--[*] Upon the house whose entrance hath no exit,[] Upon the path whose way hath no return, Upon the house whose enterers are deprived of light, Where dust is their nourishment, their food mud, Light they see not, in darkness they dwell, Clothed also, like a bird, in a dress of feathers. Upon the door and bolt the dust hath blown."

[*] One of the names of Nergal.

[] Or "whose enterer goeth not forth."

Seven gates gave access to this place of gloom, and the porter, as he let the visitor in, took from her (the goddess Itar in the narrative) at each an article of clothing, until, at the last, she entered quite naked, apparently typifying the fact that a man can take nothing with him when he dieth, and also, in this case, that he has not even his good deeds wherewith to clothe himself, for had they outweighed his evil ones, he would not have found himself in that dread abode.

On the arrival of Itar in Hades, Erki-gal commanded Namtaru, the god of fate, to smite Itar with disease in all her members--eyes, sides, feet, heart, and head. As things went wrong on the earth in consequence of the absence of the goddess of love, the gods sent a messenger to effect her release. When he reached the land of No- return, the queen of the region threatened him with all kinds of torments--the food of the gutters of the city were to be his food, the oil-jars of the city (naptha?) his drink, the gloom of the castle his resting-place, a stone slab his seat, and hunger and thirst were to shatter his strength. These were evidently the punishments inflicted there, but as the messenger threatened was a divine one, they were probably not put into execution, and he obtained his demand, for Itar was set free, receiving back at each gate, in reverse order, the clothing and ornaments which had been taken from her when she had descended thither. It is uncertain whether Tammuz, for whom she had gone down, was set free also, but as he is referred to, it is not improbable that this was the case.

WORKS BEARING UPON THE RELIGION OF THE BABYLONIANS AND ASSYRIANS

Hibbert Lectures, 1887. The Religion of the Ancient Babylonians, by Professor A. H. Sayce.

The Religious Ideas of the Babylonians, by the Author, 1895 (Journal of the Victoria Institute, also separately).

The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, by Morris Jastrow, jun., 1898. (German edition, vol. i. 1905, vol. ii. in progress.)

Babylonian Religion and Mythology, by L. W. King, M.A., 1899.

Gifford Lectures, 1902. Religions of Egypt and Babylonia, by Professor A. H. Sayce.

The O.T. in the Light of the Records of Assyria and Babylonia, by the Author, 1903. (The portions referring to Babylonian Mythology.)

The Hymns to Tammuz in the Manchester Museum, Owens College, by the Author, 1904.

ARTICLES UPON THE ASSYRIAN AND BABYLONIAN DEITIES, AND THE RELIGION OF THREE NATIONS, IN

Dictionary of the Bible, edited by Dr. James Hastings, and Encyclopia Biblica, edited by Professor Cheyne.

The Reports of the Magicians & Astrologers of Nineveh & Babylon

c. 2500 - 670 BC

I. When the Moon Appears on the First Day of the Month.

WHEN the Moon appears on the first day, there will be silence, the land will be satisfied. When the day is long according to its calculation, there will be a long reign. From Bullutu.

When the Moon appears on the first day, there will be silence, the land will be satisfied. This is for Nisan and ishri (?). When the Moon is regularly full, the crops of the land will prosper, the king will go to pre-eminence.

May Ashur, Shamash, Nabu, and Marduk, day after day, month after month, year after year, grant happiness, health, joy, and exultation, a secure throne forever, for long days and many years to the king, my lord! From Nabu-iqbi.

Two or three times during these days we have looked for Mars, but could not see it. If the king, my lord, should say, "Is it an omen that it is invisible?" it is not. From Ishtar-shum-eresh.

II. Omens From the Horns of the Moon.

When the Moon's horns face equally, there will be a secure dwelling for the land. When at the Moon's appearance (its horns) are pointed, the king wherever his face is set will rule the land, (or) wherever he presses on will overcome. From Irasshi-ilu, the king's servant, the greater.

When at the Moon's appearance its right horn is long and its left horn is short, the king's hand will conquer a land other than this. When the Moon at its appearance is very large, an eclipse will take place. When the Moon at its appearance is very bright, the crops of the land will prosper. When the day is long according to its calculation, there will be a long reign. The thirtieth day completed the month. In Elul an eclipse of Elam. From Nergal-etir.

When the Moon appears on the first of Kislev, the King of Akkad, wherever he goes, will ravage the land; (or) the King of Akkad, wherever his face is set, will rule the land. (On the fourteenth day the Moon was seen with the Sun.) There will be an overthrowing of fortresses and downfall of garrisons; there will be obedience and good-will in the land. As for the rest, the king (will see?) their good luck.

May the king soon hear a happy report and greeting! From Asharidu.

Concerning Mercury, of which the king, my lord, sent me, yesterday Ishtar-shum-eresh in the palace proclaimed its going forth to Nabu-ahi-eriba. The omens in the festival day came, they have all been observed and seen, they have passed off. From Balasi.

III. When the Moon Appears on the Twenty-Eighth Day.

When the Moon at its appearance appears on the twenty-eighth day as the first day, it is evil for Aharru. When the Moon appears on the twenty-eighth day, it is lucky for Akkad, unlucky for Aharru. From the Chief Physician.

IV. When the Moon Appears on the Thirtieth Day.

When the Moon appears on the thirtieth of Nisan, Subartu Ahlamu will devour: a foreign tongue will gain the ascendency in Aharru. (We are Subartu.) When the Moon appears on the thirtieth day, there will be cold in the land.

The Moon appeared without the Sun on the fourteenth of Tebet; the Moon completes the day in Shebat. On the fourteenth it appears without the Sun; the Moon completes the day in Adar. On the fourteenth it appears without the Sun; the Moon will complete the day in Nisan. From Nabu-ahi-eriba.

When the Moon appears on the thirtieth of Sivan, the abundance of Aharru Ahlamu will devour. When the Moon appears on the thirtieth day, there will be cold, (or) there will be the clamour of the enemy in the land. When the Moon at its appearance appears low, the enemy will seize on the land. When the Moon at its appearance appears low, the submission of a far country will come to the king (or) a messenger will come. From Irasshi-ilu, the king's servant.

When the Moon appears on the thirtieth of Ab, there will be a devastation of Akkad. Let not the all-powerful king leave me; it is I who daily beg of the king for my hunger; and now to brick-work he has set me, saying, "Make bricks." Let not the king, my lord, leave me and I shall not die. From Tabia.

V. Various Omens From the Moon.

When the Moon disappears, evil will befall the land. When the Moon disappears out of its reckoning, an eclipse will take place. (The Moon disappeared on the twenty-fourth day.) When a halo surrounds the Sun on the day of the Moon's disappearance, an eclipse of the left side of the Moon will take place.

In Kislev a watch was kept for the eclipse, the halo surrounding the Sun and the disappearance of the Moon (being the causes of the watch for an eclipse in Kislev) having been observed. May the king, my lord, know, and may he rest happy! From Irasshi-ilu, the king's servant (the greater).

VI. Omens From Halos.

Last night a halo surrounded the Moon, and Jupiter and Scorpio stood within it. When a halo surrounds the Moon and Jupiter stands within it, the King of Akkad will be besieged. When a halo surrounds the Moon and Jupiter stands within it, there will be a slaughter of cattle and beasts of the field. (Marduk is Umunpauddu at its appearance; when it has risen for two (or four?) hours it becomes Sagmigar; when it stands in the meridian it becomes Nibiru.) When a halo surrounds the Moon and Scorpio stands in it, it will cause men to marry princesses, (or) lions will die, and the traffic of the land will be hindered. From Nabu-mushesi.

When a halo surrounds the Moon, and Regulus stands within it, women will bear male children. From Nergal-etir.

When a halo surrounds the Moon and a planet stands within it, robbers will rage. (Saturn stood within the halo of the Moon.) When Jupiter draws near to Taurus, the good fortune of the land passes away, (or) the generation of cattle and sheep is not prosperous. (Jupiter has entered Taurus: let the king, my lord, keep himself from the storm-wind.) When Mars reaches the path of the Sun there will be a famine of cattle, there will be want. (Mars reached Saturn.) When a planet and Mars stand facing one another, there will be an invasion of the enemy. When Mars, its rising is dark _____, its light like _____.

When the greater halo surrounds the Moon, that land will be enlarged, destructions will surround men. When it surrounds and Cancer stands within it, the King of Akkad will prolong life. When Regulus stands within it, women will bear male children. When the greater halo surrounds the moon and is thin, there will be a giving of years to the king. (A great halo has surrounded it, and has remained for many nights and is uninterrupted.) From Shapiku, of Borsippa.

VII. When the Moon and Sun are Seen with One Another.

(1) On the Twelfth Day.

When the Moon appears out of its expected time, the market will be low. (It was seen with the Sun on the twelfth.) When the Moon and Sun are seen with one another out of their expected time, a strong enemy will overcome the land; the King of Akkad will accomplish the defeat of his foe.

(2) On the Fourteenth Day.

When the Moon reaches the Sun and with it fades out of sight, its horns being dim, there will be truth in the land, and the son will speak the truth with his father. (On the fourteenth the Moon was seen with the Sun.) When the Moon and the Sun are invisible, the king will increase wisdom; the king of the land, the foundation of his throne will be secure. (On the fourteenth day the Moon was seen with the Sun.) When the Moon and Sun are seen with one another on the fourteenth, there will be silence, the land will be satisfied; the gods intend Akkad for happiness. Joy in the heart of the people. The cattle of Akkad will lie down securely in the pasture-places. When a dark halo surrounds the Moon, it gathers clouds; that month will bring rain. When its horns are dim, a flood will come. (On the fourteenth the Moon was seen with the Sun). About the people concerning whom I sent to the king my lord, the king does not say, "Why?" but has said, "Let them bring them hither." Now the king knows I hold no land in Assyria: I, what is my family to them, or what my life? Who is my god, who is my lord, to whom and how are my eyes turned? Now let my lord, the king, for whose life I pray Shamash, send it unto Ahisha, by royal authority, and let his messenger bring the people: let the governor of Babylon cause him to leave. Let Nabu-etir-napshati, my son, the king's servant, come, that with me he may visit the king.

On the fourteenth the Moon and Sun were seen with one another. Last night a halo surrounded the Moon, Saturn stood within it near the Moon.

They shall bring in that tablet of the Day of Bel which we have written for the king, my lord, to see, and they shall give us the Akkadian tablet of the king. They shall inclose three "stars" therein on the front, and shall direct the officer that whoever opens the document shall close it in his presence.

When the Moon stops in its course the market will be low. On the fifteenth it was seen with the Sun. Last night a halo surrounded the Moon, and Virgo and Spica stood within it. When a halo surrounds the Moon, and Spica (Pan) stands within it, brigands will be rampant, and there will be much robbery in the land. When a "river" surrounds the Moon, there will be great rains and showers. A-edin stood within the halo of the Moon. From Nabu-iqisha, of Borsippa.

(3) On the Fifteenth Day.

When Jupiter goes with Venus, the prayer of the land will reach the heart of the gods. Marduk and Sarpanit will hear the prayer of their people, and will have mercy on my people. Let them send me an ass, that it may ease my feet. From Nergal-etir.

(4) On the Sixteenth Day.

When the Moon and Sun are seen with one another on the sixteenth day, king to king will send hostility. The king will be besieged in his palace for the space of a month. The feet of the enemy will be against the land; the enemy will march triumphantly in his land. When the Moon on the fourteenth or fifteenth of Tammuz is not seen with the Sun, the king will be besieged in his palace. When it is seen on the sixteenth day, it is lucky for Subartu, evil for Akkad and Aharru. From Akkullanu.

VIII. Omens from the Sun.

When the Sun stands in the place of the Moon, the king of the land will be secure on his throne. When the Sun stands above or below the Moon, the foundation of the throne will be secure; the king will stand in his justice. When the Sun and Moon are invisible, the king of the land will increase wisdom. (Last night Saturn drew near to the Moon. Saturn is the star of the Sun. This is its interpretation; it is lucky for the king. The Sun is the king's star.)

IX. Omens from Stars.

When the Moon occults Jupiter, that year a king will die, (or) an eclipse of the Moon and Sun will take place. A great king will die. When Jupiter enters the midst of the Moon, there will be want in Aharru. The King of Elam will be slain with the sword: in Subarti _____ (?) will revolt. When Jupiter enters the midst of the Moon, the market of the land will be low. When Jupiter goes out from behind the Moon, there will be hostility in the land.

After two hours of the night had passed, a great star shone from north to south. Its omens are propitious for the king's desire. The King of Akkad will accomplish his mission. From Asharidu (the greater), the king's servant.

Venus is appearing at sunset in the Tropic of Cancer: this is its interpretation. When Venus appears in Sivar; there will be a slaughter of the enemy. When Venus appears in the Tropic of Cancer the King of Akkad will have no rival. Five or Six days ago it reached Cancer. This is its interpretation. When Venus approaches Cancer there will be obedience and welfare in the land: the gods will have mercy on the land. Empty _____ (?) will be full and the crops of the land will prosper; the sick in the land will recover. Pregnant women will perfect their offspring. The great gods will show favor to the sanctuaries of the land, the houses of the great gods will be renewed. From Shumai.

When Venus in Kislev from the first to the thirtieth day disappears at sunrise, there will be famine of corn and straw in the land. The lord of kings has spoken thus: "Why have you not (observed?) the month, and sent the lucky and unlucky?" The prince of the kingdom has been neglected, has not been obeyed. May the lord of kings when his face is favourable lift up my head that I may make my decisions and tell the king, my lord! From Asharidu.

When Mercury is seen in Iyyar, a flood will come and benefit the fields and meadow lands. When Jupiter reaches Mars (Mulmul), it will rain. On the fourteenth the Moon and Sun were not seen with one another: on fifteenth god was seen with god. The King of Subarti will have no rival. (I have heard from my father.) From Bel-ahi-eribi.

Mercury is visible with Mars at sunset; it is ascending to Shugi. There will be rains and floods. When Jupiter appears at the beginning of the year, in that year its crops will prosper. From Nadinu.

XII. Omens from Storms.

When a storm comes upon the land, the crops will be increased the market will be steady. When a storm prevails in the land, the "reign" of the land will rule great power. When a storm bursts in Sebat, an eclipse of Kasshi will take place. From Asharidu, the king's servant.

XIII. Omens from Thunder.

When it thunders on the day of the Moon's disappearance, the crops will prosper and the market will be steady. When it rains on the day of the Moon's disappearance, it will bring on the crops and the market will be steady. Long live the lord of kings! From Asharidu.

When it thunders in Ab, the day is dark, heaven rains, lightning lightens, waters will be poured forth in the channels. When it thunders on a cloudless day, there will be darkness (or) famine in the land.

Concerning this sickness the king has not spoken from his heart. The sickness lasts a year: people that are ill recover. Do you grant, O king, my lord, that they pursue the worship of the gods and pray the gods day and night! Does truth ever reach the king and his family? A man should kill a calf without blemish, he should cut it in pieces; he himself should say as follows: "A man that is in full health, his days are short; he is sick, his days are long." From Ishtar-shum-eresh.

When it thunders in Tishri, the day is dark, heaven reigns, the rainbow is divided, lightning lightens, the gods will have mercy on the land. From the Chief Scribe.

When it thunders in Shebat, there will be an invasion of locusts. When it thunders in Shebat, heaven will rain with stones.

XIV. Omens from Earthquakes.

When the earth quakes in Nisan, the king's land will revolt from him. When the earth quakes during the night, harm will come to the land, or devastation to the land. From Apla.

Last night there was an earthquake. When the earth quakes in Tebet, the king will sit in the city of his foe. When the earth quakes in Tebet, the palace of the prince will be smitten and go to ruins. When the earth quakes in the night, there will be harm to the land (or) devastation to the land. From the Chief Astrologer.

XV. Omens from Eclipses.

On the fourteenth an eclipse will take place. It is evil for Elam and Aharru, lucky for the king, my lord; let the king, my lord, rest happy. It will be seen without Venus; to the king, my lord, I say, "There will be an eclipse." From Irasshi-ilu, the servant of the king (the greater).

To the king of countries, my lord, thy servant, Bel-usur. May Bel, Nabu, and Shamash be gracious to the king, my lord! An eclipse has happened, but it was not visible in Asshur; this eclipse passed the city Asshur, wherein the king is dwelling; now there are clouds everywhere, so that whether it did or did not happen we do not know. Let the lord of kings send to Asshur, to all cities, to Babylon, Nippur, Erech, and Borsippa; whatever has been seen in those cities the king will hear for certain. The omens _____ the omen for an eclipse happened in Adar and Nisan; I send all to the king, my lord, and they shall make a nambulbi-ceremony for the eclipse. Without fail (?) let not the king omit (?) to act rightly. The great gods in the city wherein the king dwells have obscured the heaven and will not show the eclipse; so let the king know that this eclipse is not directed against the king, my lord, or his country. Let the king rejoice!

(When) it thunders in Nisan, grain (?) will be diminished.

Source:

From: R. Campbell Thompson, "The Reports of the Magicians and Astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon," in Assyrian and Babylonian Literature: Selected Transactions, With a Critical Introduction by Robert Francis Harper (New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1904), pp. 451-460.

Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton. Prof. Arkenberg may have modernized the text.

Ancient Accounts of Arabia

430 BC - 550 CE

Herodotus: The Histories , c. 430 BC

Strabo: Geography , c. 22 CE

Dio Cassius: History of Rome , c. 220 CE

Ammianus Marcellinus: The Roman History , c. 380 CE

Procopius of Caesarea: History of the Wars , c. 550 CE

Herodotus

The Histories, Book III

c. 430 BC

The Arabs keep such pledges more religiously than almost any other people. They plight faith with the forms following. When two men would swear a friendship, they stand on each side of a third: he with a sharp stone makes a cut on the inside of the hand of each near the middle finger, and, taking a piece from their dress, dips it in the blood of each, and moistens therewith seven stones lying in the midst, calling the while on Bacchus and Urania. After this, the man who makes the pledge commends the stranger (or the citizen, if citizen he be) to all his friends, and they deem themselves bound to stand to the engagement. They have but these two gods, to wit, Bacchus and Urania; and they say that in their mode of cutting the hair, they follow Bacchus. Now their practice is to cut it in a ring, away from the temples. Bacchus they call in their language Orotal, and Urania, Alilat. . . .There is a great river in Arabia, called the Corys, which empties itself into the Erythraean sea. The Arabian king, they say, made a pipe of the skins of oxen and other beasts, reaching from this river all the way to the desert, and so brought the water to certain cisterns which he had dug in the desert to receive it. It is a twelve days' journey from the river to this desert tract. And the water, they say, was brought through three different pipes to three separate places. . . .The Arabs brought every year a thousand talents of frankincense. . . .

Arabia is the last of inhabited lands towards the south, and it is the only country which produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia, cinnamon, and laudanum. The Arabians do not get any of these, except the myrrh, without trouble. The frankincense they procure by means of the gum styrax, which the Greeks obtain from the Phoenicians; this they burn, and thereby obtain the spice. For the trees which bear the frankincense are guarded by winged serpents, small in size, and of varied colors, whereof vast numbers hang about every tree. They are of the same kind as the serpents that invade Egypt; and there is nothing but the smoke of the styrax which will drive them from the trees. The Arabians say that the whole world would swarm with these serpents, if they were not kept in check in the way in which I know that vipers Such, then, is the way in which the Arabians obtain their frankincense; their manner of collecting the cassia is the following: They cover all their body and their face with the hides of oxen and other skins, leaving only holes for the eyes, and thus protected go in search of the cassia, which grows in a lake of no great depth. All round the shores and in the lake itself there dwell a number of winged animals, much resembling bats, which screech horribly, and are very valiant. These creatures they must keep from their eyes all the while that they gather the cassia.

Still more wonderful is the mode in which they collect the cinnamon. Where the wood grows, and what country produces it, they cannot tell---only some, following probability, relate that it comes from the country in which Bacchus was brought up. Great birds, they say, bring the sticks which we Greeks, taking the word from the Phoenicians, call cinnamon, and carry them up into the air to make their nests. These are fastened with a sort of mud to a sheer face of rock, where no foot of man is able to climb. So the Arabians, to get the cinnamon, use the following artifice. They cut all the oxen and asses and beasts of burthen that die in their land into large pieces, which they carry with them into those regions, and Place near the nests: then they withdraw to a distance, and the old birds, swooping down, seize the pieces of meat and fly with them up to their nests; which, not being able to support the weight, break off and fall to the ground. Hereupon the Arabians return and collect the cinnamon, which is afterwards carried from Arabia into other countries.

Concerning the spices of Arabia let no more be said. The whole country is scented with them, and exhales an odor marvelously sweet. There are also in Arabia two kinds of sheep worthy of admiration, the like of which is nowhere else to be seen; the one kind has long tails, not less than three cubits in length, which, if they were allowed to trail on the ground, would be bruised and fall into sores. As it is, all the shepherds know enough of carpentering to make little trucks for their sheep's tails. The trucks are placed under the tails, each sheep having one to himself, and the tails are then tied down upon them. The other kind has a broad tail, which is a cubit across sometimes. are. . . .The Arabians wore the zeira, or long cloak, fastened about them with a girdle; and carried at their right side long bows, which when unstrung bent backwards.

Strabo

Geography Book XVI, Chap. iv, 1-4, 18-19, 21-26

c. 22 CE

Book XVI.iv.1: Arabia commences on the side of Babylonia with Maecene [modern Kuwait]. In front of this district, on one side lies the desert of the Arabians, on the other are the marshes opposite to the Chaldeans, formed by the overflowing of the Euphrates, and in another direction is the Sea of Persia. This country has an unhealthy and cloudy atmosphere; it is subject to showers, and also to scorching heat; still its products are excellent. The vine grows in the marshes; as much earth as the plant may require is laid upon hurdles of reeds; the hurdle is frequently carried away by the water, and is then forced back again by poles to its proper situation. . . .

XVI.iv.2. From Heroolis [modern Abu-Keyschid, near modern Suez City], situated in that recess of the Arabian Gulf which is on the side of the Nile, to Babylon, towards Petra of the Nabataei, are 5600 stadia. The whole tract lies in the direction of the summer solstice (i.e., east and west), and passes through the adjacent Arabian tribes, namely Nabataei, Chaulotaei, and Agraei [in the modern An-Nafud desert, along on the borders of present Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia]. Above these people is Arabia Felix, stretching out 12,000 stadia towards the south to the Atlantic Sea.

The first people, next after the Syrians and Jews, who occupy this countryare husbandmen. These people are succeeded by a barren and sandy tract, producing a few palms, the acanthus, and tamarisk; water is obtained by digging [wells] as in Gedrosia. It is inhabited by Arabian Scenitae, who breed camels [in the area just to the west of the Euphrates]. The extreme parts towards the south, and opposite to Ethiopia, are watered by summer showers, and are sowed twice, like the land in India. Its rivers are exhausted in watering plains, and by running into lakes. The general fertility of the country is very great; among other products, there is in particular an abundant supply of honey; except horses, there are numerous herds of animals, mules, and swine; birds also of every kind, except geese and the gallinaceous tribe. Four of the most populous nations inhabit the extremity of the above-mentioned country [i.e., modern Yemen]; namely, the Minaei the part towards the Red Sea, whose largest city is Carna or Carnana. Next to these are the Sabaeans, whose chief city is Mariaba [Yemen proper, about the capital San'a]. The third nation are the Cattabaneis, extending to the straits and the passage across the Arabian Gulf [the area about modern Aden]. Their royal seat is called Tamna. The Chatramotitae are the furthest of these nations towards the east [in modern Hadramawt]. Their city is Sabata.

XVI.iv.3. All these cities are governed by one monarch, and are flourishing. They are adorned with beautiful temples and palaces. Their houses, in the mode of binding the timbers together, are like those in Egypt. The four countries comprise a greater territory than the Delta of Egypt. The son does not succeed the father in the throne, but the son who is born in a family of the nobles first after the accession of the king. As soon as any one is invested with the government, the pregnant wives of the nobles are registered, and guardians are appointed to watch which of them is first delivered of a son. The custom is to adopt and educate the child in a princely manner as the future successor to the throne.

XVI.iv.4. Cattabania produces frankincense, and Chatramotitis myrrh; these and other aromatics are the medium of exchange with the merchants. Merchants arrive in seventy days at Minaea from Aelana [i.e., modern Aqaba]. Aelana is a city on the other recess of the Arabian Gulf, which is called Aelanites, opposite to Gaza, as we have before described it. The Gerrhaei [who dwelt along the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf, between what is now Kuwait and Qatar] arrive in Chatramotitis in forty days. The part of the Arabian Gulf along the side of Arabia, if we reckon from the recess of the Aelanitic bay, is, according to the accounts of Alexander and Anaxicrates, 14,000 stadia in extent; but this computation is too great. The part opposite to Troglodyticae [The Troglodyticae extended along the western side of the Red Sea, from about the 26th degree of latitude to the 19th degree, near modern Tawkar], which is on the right hand of those who are sailing from Heroolis to Ptolema, to the country where elephants are taken, extends 9000 stadia to the south, and inclines a little towards the east. Thence to the straits are about 4500 stadia, in a direction more towards the east. The straits at Ethiopia are formed by a promontory called Deire [i.e., modern Bab-el-Mandeb]. There is a small town upon it of the same name. The Ichthyophagi inhabit this country. Here it is said is a pillar of Sesostris the Egyptian, on which is inscribed, in hieroglyphics, an account of his passage (across the Arabian Gulf). For he appears to have subdued first Ethiopia and Troglodytica, and afterwards to have passed over into Arabia. He then overran the whole of Asia. Hence in many places there are dykes called the dykes of Sesostris, and temples built in honor of Egyptian deities. . . .

***

Having given this account of the Troglodytae and of the neighboring Ethiopians, Artemidorus returns to the Arabians. Beginning from Poseidium [about twenty-five miles South-Southeast of modern Abu Zanimah] he first describes those who border upon the Arabian Gulf [Red Sea], and are opposite to the Troglodytae. He says that Poseidium is situated within the Bay of Heroolis [this is the modern Gulf of Suez], and that continguous to Poseidium is a grove of palm trees, well-supplied with water, which is highly-valued, because all the district around is burnt up and is without water or shade. But there the fertility of the palm is prodigious. A man and a woman are appointed by hereditary right to the guardianship of the grove. They wear skins, and live on dates. They sleep in huts built on trees, the place being infested with multitudes of wild beasts.

Next is the island of Phocae [modern Sheduan], which has its name from those animals [seals] which abound there. Near it is a promontory [modern Ras Muhammad, near Sharm-el-shaykh], which extends towards Petra, of the Arabians called Nabataei [in modern Jordan, about halfway between Aqaba and the Dead Sea], and to the country of Palestine [the modern state of Israel] , to this island [modern Jazirat Tiran] the Minaei, Gerrhaei, and all the neighboring nations repair with loads of aromatics. Next is another tract of sea-coast, formerly called the coast of the Maranitae [Cape Pharan, near Ras Muhammad], some of whom were farmers, others Scenitae; but at present it is occupied by Garindaei, who destroyed the former possessors by treachery. They attacked those who were assembled to celebrate some quinquennial festival, and put them to death; they then attacked and exterminated the rest of the tribe [See: Diodorus Siculus III.41].

Next is the Aelanitic Gulf [modern Gulf of Aqaba] and Nabataea, a country well-peopled, and abounding in cattle. The islands which lie near [modern Jazirat Tiran and Jazirat Sanafir], and opposite, are inhabited by people who formerly lived without molesting others, but latterly carried on a piratical warfare in rafts against vessels on their way from Egypt. But they suffered reprisals, when an armament was sent out against them, which devastated their country. Next is a plain [about modern Al-Maqnah], well-wooded and well supplied with water; it abounds with cattle of all kinds, and, among other animals, mules, wild camels, harts, and hinds; lions also, leopards, and wolves are frequently to be found. In front lies an island called Dia. Then follows a bay of about 500 stadia in extent, closed in by mountains, the entrance into which is of difficult access [about modern Ash-Sharmah]. About it live people who are hunters of wild animals.

Next are three desert islands, abounding with olive trees, not like those in our own country, but an indigenous kind, which we call Ethiopic [black] olives, the tears (or gum) of which have a medicinal virtue. Then follows a stony beach, which is succeeded by a rugged coast, not easily navigated by vessels, extending about 1000 stadia [modern Madyan in Saudi Arabia]. It has few harbors and anchorages, for a rugged and lofty mountain stretches parallel to it; then the parts at its base, extending into the sea, form rocks under water, which, during the blowing of the Etesian winds and the storms of that period, present dangers, when no assistance can be afforded to vessels.

Next is a bay in which are some scattered islands , and continuous with the bay are three lofty mounds [modern Jebel Seik, Jebel el-Hawene, and Jebel Hester] of black sand. After these is Charmothas [modern Umm Lajj], a harbor, about 100 stadia in circumference, with a narrow entrance very dangerous for all kinds of vessels. A river empties itself into it. In the middle is a well-wooded island, adapted for cultivation [modern Al Hassan]. Then follows a rugged coast, and after that are some bays and a country belonging to nomads, who live by their camels [the modern Hejaz, opposite Mecca and Medina]. They fight from their backs; they travel upon them, and subsist on their milk and flesh. A river flows through their country, which brings down gold dust, but they are ignorant how to make any use of it. They are called Debae; some of them are nomads, others farmers. I do not mention the greater part of the names of these nations, on account of the obscurity of the people, and because the pronunciation of them is strange and uncouth.

Near these people is a nation more civilized [the Minaei], who inhabit a district with a more temperate climate; for it is well-watered, and has frequent showers. Fossil gold is found there, not in the form of dust, but in lumps, which do not require much purification. The least pieces are of the size of a nut, the middle size of a medlar, the largest of a walnut. These are pierced and arranged alternately with transparent stones strung on threads and formed into collars. They are worn round the neck and wrists. They sell the gold to their neighbors at a cheap rate, exchanging it for three times the quantity of brass, and double the quantity of iron, through ignorance of the mode of working the gold, and the scarcity of the commodities received in exchange, which are more necessary for the purposes of life.

XVI.iv.19. The country of the Sabaei, a very populous nation, is contiguous [most of modern Yemen], and is the most fertile of all, producing myrrh, frankincense, and cinnamon. On the coast is found balsamum and another kind of herb of a very fragrant smell, but which is soon dissipated. There are also sweet-smelling palms and the calamus. There are snakes also of a dark red color, a span in length, which spring up as high as a man's waist, and whose bite is incurable. On account of the abundance which the soil produces, the people are lazy and indolent in their mode of life. The lower class of people live on roots, and sleep on the trees. The people who live near each other receive, in continued succession, the loads of perfumes and deliver them to others, who convey them as far as Syria and Mesopotamia. When the carriers become drowsy by the odor of the aromatics, the drowsiness is removed by the fumes of asphalt and of oat's beard.

Mariaba, the capital of the Sabaeans [the same as Saba], is situated upon a mountain, well wooded. A king resides there, who determines absolutely all disputes and other matters; but he is forbidden to leave his palace, or if he does so, the rabble immediately assail him with stones, according to the direction of an oracle. He himself, and those about his person, pass their lives in effeminate voluptuousness. The people cultivate the ground, or follow the trade of dealing in aromatics, both the indigenous sort and those brought from Ethiopia; in order to procure them, they sail through the straits in vessels covered with skins. There is such an abundance of these aromatics, that cinnamon, cassia, and other spices are used by them instead of sticks and firewood.

By the trade in these aromatics both the Sabaeans and the Gerrhaei have become the richest of all the tribes, and possess a great quantity of wrought articles in gold and silver, as couches, tripods, basins, drinking-vessels, to which we must add the costly magnificence of their houses; for the doors, walls, and roofs are variegated with inlaid ivory, gold, silver, and precious stones. . .

XVI.iv.21. The Nabataeans and Sabaeans, situated above Syria, are the first people who occupy Arabia Felix. They were frequently in the habit of overrunning this country before the Romans became masters of it, but at present both they and the Syrians are subject to the Romans.

The capital of the Nabataeans is called Petra. It is situated on a spot which is surrounded and fortified by a smooth and level rock (petra), which externally is abrupt and precipitous, but within there are abundant springs of water both for domestic purposes and for watering gardens. Beyond the enclosure the country is for the most part a desert, particularly towards Judaea. Through this is the shortest road to Jericho, a journey of three or four days, and five days to the Phoinicon (or palm plantation). It is always governed by a king of the royal race. The king has a minister who is one of the Companions, and is called Brother. It has excellent laws for the administration of public affairs.

Athenodorus, a philosopher, and my friend, who had been to Petra, used to relate with surprise that he found many Romans and also many other strangers residing there. He observed the strangers frequently engaged in litigation, both with one another and with the natives; but the natives had never any dispute amongst themselves, and lived together in perfect harmony.

XVI.iv.22. The late expedition of the Romans against the Arabians, under the command of Aelius Gallus, has made us acquainted with many peculiarities of the country. Augustus Caesar despatched this general to explore the nature of these places and their inhabitants, as well as those of Ethiopia, for he observed that Troglodytica, which is contiguous to Egypt, bordered upon Ethiopia; and that the Arabian Gulf was extremely narrow where it separates the Arabians from the Troglodytae. It was his intention either to conciliate or subdue the Arabians. He was also influenced by the report which had prevailed from all time, that this people were very wealthy, and exchanged their aromatics and precious stones for silver and gold, but never expended with foreigners any part of what they received in exchange. He hoped to acquire either opulent friends, or to overcome opulent enemies. He was, moreover, encouraged to undertake this enterprise by the expectation of assistance from the Nabataeans, who promised to cooperate with him in everything.

XVI.iv.23. Upon these inducements Gallus set out on the expedition. But he was deceived by Syllaeus, the king's minister of the Nabataeans, who had promised to be his guide on march, and to assist him in the execution of his design. Syllaeus was, however, treacherous throughout; for he neither guided them by a safe course by sea along the coast, nor by a safe road for the army as he promised, but exposed both fleet and the army to danger by directing them where there was no road, or the road was impracticable, where they were obliged to make long circuits, or to pass through tracts of country destitute of everything; he led the fleet along a rocky coast without harbors, or to places abounding with rocks concealed under water, or with shallows. In places of this description particularly, the flowing and ebbing of the tide did them the most harm.

The first mistake consisted in building long vessels of war at a time when there was no war, nor any likely to occur at sea. For the Arabians, being mostly engaged in traffic and commerce, are not a very warlike people even on land, much less so at sea. Gallus, notwithstanding, built not less than eighty biremes and triremes and galleys at Cleopatris [also called Arsino and near Heroolis] near the old canal which leads from the Nile. When he discovered his mistake, he constructed a hundred and thirty vessels of burden, in which he embarked with about ten thousand infantry, collected from Egypt, consisting of Romans and allies, among whom were five hundred Jews and a thousand Nabataeans, under the command of Syllaeus. After enduring great hardships and distress, he arrived on the fifteenth day at Leuce-Come [modern Hanak], a large mart in the territory of the Nabataeans, with the loss of many of his vessels, some with all their crews, in consequence of the difficulty of the navigation, but by no opposition from an enemy. These misfortunes were occasioned by the perfidy of Syllaeus, who insisted that there was no road for an army by land to Leuce-Come, to which and from which place the camel traders travel with ease and in safety from Petra, and back to Petra, with so large a body of men and camels as to differ in no respect from an army.

XVI.iv.24. Another cause of the failure of the expedition was the fact of king Obodas not paying much attention to public affairs, and especially to those relative to war (as is the custom with all Arabian kings), but placed everything in the power of Syllaeus the minister. His whole conduct in command of the army was perfidious, and his object was, as I suppose, to examine as a spy the state of the country and to destroy, in concert with the Romans, certain cities and tribes; and when the Romans should be consumed by famine, fatigue, and disease, and by all the evils which he had treacherously contrived, to declare himself master of the whole country. Gallus, however, arrived at Leuce-Come, with the army laboring under stomacacce and scelotyrbe, diseases of the country, the former affecting the mouth, the other the legs, with a kind of paralysis, caused by the water and the plants (which the soldiers had used in their food). He was therefore compelled to pass the summer and the winter there, for the recovery of the sick.

Merchandise is conveyed from Leuce-Come-to Petra, thence to Rhinocolura [modern Al-Arish] in Phoenicia, near Egypt, and thence to other nations. But at present the greater part is transported by the Nile to Alexandria. It is brought down from Arabia and India to Myus Hormus [modern B Safajah],, it is then conveyed on camels to Coptus of the Theba, situated on a canal of the Nile, and Alexandria. Gallus, setting out again from Leuce-Come on his return with his army, and through the treachery of his guide, traversed such tracts of country, that the army was obliged to carry water with them upon camels. After a march of many days, therefore, he came to the territory of Aretas [modern Medina?], who was related to Obodas. Aretas received him in a friendly manner, and offered presents. But by the treachery of Syllaeus, Gallus was conducted by a difficult road through the country; for he occupied thirty days in passing through it. It afforded barley, a few palm trees, and butter instead of oil.

The next country to which he came belonged to the nomads, and was in great part a complete desert [the Debae]. It was called Ararene. The king of the country was Sabos. Gallus spent fifty days in passing through this territory, for want of roads, and came to a city of the Negrani [probably Mecca], and to a fertile country peacefully disposed. The king had fled, and the city was taken at the first onset. After a march of six days from thence, he came to the river [in the land of the Minae]. Here the barbarians attacked the Romans, and lost about ten thousand men; the Romans lost only two men. For the barbarians were entirely inexperienced in war, and used their weapons unskillfully, which were bows, spears, swords, and slings; but the greater part of them wielded a double-edged axe. Immediately afterwards he took the city called Asca [probably modern Al-Lith], which had been abandoned by the king. He thence came to a city Athrula [modern Abha?], and took it without resistance; having placed a garrison there, and collected provisions for the march, consisting of grain and dates he proceeded to a city Marsiaba, belonging to the nation of the Rhammanitae, who were subjects of Ilasarus [in modern Yemen, east of modern San'a]. He assaulted and besieged it for six days, but raised the siege in consequence of a scarcity of water. He was two days' march from the aromatic regions, as he was informed by his prisoners.

He occupied in his marches a period of six months, in consequence of the treachery of his guides. This he discovered when he was returning; and although he was late in discovering the design against him, he had time to take another route back; for he arrived in nine days at Negrana [near modern Sa'dah?], where the battle was fought, and thence in eleven days he came to the "Seven Wells" [modern Al-Qunfudhah], as the place is called from the fact of their existing there. Thence he marched through a desert country, and came to Chaalla a village, and then to another called Malothas [perhaps modern Jeddah], situated on a river. This road then lay through a desert country, which had only a few watering-places, as far as Egra [modern Yanbu] a village. It belongs to the territory of Obodus, and is situated upon the sea. He accomplished on his return the whole distance in sixty days, in which, on his first journey, he had consumed six months. From Negra he conducted his army in eleven days to Myus Hormus; thence across the country to Coptus, and arrived at Alexandria with so much of his army as could be saved. The remainder he lost, not by the enemy, but by disease, fatigue, famine, and marches through bad roads; for seven men only perished in battle. For these reasons this expedition contributed little in extending our knowledge of the country. It was however of some small service. Syllaeus, the author of these disasters, was punished for his treachery at Rome. He affected friendship, but he was convicted of other offences, besides perfidy in this instance and was beheaded.

XVI.iv.25. The aromatic country, as I have before said, is divided into four parts. Of aromatics, the frankincense and myrrh are said to be the produce of trees, but cassia the growth of bushes; yet some writers say, that the greater part (of the cassia) is brought from India, and that the best frankincense is that from Persia. According to another partition of the country, the whole of Arabia Felix is divided into five kingdoms (or portions), one of which comprises the fighting men, who fight for all the rest; another contains the husbandmen, by whom the rest are supplied with food; another includes those who work at mechanical trades. One division comprises the myrrh region; another the frankincense region, although the same tracts produce cassia, cinnamon, and nard. Trades are not changed from one family to another, but each workman continues to exercise that of his father. The greater part of their wine is made from the palm.

A man's brothers are held in more respect than his children. The descendants of the royal family succeed as kings, and are invested with other governments, according to primogeniture. Property is common among all the relations. The eldest is the chief. There is one wife among them all. He who enters the house before any of the rest, has intercourse with her having placed his staff at the door; for it is a necessary custom which every one is compelled to observe, to carry a staff. The woman, however, passes the night with the eldest. Hence the male children are all brothers. They have sexual intercourse also with their mothers. Adultery is punished with death, but an adulterer must belong to another family.

A daughter of one of the kings was of extraordinary beauty, and had fifteen brothers, who were all in love with her, and were her unceasing and successive visitors; she, being at last weary of their importunity, is said to have employed the following device. She procured staves to be made similar to those of her brothers; when one left the house she placed before the door a staff similar to the first, and a little time afterwards another, and so on in succession, but making her calculation so that the person who intended to visit her might not have one similar to that at her door. On an occasion when the brothers were all of them together at the market-place, one left it, and came to the door of the house seeing the staff there, and conjecturing some one to be in his apartment, and having left all the other brothers at the marketplace, he suspected the person to be an adulterer; running therefore in haste to his father, he brought him with him to the house, but it was proved that he had falsely accused his sister.

XVI.iv.26. The Nabataeans are prudent, and fond of accumulating property. The community fine a person who has diminished his substance, and confer honors on him who has increased it. They have few slaves, and are served for the most part by their relations, or by one another, or each person is his own servant; and this custom extends even to their kings. They eat their meals in companies consisting of thirteen persons. Each party is attended by two musicians. But the king gives many entertainments in great buildings. No one drinks more than eleven cupfuls, from separate cups, each of gold. The king courts popular favor so much, that he is not only his own servant, but sometimes he himself ministers to others. He frequently renders an account before the people, and sometimes an inquiry is made into his mode of life.

The houses are sumptuous, and of stone. The cities are without walls, on account of the peace which prevails among them. A great part of the country is fertile, and produces everything except oil of olives; the oil of sesame is used instead. The sheep have white fleeces, their oxen are large; but the country produces no horses. Camels are the substitute for horses, and perform the labor. They wear no tunics, but have a girdle about their loins, and walk abroad in sandals. The dress of the kings is the same, but the color is purple.

Some merchandise is altogether imported into the country, others are not altogether imports, especially as some articles are native products, as gold and silver, and many of the aromatics; but brass and iron, purple garments, styrax, saffron, and costus (or white cinnamon), pieces of sculpture, paintings, pieces of statues, are not to be procured in the country. They look upon the bodies of the dead as no better than dung, according to the words of Heracleitus, "dead bodies more fit to be cast out than dung;" wherefore they bury even their kings beside dung-heaps. They worship the sun, and construct the altar on the top of a house, pouring out libations and burning frankincense upon it every day.

Dio Cassius

History of Rome, Book LIII.xxix.3-8.,

c. 220 CE

For 23 B.C.: While this was going on, another and a new campaign had at once its beginning and its end. It was conducted by Aelius Gallus, the governor of Egypt, against the country called Arabia Felix, of which Sabos was king. At first Aelius encountered no one, yet he did not proceed without difficulty; for the desert, the sun, and the water (which had some peculiar nature), all caused his men great distress, so that the larger part of the army perished. The malady proved to be unlike any of the common complaints, but attacked the head and caused it to become parched, killing forthwith most of those who were attacked, but in the case of those who survived this stage it descended to the legs, skipping all the intervening parts of the body, and caused dire injury to them. There was no remedy for it except a mixture of olive-oil and wine, both taken as a drink and used as an ointment; and this remedy naturally lay within reach of only a few of them, since the country produces neither of these articles and the men had not prepared an abundant supply of them beforehand. In the midst of this trouble the barbarians also fell upon them. For hitherto they had been defeated whenever they joined battle, and had even been losing some places;. but now, with the disease as their ally, they not only won back their own possessions, but also drove the survivors of the expedition out of the country. These were the first of the Romans, and, I believe, the only ones, to traverse so much of this part of Arabia for the purpose of making war.

Ammianus Marcellinus

The Roman History, Book XIV.iv.1-7. ,

c. 380 CE

Book XIV.4: At this time also the Saracens, a race whom it is never desirable to have either for friends or enemies, ranging up and down the country, if ever they found anything, plundered it in a moment, like rapacious hawks who, if from on high they behold any prey, carry it off with a rapid swoop, or, if they fail in their attempt, do not tarry. And although, in recounting the career of the Prince Marcus, and once or twice subsequently, I remember having discussed the manners of this people, nevertheless I will now briefly enumerate a few more particulars concerning them.

Among these tribes, whose primary origin is derived from the cataracts of the Nile and the borders of the Blemmyae, all the men are warriors of equal rank; half naked, clad in colored cloaks down to the waist, overrunning different countries, with the aid of swift and active horses and speedy camels, alike in times of peace and war. Nor does any member of their tribe ever take plow in hand or cultivate a tree, or seek food by the tillage of the land; but they are perpetually wandering over various and extensive districts, having no home, no fixed abode or laws; nor can they endure to remain long in the same climate, no one district or country pleasing them for a continuance.

Their life is one continued wandering; their wives are hired, on special covenant, for a fixed time; and that there may be some appearance of marriage in the business, the intended wife, under the name of a dowry, offers a spear and a tent to her husband, with a right to quit him after a fixed day, if she should choose to do so. And it is inconceivable with what eagerness the individuals of both sexes give themselves up to matrimonial pleasures.

But as long as they live they wander about with such extensive and perpetual migrations, that the woman is married in one place, brings forth her children in another, and rears them at a distance from either place, no opportunity of remaining quiet being ever granted to her. They all live on venison, and are further supported on a great abundance of milk, and on many kinds of herbs, and on whatever birds they can catch by fowling. And we have seen a great many of them wholly ignorant of the use of either corn or wine.

Procopius of Caesarea

History of the Wars, Book I.xix.1-16, 23-26; xx.1-13:

c. 550 CE,

The boundaries of Palestine extend toward the east to the sea which is called the Red Sea. Now this sea, beginning at India, comes to an end at this point in the Roman domain. And there is a city called Aelas [modern Aqaba] on its shore, where the sea comes to an end, as I have said, and becomes a very narrow gulf. And as one sails into the sea from there [i.e., sailing Southwest, from Aqaba to the Red Sea], the Egyptian mountains lie on the right, extending toward the south; on the other side a country deserted by men extends northward to an indefinite distance; and the land on both sides is visible as one sails in as far as the island called Iotabe, not less than one thousand stades distant from the city of Aelas. On this island Hebrews had lived from of old in autonomy, but in the reign of this Justinian they have become subject to the Romans. From there on there comes a great open sea. And those who sail into this part of it no longer see the land on the right, but they always anchor along the left coast when night comes on. For it is impossible to navigate in the darkness on this sea, since it is everywhere full of shoals. But there are harbors there and great numbers of them, not made by the hand of man, but by the natural contour of the land, and for this reason it is not difficult for mariners to find anchorage wherever they happen to be.

This coast immediately beyond the boundaries of Palestine is held by Saracens, who have been settled from of old in the Palm Groves. These groves are in the interior, extending over a great tract of land, and there absolutely nothing else grows except palm trees. The Emperor Justinian had received these palm groves as a present from Abochorabus, the ruler of the Saracens there, and he was appointed by the emperor captain over the Saracens in Palestine. And he guarded the land from plunder constantly, for both to the barbarians over whom he ruled and no less to the enemy, Abochorabus always seemed a man to be feared and an exceptionally energetic fellow. Formally, therefore, the emperor holds the Palm Groves, but for him really to possess himself of any of the country there is utterly impossible. For a land completely destitute of human habitation and extremely dry lies between, extending to the distance of a ten days' journey; moreover, the Palm Groves themselves are by no means worth anything, and Abochorabus only gave the form of a gift, and the emperor accepted it with full knowledge of the fact. So much then for the Palm Groves. Adjoining this people there are other Saracens in possession of the coast, who are called Maddeni [in modern Madyan] and who are subjects of the Omeritae. These Omeritae dwell in the land on the farther side of them on the shore of the sea [modern Yemen]. And beyond them many other nations are said to be settled as far as the man-eating Saracens. Beyond these are the nations of India.

For the sea which one traverses beyond this point as far as the shore and the city of Aelas has received the name of the Arabian Gulf, inasmuch as the country which extends from here to the limits of the city of Gaza used to be called in olden times Arabia, since the king of the Arabs had his palace in early times in the city of Petrae. Now the harbor of the Omeritae from they are accustomed to put to sea for the voyage to Ethiopia is called Bulicas [modern Al-Hudaydah?]; and at the end of the sail across the sea they always put in at the harbor of the Adulitae. But the city of Adulis [near modern Asmara] is removed from the harbor a distance of twenty stades (for it lacks only so much of being on the sea), while from the city of Auxomis it is a journey of twelve days.

All the boats which are found in India and on this sea are not made in the same manner as are other ships. For neither are they smeared with pitch, nor with any other substance, nor indeed are the planks fastened together by iron nails going through and through, but they are bound together with a kind of cording. The reason is not as most persons suppose, that there are certain rocks there which draw the iron to themselves (for witness the fact that when the Roman vessels sail from Aelas into this sea, although they are fitted with much iron, no such thing has ever happened to them), but rather because the Indians and the Ethiopians possess neither iron nor any other thing suitable for such purposes. Furthermore, they are not even able to buy any of these things from the Romans since this is explicitly forbidden to all by law; for death is the punishment for one who is caught. Such then is the description of the so-called Red Sea and of the land which lies on either side of it. . .

At about the time of this war Ellesthaeus, the king of the Ethiopians, who was a Christian and a most devoted adherent of this faith, discovered that a number of the Omeritae on the opposite mainland [modern Yemen] were oppressing the Christians there outrageously; many of these rascals were Jews, and many of them held in reverence the old faith which men of the present day call Hellenic [i.e., pagan]. He therefore collected a fleet of ships and an army and came against them, and he conquered them in battle and slew both the king and many of the Omeritae. He then set up in his stead a Christian king, an Omeritae by birth, by name Esimiphaeus, and, after ordaining that he should pay a tribute to the Ethiopians every year, he returned to his home. In this Ethiopian army many slaves and all who were readily disposed to crime were quite unwilling to follow the king back, but were left behind and remained there because of their desire for the land of the Omeritae; for it is an extremely goodly land.

These fellows at a time not long after this, in company with certain others, rose against the king Esimiphaeus and put him in confinement in one of the fortresses there, and established another king over the Omeritae, Abramus by name. Now this Abramus was a Christian, but a slave of a Roman citizen who was engaged in the business of shipping in the city of Adulis in Ethiopia. When Ellesthaeus learned this, he was eager to punish Abramus together with those who had revolted with him for their injustice to Esimiphaeus, and he sent against them an army of three thousand men with one of his relatives as commander. This army, once there, was no longer willing to return home, but they wished to remain where they were in a goodly land, and so without the knowledge of their commander they opened negotiations with Abramus; then when they came to an engagement with their opponents, just as the fighting began, they killed their commander and joined the ranks of the enemy, and so remained there. But Ellesthaeus was greatly moved with anger and sent still another army against them; this force engaged with Abramus and his men, and, after suffering a severe defeat in the battle, straightway returned home. Thereafter the king of the Ethiopians became afraid, and sent no further expeditions against Abramus. After the death of Ellesthaeus, Abramus agreed to pay tribute to the king of the Ethiopians who succeeded him, and in this way he strengthened his rule. But this happened at a later time.

At that time, when Ellesthaeus was reigning over the Ethiopians, and Esimiphaeus over the Omeritae, the Emperor Justinian sent an ambassador, Julianus, demanding that both nations on account of their community of religion should make common cause with the Romans in the war against the Persians; for he purposed that the Ethiopians, by purchasing silk from India and selling it among the Romans, might themselves gain much money, while cause the Romans to profit in only one way, namely, that they be no longer compelled to pay over their money to their enemy (this is the silk of which they are accustomed to make the garments which of old the Greeks called "Medic," but which at the present time they name "Seric" [from Lat. serica, as coming from the Chinese (Seres)]). As for the Omeritae, it was desired that they should establish Caus, the fugitive, as captain over the Maddeni, and with a great army of their own people and of the Maddene Saracens make an invasion into the land of the Persians. This Caus was by birth of the captain's rank and an exceptionally able warrior, but he had killed one of the relatives of Esimiphaeus and was a fugitive in a land which is utterly destitute of human habitation.

So each king, promising to put this demand into effect, dismissed the ambassador, but neither one of them did the things agreed upon by them. For it was impossible for the Ethiopians to buy silk from the Indians, for the Persian merchants always locate themselves at the very harbors where the Indian ships first put in (since they inhabit the adjoining country), and are accustomed to buy the whole cargoes; and it seemed to the Omeritae a difficult thing to cross a country which was a desert and which extended so far that a long time was required for the journey across it, and then to go against such a people much more warlike than themselves. Later on Abramus too, when at length he had established his power most securely, promised the Emperor Justinian many times to invade the land of Persia, but only once began the journey and then straightway turned back. Such then were the relations which the Romans had with the Ethiopians and the Omeritae.

Sources:

Herodotus, The Histories of Herodotus (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1898)

Strabo, The Geography of Strabo: Literally Translated, with Notes, trans. by H. C. Hamilton & W. Falconer (London: H. G. Bohn, 1854-1857), pp. 185-215

Dio Cassius, The Roman History, Vol. V, trans. Ernest Cary (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1917), pp. 269, 271

Ammianus Marcellinus, The Roman History of Ammianus Marcellinus During the Reigns of The Emperors Constantius, Julian, Jovianus, Valentinian, and Valens, trans. C. D. Yonge (London: G. Bell & Sons, 1911), pp. 11-12

Procopius, History of the Wars, 7 vols., trans. H. B. Dewing (Cambridge, Mass., and London: Harvard University Press & Wm. Heinemann, 1914; reprint ed., 1953-54), I.179-195.

Earth's Ancient History

The real story about Ancient times

Preface L.C. Geerts

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I grew up in the period shortly after the Second World War in the Netherlands. This was a time in which our parents had to rebuild our partly destroyed society.

My father was, as were several others, captured by the Germans, and from 1943 imprisoned in several, so called, Concentration-Camps because he refused to work for the Germans and was categorized as 'Politik Heftling'. Finally he was freed in April 1945 from Camp 'Buchenwald', in what was the former East-Germany near Weimar, by the Americans.

During my youth in the 50s and 60s I was raised in an orthodox Calvinistic community with a father who often told his children (a total of 13) the horrible stories that took place in the Concentration Camps where he stayed in the 40s. During my life as an adult his experiences would have a profound impact on my life, due to the fact I could not accept that Humanity could or would be able to murder and destroy its own fellow-creatures.

As mentioned I was raised in an Orthodox Calvinistic community so I willy-nilly learned the Bible by rote. When I was 11 years old I became aware that I had been betrayed (though not intentionally) by both my parents, in church and by teachers at school.

Because of that newfound awareness I started to read other books about ancient history and soon learned to read the Bible with opened eyes and saw how different our history was being portrayed in comparison to what me had been taught.

The Books of Emanuel Velikovsky for instance, tells an entirely different story concerning ancient times. His theories made sense. In the seventies and in later decades most scholars began to believe Velikovsky's theory that the evolution of our earth was much different from what they had previously believed.

Velikovsky's theory gives the reason why dinosaurs vanished from the face of the earth in such a short period of time. His theory explains that Venus is a stranger in our solar system, and that there was once a planet between Mars and Jupiter millions of years ago. Further it points out that the chronological timetable of Egypt after the Bronze Age has a hole of at least 400 years.

In later chapters of my book I will try to explain more of the theory of Dr. Emanuel Velikovsky, who is now considered a respected scholar by most of his peers.

During later years I became more and more interested in the Ancient History of Mankind and the written stories from all over the World including the Myths, Legends and Sages. During this study it became very clear that the stories in the Bible were not unique, and had been told of and written about everywhere around the Ancient World.

When looking for evidence I began to read the history of Mesopotamia, Assyria, Egypt and other regions and soon found out what I had already presumed.

Because of this new evidence I started reading the Bible again, only now as an historical book. It soon became clear that the modern Christian Bible and Jewish Torah (that makes up the first five books of the Old Testament) merely gives us a 'colored' or watered down history of the Hebrew and Jewish people, and are only fragments of the total history of the Middle East. So the Bible became for me a very useful historical book written by several ancient writers that had been rewritten much later after the captivity of the Jews in Babylon by the Prophet Daniel in the 6th century BC.

At that time, the Torah consisted of stories that had been composed for the most part from older stories that had been written on clay tablets and papyri from Mesopotamia, Assyria and Egypt, including names and places, and in most cases these stories were thousands of years older.

The final Torah and later the final Christian Bible were arbitrarily composed and differ within different sects of Judaism and Christianity itself. While several original Canonical Bible books were later set apart as Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha books in the 2nd century AD is for me still a question that never has been answered to my satisfaction.

Even in the 21st century, our known history is based on theories of scholars who have been raised following the same dogma most of us share. They don't believe any other scenario of our ancient history, even when other scholars had shed a new and magnificent light on our ancient history. The old guard refuses to look with open eyes or to face the truth. I think it's time to reconsider our ancient history and to try to see it with 'new' eyes and with an open mind.

The reason we still don't know who we are and where we came from is that our thoughts are still based on religious thoughts learned by our parents, grandparents, and ancestors and taught to us by the Church Fathers. It would be wise to first consider where religion came from, and then to consider the reason these religious beliefs have been spread all over the world since ancient times.

If we would just be able to set aside our religious teachings we have been taught at home, church and school and simply take the time to start reading the Bible in a different way, then we might very well see that many things written in the Bible really did happen as they are written and that most of these stories are based on much older stories.

All the 'strange' stories, written in the Bible, on clay tablets and in all kinds of Myths, Legends and Sages from all over the world and by all cultures, wouldn't be as 'strange' as they seems to be if we believe they really happened in ancient times. And that all that has been written down is to let us know who we are and also the real history of mankind. Most of these stories are retelling's of historical facts. Some are less fairy tales then eyewitness events.

In this book I will try to prove that the Bible is only a small part of the ancient history of mankind. It is a book based on important stories much older than the Bible itself. The Bible contains several fragments of stories and retellings. It tells only survived stories written down by the Prophet Ezekiel, of which the originals were destroyed in the period during and after the Babylonian overthrow of Israel in the 6th century BC. These stories were later fitted together as the 'holy' book of the Jews the Torah.

There is no evidence that the Bible should be seen as a religious book. It slowly became religious during the last 2,500 years and was often updated to fit in the beliefs of the Jews and later Christianity.

Parts of the 'original' Bible have been modified since then, and so were born the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha books. This is in spite of the real historical facts of these books. Proof of these facts came out when the 'Dead Sea Scrolls' were found in the year 1947 and a small part of the scrolls were translated and published.

I am still waiting for the publications of all the Dead Sea scrolls. I'm sure that what I have written in this book will be proven once this happens. Nevertheless I invite the reader to study all historical scrolls by himself to find the truth.

In this book I, along with you the reader, will try to figure out what has happened in the past 500 million years with our Earth and with our ancestors. I will try to prove that the history of our earth is much different than most scholars believe and think today.

September 1998 / January 2006

L.C.Geerts

Dordrecht

The Netherlands

Chapter 7

The Generations of Shem

(generation 11 - 19)

Revised and updated by the author 08-04-2011

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In this chapter we will discuss the Generations from Shem until Jacob and will finally find the creation of Homo Sapiens, our real ancestors. We will use verses from The Generation Table, The Bible, The Book of Jasher and The Book of Jubilees from the period of the Flood until Jacob where we can read an interesting story about the way of life in ancient times.

I mentioned in chapter 6 that the sons of Noah divided the Earth between each other in the time when Peleg (generation 15) was born, though this is told in the Bible, but in The Book of Jasher we can read that not only the Earth was divided but also that the children of men were divided. In the part of the life of Eber and Peleg we will discuss the reason that the book of Jasher makes this difference.

But we will start first with the life of Shem (generation 11).

Generation 11: Shem

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:10:21: Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. Gn:10:22: The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. Gn:10:23: And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. Gn:10:24: And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

What is the meaning of the clause ' Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, even to him were children born'? Why accentuates the Bible here that ALL the children of Eber were his children? and why accentuates the Bible that EVEN TO HIM WERE BORN CHILDREN?. When we read further we quickly find the reason why this part is so important:

Gn:10:25: And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. Gn:10:26: And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, Gn:10:27: And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, Gn:10:28: And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, Gn:10:29: And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. Gn:10:30: And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goes unto Sephar a mount of the east. (see also 1 Chronicles 1:19-23)

Eber begat TWO SONS, one of them is Peleg and he was so called because in his time the Earth was divided? But why, we find the reason because we can read that his other son was Joktan (Joktan means 'small' or 'insignificant'), and in the next verse we can read directly that Joktan and his offspring were set apart and dwelt from Mesha unto Sephar, a mount of the east.

The reason that the Bible tells this story is in my opinion clear, Joktan was created by the Angels of Heaven who were on Earth at that time because they instructed Noah to divide the Earth. And they created a 'new' race, with the genes of Shem (or Eber), called HOMO SAPIENS.

Seth and his offspring belonged to the 'Anakim' and they were Giants. So it isn't strange that he was called Joktan, 'the small or insignificant' and was separated from his 'family' in another area.

AND FINALLY WE FOUND MODERN HOMO SAPIENS and Joktan was the first, created about 100 years after the Flood (32,000 BC) and later they spread all over the world in a short period of time.

Later on, Homo Sapiens was responsible for the extinction of the remains of the Neanderthaler of which most died during the Flood, who until that time were the leading humanoids on earth who were able to speak and make fire. Modern excavations has proved that the last Neanderthaler died out in historical times so they must have lived together with modern men.

By the story of Eber we will see that he was the last who reached a lifetime of nearly 500 years while his son Peleg reached only the age of 239 years. In chapter 5 we discussed that God permitted the 'Anakim' to live for about 500 years. Eber was the last of the 'real Anakim' (Demigods). His offspring were the 'Children' of the 'Anakim' and they degenerated very quickly in lifetime from 464 (Eber) to 147 (Jacob) years. And the 500 years period was ended when Esau and Jacob were born.

In The Book of Jasher we can read:

7: 15 And these are the sons of Shem; Elam, Ashur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram, five sons; and the sons of Elam were Shushan, Machul and Harmon. 16 And the sons of Ashur were Mirus and Mokil, and the sons of Arpachshad were Shelach, Anar and Ashcol. 17 And the sons of Lud were Pethor and Bizayon, and the sons of Aram were Uz, Chul, Gather and Mash. 18 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families; and their numbers in those days were about three hundred men.

The offspring of Shem was counted 300, in 3 generations, a period of about 75 years. Even in the book of Jasher we can find proof that Eber had two different sons and this book is more plainly because in The Book of Jasher we can read:

7: 19 These are the generations of Shem; Shem begat Arpachshad and Arpachshad begat Shelach, and Shelach begat Eber and to Eber were born two children, the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the sons of men were divided, and in the latter days, the earth was divided. 20 And the name of the second was Yoktan, meaning that in his day the lives of the sons of men were diminished and lessened. 21 These are the sons of Yoktan; Almodad, Shelaf, Chazarmoveth, Yerach, Hadurom, Ozel, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab; all these are the sons of Yoktan.

The book of Jasher makes a clear difference between:'The Sons of Men were divided' and 'In latter days the Earth was divided'. The meaning of this two clauses must be clear:

1. The genealogy was split in two parts:

A. The original line of the 'Anakim' was set forth by Peleg.

B. The 'new' creation was established with the birth of Yoktan.

2. The Earth was divided in three parts:

A. The South part for Ham and his offspring

B. The North and West part for Japheth and his offspring

C. The Middle and East part for Shem and his offspring. The area where the offspring of Joktan was placed was at the East.

This story looks unbelievable but indeed Yoktan was the first Homo Sapien and our first ancestor, created about 32,000 years BC. (see the timeline later in chapter 13). Later in this chapter we will find more proof that my conclusion is right.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 7. 16 And Shem dwelt with his father Noah, and he built a city close to his father on the mountain, and he too called its name after the name of his wife Sedeqetelebab. 17 And behold these three cities are near Mount Lubar; Sedeqetelebab fronting the mountain on its east; and Na'eltama'uk on the south; 'Adatan'eses towards the west. 18 And these are the sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, this son was born two years after the flood (1310 AM)

Shem dwelt with his father Noah near mount Lubar, situated probably in Armenia but it's also possible that mount Labur was situated near lake Van in East-Turkey. The cities built by Shem can be Catal Hoyuk (near Konya, South-Turkey or Kurban Hoyuk, Cayonu, Tel Fakhariyah (near Halaf) (Southeast-Turkey) between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. At all these places were found ancient settlements from about 8,000 BC - 6,000 BC. Remember also the place of the Garden of Eden (between Euphrates and Tigris river)

Modern Turkey	Armenia	Ancient Turkey

click image to enlarge

In my opinion was the middle part of the Earth the area Armenia (west of lake Van), East-Turkey, North-Iran, North-Iraq and North-Syria were Noah and Shem settled. (approximately modern Kurdistan).

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:10:31: These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. Gn:11:10: These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: Gn:11:11: And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

It looks at little strange that the Bible for the first time speaks in the clause ' after their tongues, in their lands' because by the story of the offspring of Japheth and Ham this clause is missing. Further is again spoken about the 'mystical' 500 years period.

Generation 12: Arphaxad

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:12: And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: Gn:11:13: And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 8. 1 In the twenty-ninth jubilee, in the first week, (1372-1379 AM) in the beginning thereof Arpachshad took to himself a wife and her name was Rasu'eja, the daughter of Susan, the daughter of Elam, and she bare him a son in the third year in this week, (1375 AM) and he called his name Kainam.

And also Arphaxad married his niece Rasu'eja.

Generation 13.1: Kainam??

Where is Kainam in the Bible?, the reason is clear he discovered the secrets of 'The Nephilim' and that didn't fit into the 'Monotheism' theory of the Jewish writers, so they removed this story from the Bible and Kainam was vanished out of history.

We can see that the removal of Kainam was a big error of the writers of the Bible because we read in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 8. 2 And the son grew, and his father taught him writing, and he went to seek for himself a place where he might seize for himself a city. 3 And he found a writing which former (generations) had carved on the rock, and he read what was thereon, and he transcribed it and sinned owing to it; for it contained the teaching of the Watchers in accordance with which they used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars in all the signs of heaven. 4 And he wrote it down and said nothing regarding it; for he was afraid to speak to Noah about it lest he should be angry with him on account of it.

A strange story, Kainam found the secrets of 'The Watchers' carved on a rock and was afraid to tell it to Noah and his father, although Noah studied the signs of Heaven himself, can you imagine now that this story is missing in the Bible?.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 8. 5 And in the thirtieth jubilee, in the second week, in the first year thereof (1429 AM), he (Kainam) took to himself a wife, and her name was Melka, the daughter of Madai, the son of Japheth, and in the fourth year (1433 AM) he begat a son, and called his name Shelah; for he said: 'Truly I have been sent.' [And in the fourth year he was born],

And also Kainam married his niece Melka. Furher we can read here that the story of Kainam and the birth of his son Shelah (Salah) differs with the story in the Bible where we can read that Salah was the son of Arphaxad.

Salah was NOT the son of Arphaxad but the son of Kainam

Generation 13.2: Salah (Shelah)

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:14: And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: Gn:11:15: And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 8. 6 And Shelah grew up and took to himself a wife, and her name was Mu'ak, the daughter of Kesed, his father's brother, in the one and thirtieth jubilee, in the fifth week, in the first year (1499 AM) thereof. 7 And she bare him a son in the fifth year [1504 A.M.] thereof, and he called his name Eber:

And also Salah (Shelah) married his niece.Mu'ak

Generation 14: Eber

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:16: And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: Gn:11:17: And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 8. 7 And he (Eber) took unto himself a wife, and her name was 'Azurad, the daughter of Nebrod, in the thirty-second jubilee, in the seventh week, in the third year thereof. (1564 AM) 8 And in the sixth year (1567 AM) thereof, she bare him a son, and he called his name Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide the earth amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg.

And Eber married his second-niece Azurad, the daughter of his nephew Nebrod (Septuagint) the Giant (NIMROD). See the story of Nimrod in chapter 8.

As discussed by the Generation of Shem above the children of Eber were the turning point in history, the creation of modern Homo Sapiens (Yoktan)

Generation 15.1: Peleg

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:18: And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: Gn:11:19: And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 10. 18 And in the three and thirtieth jubilee, in the first year in the second week (1576 AM), Peleg took to himself a wife, whose name was Lomna the daughter of Sina'ar, and she bare him a son in the fourth year of this week (1580 AM), and he called his name Reu; for he said: 'Behold the children of men have become evil through the wicked purpose of building for themselves a city and a tower in the land of Shinar.'

And Peleg was the first who did not marry his niece or second-niece but a 'strange' woman, Lomna the daughter of Sina'ar. Further we found the time in which the Tower of Babel was built, about 1580 AM, see the story later in chapter 8.

Generation 15.2 Yoktan

The first Homo Sapien

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:10:25: And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. Gn:10:26: And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, Gn:10:27: And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, Gn:10:28: And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, Gn:10:29: And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. Gn:10:30: And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goes unto Sephar a mount of the east. (see also 1 Chronicles 1:19-23)

The places mentioned in Gn:10:30, Mesha and Sephar are offten located in modern Yemen but there is evidence that they were located in modern Iran and Turkey. High up the slopes of Mt. Judi, seventeen miles south of, and in plain sight of the ark hunter's ever-popular Mt. Ararat, and just under the great white limestone escarpment wall known as Ziyaret, which means "shrine," lie the ruined remains of the ancient lost-city of Noah, called "Mesha" anciently, and known later as "Naxuan." (See http://www.noahsark-naxuan.com/index.htm). With Mount Sephar is probably ment as the mountainrange between Armenia and Turkey.

The offspring of Yoktan spread Eastwards to India and Westwards to France. In France they are called the Cro-Magnon men.

The Bible nor any other book ever mention Yoktan and his offspring again, except in 1 Ch. 1:19,21. but this story is the same as in Gn.10. Shem and Noah were aware of the danger that Yoktan should be destroyed by his Giant 'Brothers and Sisters' and therefore he and his offspring were set apart to prevent this.

A strange detail that is not as strange as it looks that Noah warned his children not to eat the blood of men otherwise they would be destroyed as we can read in The Book of Jubilees :

7:19. For I see, and behold the demons have begun (their) seductions against you and against your children and now I fear on your behalf, that after my death ye will shed the blood of men upon the earth, and that ye, too, will be destroyed from the face of the earth. 20. For whoso sheddeth man's blood, and whoso eateth the blood of any flesh, shall all be destroyed from the earth. 21. And there shall not be left any man that eateth blood, or that sheddeth the blood of man on the earth, Nor shall there be left to him any seed or descendants living under heaven; For into Sheol shall they go, And into the place of condemnation shall they descend, And into the darkness of the deep shall they all be removed by a violent death.

Noah new that his children should eat the blood of man after his death and he warned them that they will be destroyed also like their forefathers 'The Nephilim' before the flood. See also the story of Odysseus when some of his companions were eaten by a one eyed Cyclop.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 10. 1 And in the third week of this jubilee (the thirty-third jubilee) (1582-1589 AM) the unclean demons began to lead astray the children of the sons of Noah, and to make to err and destroy them. 2 And the sons of Noah came to Noah their father, and they told him concerning the demons which were leading astray and blinding and slaying his sons' sons.

Here is clearly spoken of diseases that appeared on Earth in those days and these diseases were called unclean demons. A strange story that during the lifetime of Peleg who was the first who married a 'strange' woman these diseases broke out. Has it something to do with the fact that the marriage of Peleg was the beginning of diseases? YES it was because we can read in the same chapter (10) that Noah received from the Angels of Heaven the secrets of Medicine to cure his children and their children.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 10. 5 And Thou knowest how Thy Watchers, the fathers of these spirits, acted in my day: and as for these spirits which are living, imprison them and hold them fast in the place of condemnation, and let them not bring destruction on the sons of thy servant, my God; for these are malignant, and created in order to destroy.

In my opinion is here spoken of diseases and not 'living' demons. The diseases came on Earth before the flood because the 'Nephilim' mingled with the daughters of men and these illnesses came back after the Flood when the children of Noah (Anakim) did the same (marriage with 'strange' woman).

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 10. 10 'And one of us (Angels) He commanded that we should teach Noah all their medicines; for He knew that they would not walk in uprightness, nor strive in righteousness. 12 And we explained to Noah all the medicines of their diseases, together with their seductions, how he might heal them with herbs of the earth. 13 And Noah wrote down all things in a book as we instructed him concerning every kind of medicine. Thus the evil spirits were precluded from (hurting) the sons of Noah. 14 And he gave all that he had written to Shem, his eldest son; for he loved him exceedingly above all his sons.

And the Angels teaches Noah to make medicines against their diseases with herbs of the Earth, with other words this was the beginning of medical treatment of all kind of illness. Further we can read here clearly that Noah gave this 'secrets' of curing diseases only to Seth and Seth on his turn only to his beloved offspring as we will see later by the story of Abram.

Generation 16: Reu

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:20: And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: Gn:11:21: And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 1 And in the thirty-fifth jubilee, in the third week, in the first year (1681 AM) thereof, Reu took to himself a wife, and her name was 'Ora, the daughter of 'Ur, the son of Kesed, and she bare him a son, and he called his name Seroh (Serug), in the seventh year of this week in this jubilee. (1687 AM) 2 And the sons of Noah began to war on each other, to take captive and to slay each other, and to shed the blood of men on the earth, and to eat blood, and to build strong cities, and walls, and towers, and individuals (began) to exalt themselves above the nation, and to found the beginnings of kingdoms, and to go to war people against people, and nation against nation, and city against city, and all (began) to do evil, and to acquire arms, and to teach their sons war, and they began to capture cities, and to sell male and female slaves. 3 And 'Ur, the son of Kesed, built the city of 'Ara of the Chaldees, and called its name after his own name and the name of his father.

Reu was the third who did not marry his niece but a 'strange' woman, Ora the daughter of Ur-Nammu, the founder of the Third dynasty of Ur, the son of Kesed. In spite of the warnings of Noah and Shem their children began to make war to each other in the time Noah still lived and captured their brothers cities. The (re)builder of the city of (Ara) Ur is known in the Sumerian Kinglist as the first King of the Third dynasty of Ur called Ur-Nammu (2,120-2,102 BC). See chapter 13.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

11: 4 And they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each the idol, the molten image which they had made for themselves, and they began to make graven images and unclean simulacra, and malignant spirits assisted and seduced (them) into committing transgression and uncleanness. 6 For this reason he (Reu) called the name of Seroh, Serug, for every one turned to do all manner of sin and transgression.

And so was born worship of Kings and they made Molten Images of 'new' Gods and also from themselves, and Noah, Shem and the Gods were angry about that.

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First Conclusion

A strange coincidence that the age of the 'Earth fathers' decreased fast just at the time Eber married a 'strange' women, the age of his children from Peleg on were reduced from 464 years (Eber) to 239 years (Peleg) his son, in just 1 generation.

A second coincidence is that during the lifetime of Eber Disease broke out, the Tower of Babel was build, they built Cities and started Kingdoms and they began to make war against each other and began to do all what was evil in the eyes of the Gods. And Noah's children began to exalt themselves above the nations and founded Kingdoms, and they introduced 'slavery'A third coincidence is that Noah's children started to make war on each other and began to do all what was evil in the eyes of the Gods. And Noah's children began to exalt themselves above the nations and founded Kingdoms, and they introduced 'slavery'

You can imagine now that I don't understand that there are still people who 'worship' Kings and Queens (also in my country Holland) because it should be clear, just for Christians and other believers, that 'Kingdoms' are against the will of the Gods because the Gods saw it as evil. It is unbelievable that even in the 21st century this phenomenon still exists. I have only one explanation for this 'primitive' behavior, we still live in 'the stone age' of our evolution.

The Chronology of the generations after the Flood is not placed in the time they really lived, only a few of them were mentioned in the Bible, Jubilees and Jasher. The follow-up of the generations and there life span was actually much longer then is handed down in these books.

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We go back to the Generations after the Flood.

Generation 17: Serug

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:22: And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: Gn:11:23: And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 7 And he (Serug) grew up, and dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees, near to the father of his wife's mother, and he worshipped idols, and he took to himself a wife in the thirty-sixth jubilee, in the fifth week, in the first year thereof, (1744 AM) and her name was Melka, the daughter of Kaber, the daughter of his father's brother. 8 And she bare him Nahor, in the first year of this week. (1744 AM)

And Serug was the first after three Generations who again married his 2 nieces, even as his ancestors did, Why?, Serug lived in Ur, a Kingdom, and he also belonged to the Royal family as Prince of Ur and because of that he had to secure his dynasty therefore he married only within his own family (sounds familiar, don't you think). Nahor was the son of his second wife Melka who was of the Royal blood of Ur.

Generation 18: Nahor

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:24: And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: Gn:11:25: And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 8 And he (Nahor) grew and dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees, and his father taught him the researches of the Chaldees to divine and augur, according to the signs of heaven. 9 And in the thirty-seventh jubilee in the sixth week, in the first year thereof, (1800 AM) he took to himself a wife, and her name was 'Ijaska, the daughter of Nestag of the Chaldees. 10 And she bare him Terah in the seventh year of this week. [1806 A.M.]

And Nahor was the fourth who again, did not marry his niece but a 'strange' woman although she was rather surely of Royal Blood.

Generation 19: Terah

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:26: And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Gn:11:27: Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. Gn:11:28: And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. Gn:11:32: And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

When we discuss the story of Nimrod we will see why Terah died. He was murdered.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 14 And in this thirty-ninth jubilee, in the second week in the first year, [1870 AM) Terah took to himself a wife, and her name was 'Edna, the daughter of 'Abram, the daughter of his father's sister. And in the seventh year of this week (1876 AM)] she bare him a son, and he called his name Abram, by the name of the father of his mother; for he had died before his daughter (Edna) had conceived a son.

And Terah married again his niece, even as his ancestors did. In The Writing of Abraham you can read why, he was the second in rank after Nimrod the King of Ur and he was of 'Royal' blood.

Generation 20: Abram

Again a turning point in history.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 16 And the child (Abram) began to understand the errors of the earth that all went astray after graven images and after uncleanness, and his father taught himting, and he was two weeks of years old (14 years), [1890 A.M.] and he separated himself from his father, that he might not worship idols with him. 17 And he began to pray to the Creator of all things that He might save him from the errors of the children of men, and that his portion should not fall into error after uncleanness and vileness.

'Prince' Abram learned writing and reading and he could read the scrolls of his Ancestors such as Enoch and Noah and because of that he was frightened for the things he had read and began to pray to 'The Creator of all things' at the age of 14 and separated from his father. In The Writings of Abram you can read more details.

We go back to the story in Jubilees :

Chapter 11. 18 And the seed time came for the sowing of seed upon the land, and they all went forth together to protect their seed against the ravens, and Abram went forth with those that went, and the child was a lad of fourteen years. 19 And a cloud of ravens came to devour the seed, and Abram ran to meet them before they settled on the ground, and cried to them before they settled on the ground to devour the seed, and said, ' Descend not: return to the place whence ye came,' and they proceeded to turn back. 20 And he caused the clouds of ravens to turn back that day seventy times, and of all the ravens throughout all the land where Abram was there settled there not so much as one. 21 And all who were with him throughout all the land saw him cry out, and all the ravens turn back, and his name became great in all the land of the Chaldees. 22 And there came to him this year all those that wished to sow, and he went with them until the time of sowing ceased: and they sowed their land, and that year they brought enough grain home and eat and were satisfied. 23 And in the first year of the fifth week [1891 A.M.] Abram taught those who made implements for oxen, the artificers in wood, and they made a vessel above the ground, facing the frame of the plough, in order to put the seed thereon, and the seed fell down there from upon the share of the plough, and was hidden in the earth, and they no longer feared the ravens. 24 And after this manner they made (vessels) above the ground on all the frames of the ploughs, and they sowed and tilled all the land, according as Abram commanded them, and they no longer feared the birds.

So, Abram was the inventor of the sow 'machine', made of wood and the ravens could not take the seed.

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:11:29: And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. Gn:16:16: And Abram was fourscore and six years old (86), when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. Gn:21:5: And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 12. 9 And in the fortieth jubilee, in the second week, in the seventh year thereof, (1925 AM) Abram took to himself a wife, and her name was Sarai, the daughter of his father, and she became his wife.

And for the first time since Noah (generation 10) Adam (generation 20) married again his sister (most probably his half-sister)

it's a strange coincidence that Abram married his (half)sister Sara. Abram knew the scrolls of his ancestors Enoch and Noah and tried to live as they did, by marrying his own (half)sister. We must assume that 'The God of Creation' was the God that promoted marriage only within one's first-line family.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 12. 23 And Abram harkened unto the voice of Sarai his wife, and said unto her, 'Do (so).' And Sarai took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to Abram, her husband, to be his wife. 24 And he went in unto her, and she conceived and bare him a son, and he called his name Ishmael, in the fifth year of this week (1962 AM) and this was the eighty-sixth year in the life of Abram.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 16. 12 And in the middle of the sixth month the Lord visited Sarah and did unto her as He had spoken and she conceived. 13 And she bare a son in the third month, and in the middle of the month, at the time of which the Lord had spoken to Abraham, on the festival of the first fruits of the harvest (1976 AM), Isaac was born.

The Dead of Noah

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:9:28: And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. Gn:9:29: And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 10. 15 And Noah slept with his fathers, and was buried on Mount Lubar in the land of Ararat. 16 Nine hundred and fifty years he completed in his life, nineteen jubilees and two weeks and five years.17 And in his life on earth he excelled the children of men save Enoch because of the righteousness, wherein he was perfect. For Enoch's office was ordained for a testimony to the generations of the world, so that he should recount all the deeds of generation unto generation, till the day of judgment.

The lifetime of the generations after the flood went so fast down that Noah's grand-grand children Peleg, generation 15, and Nahor, generation 18, were already dead when Noah died. (see The Generation Table of The Bible

There was obvious a degeneration in lifetime in those days, the reason you can imagine but I will explain that later in this chapter.

Again, read also The Writings of Abraham

Abram's (Abraham's) death

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:25:7: And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Gn:25:8: Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees :

Chapter 23. 7 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the double cave, near Sarah his wife, and they wept for him forty days, all the men of his house, and Isaac and Ishmael, and all their sons, and all the sons of Keturah in their places; and the days of weeping for Abraham were ended. 8 And he lived three jubilees and four weeks of years, one hundred and seventy-five years, and completed the days of his life, being old and full of days.

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AGE of The 'Earth Fathers'

Age explained

The attended reader have already made the conclusion that generation 15, Peleg to generation 20, Abram never reached the age of about 500 years because of the, also discussed, degeneration of the Giants (Anakim), their fore-fathers.

What was the reason the age of the Earth Fathers after the Flood began to shrink to about 150 years?, I will try to explain that in this chapter. And the children of Noah sinned again and during the lifetime of Peleg the unclean demons began to lead astray the children of the sons of Noah.

According to Jewish tradition, Abraham was born under the name Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1946 from Creation (circa 1800 BC?). We read in the Bible that the father of Abram (400 years after the flood) lived 175 years but Shem lived 600 years and his father Noah 950 years. It is obvious that the age of The Earth Fathers went fast down after the flood, Their ages decreased from 950 to about 150 years in only 12 generations, there must be an explanation for this phenomenon.

As we can see in The Generation Table of The Bible, The first Earth Fathers lived long, about 1,000 years, so they lived together with their grandchildren to the 8th generation and after the flood to the 12th generation.

When Adam and Eve died these were their children-grand and grand-grandchildren until the 8th generation already born, namely Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech (the father of Noah). The Age of the Earth Fathers who were born before the flood was about 1000 years , but all generations after the flood lived much shorter, from 464 to 140 years.

As I mentioned already in this chapter there must be an explanation why the age of the generations after the flood were reduced so much in a period of only 400 years. When we look at the lifetime of the remained generations from before the flood we can notice that:

Noah died when Abram was already 60 years old.

Shem died when Abram had already been dead for 35 years, Isaac was already 110 years old and Esau and Jacob were already 50 years old.

As you can see Noah was a contemporary of Abram, Shem a contemporary of Isaac, Esau and Jacob and Shem survived Abram with 35 years.

A strange coincidence still remain, why did the Bible and the book of Jubilees never mention what happened in the time Shem died and where he was buried?. in my opinion is the reason that Abram and his children had no more contact with their ' forefather' Shem for a long time possibly because they lived in another part of the Earth. (Shem lived near his father Noah. (See Jubilees Chapter 7. 16 And Shem dwelt with his father Noah, and he built a city close to his father)

Another possibility is that from generation 14, Eber, the Earth was divided in 3 parts during his lifetime, and Eber was the first who married a 'strange' women and the Tower of Babel was build in his days. I think that this is no coincidence because the last generations born before the flood were 'Children of God' (Nephilim) and from generation 14 (Eber) they mixed with a 'lower' life form (probably Neanderthaler) so the percentage of the genes of The Gods reduced dramatically and their age was reduced to about 150 years. In other words, the relation between Noah, Shem and his grandchildren was 'broken' at that time because Noah and Shem were the last 'Children of God' (Nephilim) and from a higher rank then their grand-grandchildren who mixed with "strange"creatures.

Becouse of that Noah and Shem departed from these offspring and never had any contact with them and they lived, possibly with some of their 'good' children, on mountain Lubar, fronting the mountain on the east (see Jubilees 7:16:).

At the same time they took with them Joktan and his offspring to live safely for their evil "half" brothers and sisters and they lived near them and settled between Mesha and mount Sephar.

My conclusion should be clear for the reader:

1. Noah and Shem really departed from their 'evil' offspring and never had contact with them, except for Abraham as you can read in The Writings of Abraham.

2. The real 'Earth Fathers' ('Children of God') were generation 1 to 10, from Adam to Noah and they all belonged to the Nephilim, their lifetime was all about 1,000 biblical years (in acc. with the Sumerian kinglist they lived much longer (see later chapter 13)

3. Generation 11 to 15.1 from Shem to Peleg, were 'the last Anakim (the children of the Nephilim).

4. Generation 15.2 Yoktan was the " product" of the genes of Shem or Peleg and the last Neanderthaler humans now called Homo Sapiens our real Ancestors.

To prevent the Anakim and their offspring that they should destroy Yoktan and his children Noah separated them from their "relatives" and placed them to the east of mount Sephar.

5. Generation 16 to 22, from Reu to Jacob and Esau, were the degenerated children of the last Anakim who still had some remains left of the strenght of their fathers the Anakim. Noah and Shem instructed Abram (generation 20) again to marry his half-sister Sarai, also Isaac married his aunt Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel his uncle, Esau married his niece Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael his uncle, Jacob married his nieces Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban his uncle, Abram and his offspring till the third generation tried to live again like his 'ancestors' but it was already to late.

6. The God's (Elohim) and the Sons of God's (The Good ANGELS, WATCHERS) leaved Earth shortly and during the Flood leaving our ancestors alone with their illnesses and their knowledge. Now without the help of God's and Angels so our ancestors made a great mistake, they married 'strange women' and mixed with 'Neanderthalers and later Homo Sapiens'.

In The Book of Jubilees we can read information why the age of Men decreased thru the generations.

Chapter 23. 9 For the days of the forefathers, of their life, were nineteen jubilees; and after the Flood they began to grow less than nineteen jubilees, and to decrease in jubilees, and to grow old quickly, and to be full of their days by reason of manifold tribulation and the wickedness of their ways, with the exception of Abraham. 10 For Abraham was perfect in all his deeds with the Lord, and well-pleasing in righteousness all the days of his life; and behold, he did not complete four jubilees in his life, when he had grown old by reason of the wickedness, and was full of his days. 11 And all the generations which shall arise from this time until the day of the great judgment shall grow old quickly, before they complete two jubilees, and their knowledge shall forsake them by reason of their old age Land all their knowledge shall vanish away]. 12 And in those days, if a man live a jubilee and a-half of years, they shall say regarding him: 'He has lived long, and the greater part of his days are pain and sorrow and tribulation, and there is no peace: 13 For calamity follows on calamity, and wound on wound, and tribulation on tribulation, and evil tidings on evil tidings, and illness on illness, and all evil judgments such as these, one with another, illness and overthrow, and snow and frost and ice, and fever, and chills, and torpor, and famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and all kinds of calamities and pains.' 14 And all these shall come on an evil generation, which transgresses on the earth: their works are uncleanness and fornication, and pollution and abominations. 15 Then they shall say: 'The days of the forefathers were many (even), unto a thousand years, and were good; but behold, the days of our life, if a man has lived many, are three score years and ten, and, if he is strong, four score years, and those evil, and there is no peace in the days of this evil generation'

In the first 7 chapters of my book we have read the story of Adam to the time of Abram in the Bible and other 'holy' books. We made the conclusions that there must be more information regarding the 'early' history of our Earth in other scrolls, tablets, myths and legends from all over the world.

And of course there are many stories written in clay, on stone papyrus and in other ways as we will see in this chapter and part 2 of my book.

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Final Conclusions (chapter 1 to 7)

Conclusions chapter 2

1. The 'Earth' was a void planet that could be cultivated and was colonized by intelligences from elsewhere in the Universe (The Gods, Angels etc.). The Gods saw that the Earth was rich with raw materials (Gold etc.) they could use for themselves. They colonized the Earth and built space colonies on Earth (The Garden of Eden and others). The Gods brought 'workers or helpers' to the Earth called Angels. By the Sumerians called Anunnaki and Igigi. Adam and Eve belonged also to the Angels and came to Earth in a space-ship named 'PARADISE' in the third heaven.

2. The Gods came often to Earth in spaceships from their home-planet to see the progress in cultivating the Earth. After a long period the the Angels (workers) refused to do the work and 'The Eternal King' decided to send several Gods permanently to Earth to control the workers. At first two of them were designated as the Leader of the Gods on Earth, they were Enlil and Enki of which Enki was the scientist who was able to create 'slaves'. Some of the Angels (workers) refused to obey the leader Gods and became 'Fallen Angels'.

3. Of the Angels who obeyed the Gods, the good or bright Angels, also called Heavenly Angels Nephilim, Arch Angels, Seraphim and Cherubim (Watchers), was the most important Michael (see chapter 3). The Angels who refused to obey (sinned) the Gods became The Fallen Angels, the most important were : Satan, Adam, Eve and many others. (see chapter 3 and 4)

4. The leader Gods created a slave race to do the work for the Angels, a new race from their Genes and from the Genes of the most advanced primates who lived on the Earth in ancient times, maybe HOMO ERECTUS, their offspring was called MAN and they were Giants. By the Sumerian called Demigods.

5. 'The Garden of Eden' was a space colony with spaceships and a landing platform and was used to cultivate and colonize the Earth for Adam and Eve and other creatures who were doomed out of 'Paradise', and were still on the Earth when Adam died, 930 years after creation. (see later in chapter 3)

6. The 'Cave of Treasures' was situated on Earth on a mountain and was used as a kind of supply room with 'instruments' needed to cultivate the Earth.

7. Moses was not the writer of 'The Pentateuch' but 'the Angels of God'

8. The Gods, ELOHIM, El Elyon, (Aliens) have visited our Earth in ancient times, the most important were:

9. The ANU the Heavenly King, ENLIL the God of Air and ENKI the God of Water and Wisdom were the leaders or Triad (Trinity) of the Gods by the Sumerians.

10. The Sumerian God Anu was the same as the Biblical God YA'EL or God the most high, the God who created the Angels, including Adam, Eve and Cain and several Demons, including Satan and Monsters. Anu was the God who was unfriendly and angry to Adam an Eve in the Garden of Eden; in other stories he is known as the God YA'EL or Eternal King and in the Bible during the lifetime of Abraham he is called 'God the most High', the God of Melchizedek. He was a short tempered God and unfriendly to Mankind

11. The Sumerian God Enlil, son of Anu, He was, like his father, a short tempered God and unfriendly to Mankind. He was the same as the Biblical God EL and the God ALLAH in the Quran, the God who tried to destroy all life on Earth with the Great Flood. (see later chapter 5 and 6).

12. The Sumerian God Enki, EA or YAH was the same as the Biblical God YAH, the scientist, physician and Creator of Man and Men. Enki was the God who recreated Adam and Eve. From his name was later derived YAHWEH, the God of the Hebrews and Jews although he was not the same (see later chapter 9). Enki 'loved' his creations as his own children and subdued ANU and ENLIL his fellow leader of the Gods several times to save his creations. He was the God who comforted Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden and helped them surviving on Earth (see later in this chapter and in chapter 3). He saved Noah from the Great Flood with the Arc (see later chapter 5 and 6). By the Hebrews, Jews and Christians he is known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. His sign, a serpent, is still used today by Physicians.

The creations were :

1. The Generations of Heavens were called Angels (Lower, Heavenly and Arch Angels). The Sumerians called them Anunnaki (see later)

2. The Man of Genesis 1 (Male and Female), second creation (Arch Angels)

3. The Man called Adam, third creation, also an Arch angel (see later)

4. Eve, in the likeness of Adam, fourth creation

5. Cain, fifth creation

6. MEN, sixth creation (see chapter 6, 7 and 8)

13. Adam and Eve were 'Fallen Angels'

14. Moses was not the writer of 'The Pentateuch' but 'the Angels of God'

15. The Garden of Eden was situated in the Arabia peninsula, south of present An-Nafud desert and north of present Rub-Al-Khali desert in the Saudi Arabia.

16. The God Enki, one of the triad of Gods, was the God who instructed Eve to 'eat' of the plant, the tree of good and evil, and NOT Satan or the Devil.

Conclusions Chapter 3

1. 'The Creator God' is also called 'The Father of all', 'JA'EL' and 'Lord' but is not the same as 'The Invisible Father' and 'The God of Hosts', also called 'The Invisible Lord' and finally 'The father of light'

2. The Seraphim's were in opposition to 'The God of Hosts' and the righteous Angels.

*. 'The Archangels' are not the same as 'The Angels of Heaven'

3. The garden of Eden was a space station of the Gods situated on a mountain. (the second heaven)

4. Paradise was a spaceship of the Gods (the third heaven)

5. The burial place of Adam, Abel and Eve was called 'The cave of Treasures' and was situated under the garden of Eden on the same mountain (the first heaven).

6. The neighborhood of the cave of treasures was also the homeland of Seth and his children.

7.. Cain and his offspring lived on the Earth itself.

8. The 'Earth Fathers' from Adam until Mahalaleel, total 5 generations, were 'secured' in a 'life cabin' in the Cave of Treasures for later transport to their home-planet.

9. The children of Seth were called 'The Children of God' and were no relatives to our Ancestors

10. The Watchers' also called 'The Angels of The Lord' were the same as the Children of Seth or 'The Children of God' who were instructed by the Gods in the time of Jared to teach judgment and uprightness by the offspring of Cain

11. The children of Cain were called 'The children of Man' and were also no relatives to our Ancestors.

12. There is indeed a difference between MAN (Cain, evil) and MEN (Seth, good) because even the Bible makes this difference as we can read in the verses Gn:4:16 - 24: about the children of Cain and at the other side the children of Seth, verses Gn:4:25 - Gn:5:32

13. I belief that the reason why most of mankind who lived and now live on this planet have religious thoughts because our ancestors are really creations of these Aliens (Gods, Elohim etc.).

14. It is obvious that Monotheism is not the original belief of ancient mankind, Monotheism spread over 'civilized' world at the time Aliens had left Earth (shortly before the Flood).

15. Believe it or not they (the Elohim, Angels, Nephilim and Fallen Angels really lived in those days together with (our) 'ancestors'.

Conclusions chapter 4

1. The Children of God' are the 'Earth Fathers' from Seth until Noah in the Bible. In the books of Enoch and Jubilees they are called The Watchers or the Angels of The Lord.

2. The children of Men are the offspring of Cain.

3. There is a difference in the timetable between the Bible and Jubilees of 100 to 350 years.

4. Adam, Jared Enoch and Methuselah predicted all the Great Flood, they knew that since Satana and the fall of the Watchers evil should be destroyed by the Gods.

5. We found proof that at least three uncles of Methuselah, Lamech and Noah are named in Enoch and Jubilees as 'Fallen Watchers' (Asael, Baraqijal and Rameel).

6. Enoch predicts the 'NEW CREATION' after the flood, called HOMO SAPIENS, our ancestors.

Conclusions chapter 5

1. The children of 'The Nephilim' and the daughters of Man (the children of Cain) were the Giant 'Anakim' with enormous strength and length. (from 10 to 100 meters tall) and their lifetime was about 500 years.

2. These Giants were the builders of the enormous structures all over the word, including the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge in England and many more structures and ancient cities.

3. The prediction of 'The Earth Fathers' was fulfilled, shortly before or after the flood, with the creation of a new 'race', namely 'HOMO SAPIENS', our real ancestors (see later in chapter 6 and 7).

4. The offspring of The Nephilim' and the daughters of men, 'The Anakim' Giants, 'created' all kinds of Demons and Monsters, they had the knowledge from their 'Fathers' the 'Nephilim' to create what ever they liked and so were born the most 'Strange Creatures' that ever existed on Earth.

5. Can you imagine why I don't belief in the theory that all living people on this earth are children of ADAM and EVE ?. People who still belief that story are unwilling to read the Bible and other books as historical books.

6. When we read ancient history carefully we should have seen that almost ALL nations who were ruled by Kings made often War against each other. This phenomenon is left over from the time above discussed. Keep in mind that these Kings mostly were offspring of the Anakim who learned to kill from their fathers the Giant 'Anakim'.

7. I belief that this is the reason we live with our 'primitive based historical thoughts' in the 21st century. Why are we still fighting all kinds of wars all over the world, most of them regarding religious differences and thoughts, (Catholics against Protestants, Islam against Christians etc.) It should be better to unite our knowledge and seek for the real history of mankind. When we use our knowledge and forget religion we will soon 'awake' and see that we still fight each other at present time due to the difference in religious thoughts. So far we did not learn from our history. We could know better but are unwilling to use our intelligence. I can't understand that we still do not learn from our ancestors NOT to worship these beings as Gods, as even in present time is still common.

I am sure that if we unite our cultures and knowledge and Scholars could closely and peacefully look for the real history in places where it is now impossible, due to political reasons (Iraq, Tibet, India and Pakistan etc), we should soon find the truth. Let us open our eyes and minds and let us search together for the real history of our Home planet and ancestors then to use a lot of time to fight each other with dogma's within our religions.

Consider that the Pope did announce the Year 2000 as the Year of consideration. I think it had been better to announce that year as Year to rewrite the Bible including at least, the book of Jubilees and the books of Enoch, but I am sorry to announce that this will not happen because of the reason I mentioned already 'Monotheism'. Our church fathers are aware of the above stories but are unwilling to change whatever because they should lose their power over religious people. They continue to deceive the religious people even they know better and still held the lock on all secret books and scrolls that are stored in the Vatican and other places. They forget one thing, once in the future when mankind have learned to use their culture and brains they will pay the penalty. I hope that future will come very soon.

Conclusions chapter 6

1. The Biblical story of the Flood was 'borrowed' from the much older story of Gilgamesh.

2. Most of the Sumerian / Babylonian Gods have their counterpart in the different Godly names in the Bible:

'The Most High God' was the Sumerian God AN

'EL' was the Sumerian God ENLIL

'YA'EL' was the Sumerian God ANU

'YAH' was the Sumerian God ENKI

These last three Gods were the leaders of the Sumerian Gods (The Triad of Gods)

3. Noah and his offspring belonged to the 'Anakim' and they were Giants.

4. The Pentateuch is considered to have been written by Moses the lawgiver ( in the book of Jubilees Moses received the tablets of history from the Angels, it is assumed that the lines of Genesis 6 influenced the construction of the Book of Enoch and Jubilees, not the other way round. Despite this obvious assumption on the part of Hebrew scholars, there is ample evidence to show that much of Genesis was written after the Jews return from captivity in Babylon during the mid-fifth century BC.

If this were the case, then there is no reason why the lines of Genesis 6 could not have been tampered with around this time. In an attempt to emphasize the immense antiquity of the Book of Enoch and Jubilees, Hebrew myth has always asserted that it was originally conveyed to Noah, Enochs great grandson, after the Great Flood, i.e. long before the compilation of Genesis.

This claim of precedence over the Pentateuch eventually led the Christian theologian St Augustine (AD 354-430) to state that the Book of Enoch and Jubilees were too old (ob nimiam antiquitatem) to be included in the Canon of Scripture!

Conclusions chapter 7

1. The age of the 'Earth fathers' decreased fast just at the time Eber married a 'strange' women, the age of his children from Peleg on were reduced from 464 years (Eber) to 239 years (Peleg) his son, in just 1 generation.

2. During the lifetime of Eber Disease broke out, the Tower of Babel was build, they built Cities and started Kingdoms and they began to make war against each other and began to do all what was evil in the eyes of the Gods. And Noah's children began to exalt themselves above the nations and founded Kingdoms, and they introduced 'slavery'

You can imagine now that I don't understand that there are still people who 'worship' Kings and Queens (also in my country Holland) because it should be clear, just for Christians and other believers, that 'Kingdoms' are against the will of the Gods because the Gods saw it as evil. It is unbelievable that even in the 21st century this phenomenon still exists. I have only one explanation for this 'primitive' behavior, we still live in 'the stone age' of our evolution.

The Chronology of the generations after the Flood is not placed in the time they really lived, only a few of them were mentioned in the Bible, Jubilees and Jasher. The follow-up of the generations and there life span was actually much longer then is handed down in these books.

3. Noah and Shem really departed from their 'evil' offspring and never had contact with them, except for Abraham as you can read in The Writings of Abraham.

4. The real 'Earth Fathers' ('Children of God') were generation 1 to 10, from Adam to Noah and they all belonged to the Nephilim, their lifetime was all about 1,000 biblical years (in acc. with the Sumerian kinglist they lived much longer (see later chapter 13)

5. Generation 11 to 15.1 from Shem to Peleg, were 'the last Anakim (the children of the Nephilim).

6. Generation 15.2 Joktan or Yoktan was the " product" of the genes of Shem or Peleg and the last Neanderthaler humans now called Homo Sapiens our real Ancestors.

To prevent the Anakim and their offspring they should destroy Yoktan and his children Noah and Shem separated them from their "relatives" and placed them to the east of mount Sephar.

7. Generation 16 to 22, from Reu to Jacob and Esau, were the degenerated children of the last Anakim who still had some remains left of the strenght of their fathers the Anakim. Noah and Shem instructed Abram (generation 20) again to marry his half-sister Sarai, also Isaac married his aunt Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel his uncle, Esau married his niece Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael his uncle, Jacob married his nieces Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban his uncle, Abram and his offspring till the third generation tried to live again like his 'ancestors' but it was already to late.

I am sure that when we unite our knowledge and Scholars can closely and peacefully look for the real history in places where it is impossible, due to political reasons (Iraq, Tibet, India and Pakistan etc.) we will find the truth very soon.

Let us open our eyes and minds and let us search together for the real history of our ancestors instead of fighting each other with dogma's of our religions.

Consider that Christianity, Moslems and most other religions at the present time believe unconditionally in the Bible, the Koran and other Holy Books although they are sceptical of the Myths, Sages and Legends wrote on clay tablets much older then their Holy Books. WHY?. Are they affright of the 'truth' or is there a possibility that they refuse to consider that the contents of their Holy Books are only a very small piece of the whole history of mankind?. The writers of the Bible ( earliest 2,500 years old) and the Koran (earliest 1,400 years old) didn't get it right because most of our history was already lost and they can blame themselves for that, for instance the destruction of the library of Alexandria in the 6th century by the Christians and in the 7th by the Moslems (how many important scrolls were destroyed we will never know but one thing is for sure the content of these scrolls could give us information we can't imagine.

As I mentioned already: Consider that in the Holy Books of all religions it is written that there were other races and more then one God, who lived on the Earth together with man, men and at the same time (Sons of God, Giants etc.). See also the Apocrypha book of Enoch and tell me the reason why this book is not part of the Bible?, maybe is the reason that the story of more then one GOD doesn't fit in the Monotheism theory. If this is the case then this is the reason why most religions are still sceptical of the contents of the clay tablets, myths, sages and legends. If they still believe unconditionally in ALL stories of their Holy Books why do they still believe in one God, even if their own Holy Books tells another story, and why they don't believe the other written stories in their holy books?.

The answer to these questions has never been given so far.

In part 2, chapter 8 to 15, we will meet the Gods mentioned in part 1 and we will se that the simularity between the thousands of year older stories of the Sumerian/Babylonian history is nearly the same as the Biblical stories, complete with the same players.

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The CREATURE table

The GODS, ELOHIM (AN, ENLIL, ENKI and others)	'GODS'
Heavenly and Arch Angels, Seraphim, Nephilim.	'ANGELS'
The Fallen Angels: Satana, Adam and Eve, Watchers	'Naphilim'
The Children of the Devil and Watchers, Cain MAN	'GIANTS'
Adam, Eve (The Children of God), SETH - NOAH MAN, Watchers	'Nephilim'
The Demy GOD'S (Chapter 5, 6 and 7)	'Anakim'
DEMONS and MONSTERS, children of the evil Giants	'DEMONS'
HOMO SAPIENS (MEN) created shortly after the great flood	'MEN'

Chapter 6

The Great Flood

Revised and updated by the author 08-04-2011

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Part 1: Flood Myths

In chapter 5 we have discussed the inducements why the Gods decided to bring a Flood on Earth to destroy ALL living creatures from the face of the Earth and we know already that not all of them were destroyed as we could read in the Bible, Jasher, Jubilees and Enoch, even thousands of years after the Flood they survived until historical times.

The story of the Flood is one of the most common disasters which took place in ancient times and this story is wide spread all over the world, by all civilizations who existed on Earth in those days, The story is written on tables, scrolls and on rocks, so it had a great impact on the ancients and all other living creatures.

In historical perspective is by many Scholars believed that the Flood story was a local disaster in former Sumer but this is in contradiction with the countless stories that survived in many cultures all over the world.

First of all the story of the Ark that saved the seed of almost all living creatures is in most myths and legends the same. The leading role In the Bible is Noah, in the flood story of Sumer Utnapishtim or Atrahasis, in Chaldean story Xisuthrus, in old Persian Yima, in Aztec Tapi and many other names.

Before we go back to the Biblical story of the Flood we will have a short look at the countless stories of a Flood that took place in most other cultures. Nearly all of these stories contains the same aspects of why the Flood came to the world. It seemed that every culture has its own version of a Great Flood; many of these tales contained similarities, namely:

Humans are guilty of transgression.

A God sends a flood as punishment.

Instructions are sent to an individual to build a craft.

The instructions include ensuring the survival of all species.

The flood destroys the old race.

After the flood, a new, less sinful race emerges to repopulate the earth.

With thanks to Morgana's Observatory. for use of some flood stories.

The Sumerian Flood story

The Sumerian flood story is preserved on a six-columned tablet from Nippur (B 10637), only the lower third of which is preserved. The complete original would probably have had 260 lines. The tablet can be dated by its script to the late 17th century BC. The story inscribed on the tablet deals with the creation of humans and animals, the antediluvian cities and their rulers, and the flood. This clay tablet, now known as the Nippur Tablet.

In the episodes preserved, Enki (Ea, Nudimmud) reveals the gods' plan to destroy the human race with a flood to Ziusudra and urges him to heed his advice. The wind and storms come and with them the flood, which lasts for seven days and seven nights before the sun returns. Ziusudra emerges from his boat and offers sacrifices. Enki mollifies the gods, and An (Anu) and Enlil grant Ziusudra life like the God's (In part 3 of chapter 10 we will discuss this important story).

Babylonian

The Story of Deluge : Three times (every 1200 years), the Gods became distressed by the disturbance from human overpopulation. The Gods dealt with the problem first by plague, then by famine. Both times, the God Enki advised humans to bribe the God causing the problem. The third time, Enlil advised the Gods to destroy all humans with a flood, but Enki had Atrahasis build an ark and so escape. Also on the boat were cattle, wild animals and birds, and the family of Atrahasis. After seeing the suffering caused by the flood, the Gods regretted their action, and Enki established barren women and stillbirth to avoid the problem in the future.

Hebrew

Based on the Babylonian story with the difference that the flood was a harsh punishment for humanity's sinfulness. Noah was 600 years old when it began to rain for what ended up being 40 days and 40 nights. After the end of 150 days, the waters were abated. The ark rested in the seventh month upon the mountains of Ararat. Waters decreased until the 10th month, on the first day of the 10th month; tops of mountains were also seen. At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the windows of the ark. First, he sent a raven, which went to and fro. He then sent a dove, which returned and hadn't found land. After seven more days, another dove was loosed; it returned that evening with an olive leaf. The next week, the dove didn't return. After a year and 10 days from the start of the flood, every creature emerged from the ark. Noah sacrificed some clean animals and birds to God, and God, pleased with this, promised never again to destroy all living creatures.

Chaldean

Xisuthrus was warned of a coming flood by the God Chronos, who ordered Xisuthrus to write a history and to build a vessel (5 stadia by 2 stadia) for his relations, friends, and two of every type of animal. After the flood began to subside, he sent out some birds, all of which returned. Upon trying again, the birds returned, their feet covered in mud. On the third trial, the birds didn't return. The people disembarked and offered sacrifices to the Gods. Xisuthrus, his wife, daughter, and the pilot of the ark were eventually transported to live with the Gods.

Zoroastrian

Ahura Mazda warned Yima that destruction in the form of floods, subsequent to the melting of the snow, was threatening the sinful world and gave him instructions for building a vara in which specimens of small and large cattle, humans, dogs, birds, fires, plants and foods were to be deposited in pairs.

Hindu

Manu, the first human, saved a small fish from the jaws of a larger fish. After hearing the smaller one beg for protection, Manu kept the fish safe, transferring it to larger and larger containers as it grew, finally returning it to the ocean. Because of this kindness, the fish returned to warn Manu about an imminent flood and told him to build a boat, stocking it with samples of every species. After the flood waters rose, Manu tied a rope to the fish's horn. The fish led him to a mountain and told Manu to fasten the ship's rope to a tree so that it would not drift. He stayed on the mountain (known as Manu's Descent) while the flood swept away all living creatures. Manu alone survived.

Greco-Roman

Zeus decided to punish humanity for its evil ways. Other Gods grieved at the destruction because there would be no beings to worship them. Zeus promised a new stock, a race of miraculous origin. He was going to use thunderbolts when he remembered one of Fate's decrees: that a time would come when sea and earth and dome of the sky would blaze up, and the massive structure of the universe would collapse in ruins. With Poseidon's help, he caused storm and earthquake to flood every part of the land except the summit of Mount Parnassus. When Zeus crushed the hanging clouds in his hand, there was a loud crash, and sheets of rain fell from heaven. The rivers began rushing to the sea. When Neptune struck the earth with his trident, the rivers raced across the plains. Sea and earth could no longer be distinguished; all was sea without any shores, covering every living being except for one fortunate couple, Deucalion and Pyrrha. Earlier, Deucalion and Pyrrha had consulted Themis at her oracular shrine. She warned of a future flood, and they prepared by acquiring a boat. In time, their boat ran aground on the summit of Mount Parnassus. (Note: This is the mountain at Delphi, 'navel of the earth' and home of the great oracle.)

Recognizing their piety, Zeus allowed them to live and withdrew the waters. It was then that Deucalion and Pyrrha remembered the other oracle given by Themis: to repopulate the world by throwing 'behind you the bones of your great mother.' Pyrrha didn't want to injure her mother's ghost by disturbing her bones. Prometheus soothed her fears. 'Oracles are righteous and never advise guilty action...' They decided that the 'bones' were stones in the body of the earth ('Great Mother'). They threw the stones, which became humans; men of the stones thrown by Deucalion; women, of those cast by Pyrrha. Animals were produced by earth of its own volition. According to Plato: 'Many great deluges have taken place during the nine thousand years.'

Aztec

In the Valley of Mexico there lived a pious man named Tapi. Creator told him to build a boat to live in, to take his wife and a pair of every animal that existed. Neighbors thought he was crazy. As soon as he finished, it began to rain. The valley flooded; men and animals went to mountains, but they were submerged. The rain ended, waters receded, etc. Tapi realized that the flood waters had receded after having sent a dove that did not return. Tapi rejoiced.

Yakima

In early times, many people had gone to war with other tribes, but there were still some good people. One of the good men heard from the Land Above that a big water was coming. He told the other good people and decided they would make a dugout boat from the largest cedar they could find. Soon after the canoe was finished, the flood came, filling the valleys and covering the mountains. The bad people were drowned; the good people were saved in the boat. We don't know how long the flood stayed. The canoe can still be seen where it came down on Toppenish Ridge. The earth will be destroyed by another flood if people do wrong a second time.

Andaman

The Andaman Islanders talk of their Supreme Being, Puluga, who lives in the sky. It was Puluga who created the world and man. However, when man began to forget his creator, Puluga became annoyed and sent a flood which covered the whole earth and wiped out the race. Four people escaped and so Puluga had mercy on them.

Scandinavian

Oden, Vili, and Ve fought and slew the great ice giant Ymir, and icy water from his wounds drowned most of the Rime Giants. The giant Bergelmir escaped, with his wife and children, on a boat. Ymir's body became the world we live on.

Celtic

Heaven and Earth were great giants, and Heaven lay upon the Earth so that their children were crowded in the darkness between them. One of their sons led his brothers in cutting up Heaven into many pieces. From his skull they made the firmament. His spilling blood caused a great flood which killed all humans except a single pair, who were saved in a ship made by a beneficent Titan. The waters settled in hollows to become the oceans.

Toltec

One of the Tezcatlipocas (sons of the original dual God) transformed himself into the Sun and created the first humans to show up his brothers. The other Gods, angry at his audacity, had Quetzalcoatl destroy the people, which he did with a flood. The people became fish.

Columbia

'When the moon did not yet exist, a bearded old man named Botschika taught the arts of agriculture, clothing, worship and politics to the people. His beautiful but malevolent wife was Huythaca. She caused a flood in which most people perished. Botschika then turned her into the moon.'

And many, many others.

The reader can see for himself that most of the stories are similar and that in most stories Giants plays an important role, Fruit and Snakes and most important nearly all stories mention the creation of a new race after the flood.

One of the most famous stories, besides the 'holy' books we can read in the Mesopotamian story of Gilgamesh, an historical King of Uruk (Unug) an ancient city in Sumer.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The fullest surviving version, from which the summary here is taken, is derived from twelve stone tablets, in the Acadian language, found in the ruins of the library of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria 669-633 BC at Nineveh. The library was destroyed by the Persians in 612 BC

The theory of science today is that this epos is written about 2700 BC, 'Gilgamesh' was an historical king of Uruk in Sumer, on the River Euphrates in modern Iraq; he lived about 2700 BC.' (the story of Gilgamesh is much older than Scientists belief today, in accordance with the Sumerian king list Gilgamesh lived about 7,350 BC. (see later chapter 10 and 11)

When we read this epos we will see that it is written after the Flood because Gilgamesh visited Utnapishtim, (NOAH of the Bible). The Flood must have took place at least 8,000 years ago. (in chapter 13 we will see that the Flood took place about 47,000 years ago).

We will read the whole Epos in chapter 8 but in this chapter only Tablet 11 because there is important information regarding The Great Flood and the Gods who were worshipped at the time (7,000 BC).

The Flood in the Epos of Gilgamesh

The Biblical flood story (Genesis 5: 28-9:17) was derived, directly or indirectly, from the Gilgamesh version. And the story of the flood was carried down in later Jewish, Christian, and even Muslim traditions, where it occurs in the Koran (Sura 11: 25-48).

Two copies of this epic partly survived:

1. The Semitic Old Babylonian version dated from about 2,700 BC

2. The Babylonian version dated from about 1,700 BC.

The 2,700 BC version

In the eleventh tablet of the Semitic Old Babylonian (Sumerian) epic of Gilgamesh is a flood story that is the source for the Noah story. The Gods resolved to cleanse the earth of an overpopulated humanity, but Utnapishtim was warned by the God Ea (Enki) in a dream. He and some craftsmen built a huge (seven decks encompassing one acre in area) ark. Utnapishtim then loaded it with his family, the craftsmen, and 'the seed of all living creatures.' The waters rose up, and a storm continued for six days and six nights.

The Gods repented and wept upon seeing the global destruction of living beings and stilled the flood on the seventh day. The waters covered everything but the top of the mountain Nisur, where the boat landed. A dove was loosed, but it returned, having found no place to rest. A swallow was sent, but it too returned. Seven days later, after having loosed a raven that did not return to the ark, the people began to emerge. Utnapishtim made a sacrifice to the Gods. He and his wife were given immortality and lived at the end of the earth.

The 1,700 BC version

The story of the flood in the Gilgamesh Epic (Tablet XI), known from first millennium copies, is probably derived from Atrahasis. In seeking to learn the secrets of eternal life, Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, seeks out Utnapishtim, the only human to have lived forever. In telling Gilgamesh how he achieved eternal life, Utnapishtim relates a secret story of the flood. The story opens in Shuruppak, where the great Gods decide to wipe out the human race with a flood, but Ea (Acadian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian god Enki) reveals the plans to Utnapishtim, and tells him to build a great boat. Utnapishtim does as he is told and loads all his possessions, including silver and gold, his family, domesticated and wild animals, and craftsmen onto the boat. The storm comes; the gods cower and weep at its destructive force. The storm rages for six days and six nights; on the seventh day it subsides. The seas calm and, as Utnapishtim observed, all mankind had returned to clay and the landscape was leveled. Eventually, mountains appear and Utnapishtim's boat comes to rest on Mount Nisr, where it holds fast for six days. On the seventh day, Utnapishtim comes out and sends out a dove and then a swallow, both of which return, having found no place to rest. On the third day, he sends out a raven, which does not return. Utnapishtim then offers sacrifices, which attract the gods, but when Enlil sees the boat he becomes furious that a human had survived. Ea calms him, and Enlil then boards the boat and makes Utnapishtim and his wife like the Gods, living forever.

When we read the story of Utnapishtim there can only one conclusion be made, the story in the Bible is derivedfrom this story which is at least 1,000 years older then the oldest written story of the Bible.

Tablet 11 of the Gilgamesh epos

At this point, Gilgamesh realizes that he is talking to Utnapishtim, the Far-Away; he hadn't expected an immortal human to be ordinary and aged. He asks Utnapishtim how he received immortality, and Utnapishtim tells him the great secret hidden from humans: In the time before the Flood, there was a city, Shuruppak, on the banks of the Euphrates. There, the counsel of the gods held a secret meeting; they all resolved to destroy the world in a great flood. All the gods were under oath not to reveal this secret to any living thing, but Ea (one of the gods that created humanity) came to Utnapishtim's house and told the secret to the walls of Utnapishtim's house, thus not technically violating his oath to the rest of the gods. He advised the walls of Utnapishtim's house to build a great boat, its length as great as its breadth, to cover the boat, and to bring all living things into the boat. Utnapishtim gets straight to work and finishes the great boat by the new year. Utnapishtim then loads the boat with gold, silver, and all the living things of the earth, and launches the boat. Ea orders him into the boat and commands him to close the door behind him.

It seams to be that Utnapishtim became immortal when he was already old in humans perspective. At first it looks strange that Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh the secret hidden for humans but it's not as strange as it looks because Gilgamesh himself is a Demigod, 1/3 human and 2/3 God.

Again we see that the God EA (Enki) was like a 'Father' for his creation because he warns Utnapishtim for the coming flood. I will explain later that Ea (Enki) is the same as 'The Lord' from the bible because he was one of the Gods who created humanity and decided for the survival of Utnapishtim. In the Bible we can read exactly the same story (written down by Moses thousands of years later as these tablets), the only difference is the duration of the Flood (7 days or 40 days).

In The Bible we can read :

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Gn:6:19: And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Gn:6:21: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Gn:6:21: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Gn:7:4: For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. Gn:7:10: And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. Gn:7:11: In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. Gn:7:12: And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. Gn:7:16: And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.

The story in The book of Jubilees :

Chapter 5. 21 And He commanded Noah to make him an ark, that he might save himself from the waters of the flood. 22 And Noah made the ark in all respects as He commanded him, in the twenty-seventh jubilee of years, in the fifth week in the fifth year (on the new moon of the first month). (1307 AM) 23 And he entered in the sixth (year) thereof, (1308 AM) in the second month, on the new moon of the second month, till the sixteenth; and he entered, and all that we brought to him, into the ark, and the Lord closed it from without on the seventeenth evening. 24 And the Lord opened seven flood-gates of heaven, And the mouths of the fountains of the great deep, seven mouths in number. 25 And the flood-gates began to pour down water from the heaven forty days and forty nights, And the fountains of the deep also sent up waters, until the whole world was full of water. 26 And the waters increased upon the earth: Fifteen cubits did the waters rise above all the high mountains, And the ark was lift up above the earth, And it moved upon the face of the waters.

In Jubilees is not written that all creatures were destroyed during the Flood.

The story in The books of Enoch :

Chapter 10. 1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name 'Hide thyself!' and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. 3 And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.

The attentive reader should have already noticed that Enoch was already gone to 'Paradise' and could not know exactly what happened during and after the Flood on Earth.

You can see for yourself the stories of these three books are nearly the same, except the dates between The Bible and Jubilees are different, as I mentioned already in chapter 5.

We read further in tablet 11 an amazing story

The black clouds arrive, with the thunder god Adad rumbling within them; the earth splits like an earthenware pot, and all the light turns to darkness. The Flood is so great that even the gods are frightened: The gods shook like beaten dogs, hiding in the far corners of heaven, Ishtar screamed and wailed: 'The days of old have turned to stone: We have decided evil things in our Assembly! Why did we decide those evil things in our Assembly? Why did we decide to destroy our people? We have only just now created our beloved humans; We now destroy them in the sea!' All the gods wept and wailed along with her, All the gods sat trembling, and wept.

Why were even the Gods frightened of the Flood?. When we read the story by letter we can clearly read that not ALL Gods agreed with the Flood.

Ishtar, the grand-daughter of An (God the most High in the Bible) the chief-god and sky-god, regrets together with other Gods that they made evil human, nevertheless they are sad that humans are destroyed. Even between the Gods we can see two camps. In chapter 8 and 9 we will meet all the above Sumerian Gods.

In The book of Jasher we can also read that not only the waters came but also earthquakes because the Earth spits like an earthenware pot.

Jasher 6:11 And on that day, the Lord caused the whole earth to shake, and the sun darkened, and the foundations of the world raged, and the whole earth was moved violently, and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared, and all the fountains in the earth were broken up, such as was not known to the inhabitants before; and God did this mighty act, in order to terrify the sons of men, that there might be no more evil upon earth.

Even as in the epic of Gilgamesh the lightning flashed and the thunder roared. The book of Jasher gives even more details than the Bible, Jubilees and Gilgamesh because we can read:

Jasher 6:16 And all the sons of men that were left upon the earth, became exhausted through evil on account of the rain, for the waters were coming more violently upon the earth, and the animals and beasts were still surrounding the ark. 17 And the sons of men assembled together, about seven hundred thousand men and women, and they came unto Noah to the ark. 18 And they called to Noah, saying, Open for us that we may come to thee in the ark and wherefore shall we die? 19 And Noah, with a loud voice, answered them from the ark, saying, Have you not all rebelled against the Lord, and said that he does not exist? and therefore the Lord brought upon you this evil, to destroy and cut you off from the face of the earth. 20 Is not this the thing that I spoke to you of one hundred and twenty years back, and you would not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and now do you desire to live upon earth? 21 And they said to Noah, We are ready to return to the Lord; only open for us that we may live and not die. 22 And Noah answered them, saying, Behold now that you see the trouble of your souls, you wish to return to the Lord; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which the Lord granted you as the determined period? 23 But now you come and tell me this on account of the troubles of your souls, now also the Lord will not listen to you, neither will he give ear to you on this day, so that you will not now succeed in your wishes. 24 And the sons of men approached in order to break into the ark, to come in on account of the rain, for they could not bear the rain upon them. 25 And the Lord sent all the beasts and animals that stood round the ark. And the beasts overpowered them and drove them from that place, and every man went his way and they again scattered themselves upon the face of the earth.

Even the amount of the sons of men that were left on Earth is here mentioned, about 700,000. They surrounded the Ark together with the animals and the beasts. Again is mentioned, in chapter 5, that the Gods indeed granted the 'Nephilim' and their offspring the 'Anakim' a period of 120 years before the flood should come.

They even tried to break into the Ark but the beasts drove them away from the Ark. A strange detail is written in verse 25 where we can read that they went their way and scattered upon the face of the Earth.

We read further in tablet 11

The Flood lasts for seven days and seven nights, and finally light returns to the earth. Utnapishtim opens a window and the entire earth has been turned into a flat ocean; all humans have been turned to stone. Utnapishtim then falls to his knees and weeps. Utnapishtim's boat comes to rest on the top of Mount Nimush; the boat lodges firmly on the mountain peak just below the surface of the ocean and remains there for seven days.

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:7:17: And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. Gn:7:19: And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Gn:7:24: And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. Gn:8:3: And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. Gn:8:4: And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

The only difference between the epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible is the duration of the Flood (7 days and 40 days) ALL other details are the same.

We read further in tablet 11

On the seventh day: I, Utnapishtim, released a dove from the boat, It flew off, but circled around and returned, For it could find no perch. I then released a swallow from the boat, It flew off, but circled around and returned, For it could find no perch. I then released a raven from the boat, It flew off, and the waters had receded: It eats, it scratches the ground, but it does not circle around and return.

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:8:6: And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: Gn:8:7: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Gn:8:8: Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; Gn:8:9: But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. Gn:8:10: And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; Gn:8:11: And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. Gn:8:12: And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

We read further in tablet 11

I then sent out all the living things in every direction and sacrificed a sheep on that very spot. The gods smell the odor of the sacrifice and begin to gather around Utnapishtim. Enlil, who had originally proposed to destroy all humans, then arrives, furious that one of the humans had survived, since they had agreed to wipe out all humans. He accuses Ea of treachery, but Ea convinces Enlil to be merciful.

The Sumerian God ENLIL (EL in the Bible) was appointed by his father An (The Most High God) as the leader of the Gods on Earth and was therefore higher in rank then Ea (Enki), in the Bible JA'EL, nevertheless he belonged to the Sumerian 'Triad of Gods' and had nearly the same power as Enlil (his half-brother). We can see that Enlil accuses Ea (Enki) about the survival of Utnapishtim and his wife.

We read further in tablet 11

Enlil then seizes Utnapishtim and his wife and blesses them: At one time Utnapishtim was mortal. At this time let him be a god and immortal; Let him live in the far away at the source of all the rivers.

Ea (Enki) is powerful enough to 'convince' Enlil and, as we see here, Enlil gives Utnapishtim eternal live.

In The Bible we can read :

Gn:8:20: And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Gn:8:21: And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Gn:9:1: And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

The reader can see that even the offering of Utnapishtim and Noah are exactly the same, including the smell of the offering.

We read further in tablet 11

At the end of his story, Utnapishtim offers Gilgamesh a chance at immortality. If Gilgamesh can stay awake for six days and seven nights, he, too, will become immortal. Gilgamesh accepts these conditions and sits down on the shore; the instant he sits down he falls asleep. Utnapishtim tells his wife that all men are liars, that Gilgamesh will deny having fallen asleep, so he asks his wife to bake a loaf of bread every day and lay the loaf at Gilgamesh's feet. Gilgamesh sleeps without ever waking up for six days and seven nights, at which point Utnapishtim wakes him up. Startled, Gilgamesh says, 'I only just dozed off for half a second here.' Utnapishtim points out the loaves of bread, showing their states of decay from the most recent, fresh bread, to the oldest, moldy, stale bread that had been laid at his feet on the very first day. Gilgamesh is distraught: O woe! What do I do now, where do I go now? Death has devoured my body, Death dwells in my body, Wherever I go, wherever I look, there stands Death! Utnapishtim's wife convinces the old man to have mercy on him; he offers Gilgamesh in place of immortality a secret plant that will make Gilgamesh young again. The plant is at the bottom of the ocean surrounding the Far-Away; Gilgamesh ties stones to his feet, sinks to the bottom, and plucks the magic plant. But he doesn't use it because he doesn't trust it; rather he decides to take it back to Uruk and test it out on an old man first, to make sure it works.

Utnapishtim (a God himself) knows that all men are liars, and proofs that to his wife and after 6 days Gilgamesh lie to Utnapishtim and even Gilgamesh don't trust Utnapishtim because he will test 'the plant' first on an old man in his city Uruk to be sure it works.

We read further in tablet 11

Urshanabi * takes him across the Waters of Death. Several leagues inland, Gilgamesh and Urshanabi stop to eat and sleep; while they're sleeping, a snake slithers up and eats the magic plant (which is why snakes shed their skin) and crawls away. Gilgamesh awakens to find the plant gone; he falls to his knees and weeps: For whom have I labored? For whom have I journeyed? For whom have I suffered? I have gained absolutely nothing for myself, I have only profited the snake, the ground lion!

* Urshanabi is the boatman of Utnapishtim who brought Gilgamesh to his master.

This story sounds familiar when we read Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

The reader can see himself that even this story is derived from the Gilgamesh epic which is thousands of years older then the Bible. The writers of the Bible used this story and made 'the plant' a fruit of 'The Tree of Good and Evil'.

We read further in tablet 11

The tale ends with Gilgamesh, at the end of his journey standing before the gates of Uruk, inviting Urshanabi to look around and view the greatness of this city, its high walls, its mason work, and here at the base of its gates, as the foundation of the city walls, a stone of lapis lazuli on which is carved Gilgamesh's account of his exploits.

So far the similarity between the Sumerian and Jewish story of Noah. In chapter 8 and 9 I will proof that the story of Noah and the Flood in the Bible is based on the Sumerian/Babylonian Gilgamesh epos and not the other way around, the story of Gilgamesh is much older then the first written books of the Bible. (at least 7,000 years).

I hope I have convinced the reader that the story of Gilgamesh (tablet 11) is the same as the story in the Bible. The story in the Bible was taken from the Sumerians and not the other way around.

Part 2: Generations after the Flood

In the first five chapters of this book I explained the story of the 'Earth Fathers' from Adam until Noah, the 10 generations before the Flood.

As mentioned and clearly explained the lifespan of the first generations of 'The Children of God' and 'The Children of Cain' was about 1,000 years but we will see that the age of generation 11 (Shem) until 22 (Jacob and Esau) decreased quickly from 1,000 years to about 150 years in only 11 generations in a time of about 450 biblical years. (see The Generation Table of The Bible)

We will see in chapter 7 that from generation 15 (Peleg) their lifespan decreased in 1 generation from 464 years (Eber) to 239 (Peleg), there must be a reason for this quick decrease and there was, as we will see in chapter 7.

With other words the Generations after the Flood, generation 12 (Arphaxad) until generation 14 (Eber) also belonged to the offspring of the 'Nephilim' called 'Anakim' and we could know that already when reading the story in chapter 5 carefully. The Gods told their fathers, 'The Nephilim' that their age should be fixed to 500 years.

I explained already that in my opinion the 'Earth Fathers' are not our ancestors, because the belonged to the 'Nephilim' and our real ancestors are the creation from shortly after the Flood the 'Homo Sapiens', we will see that later.

Another aspect of the difference between the 'Earth Fathers' and the 'Homo Sapiens' was that all 'Earth Fathers' were leaders (Kings, Priests and Demigods) who ruled over the human people our real ancestors, who lived at that time and they worshipped them as Gods. Readers who still belief that Adam was our ancestor have never read The Bible carefully.

Even at present time the common people with religious thoughts still accept 'Nobility' as a higher (blue blooded) race and they bow down for them because they belief that it's the will of God. Their leaders, read politicians and the church, still keep it that way to make it easier to hold their powers. There is a saying spread all over the western world that says :

The Church leaders to the government ' You keep them poor, We will keep them dumb'

We will see in later chapters that the Gods were against Kings, Emperors and whatever you like to call dictators, the opposite is true, the Gods hated them.

Concerning this I give the reader to think about this :

In ancient times and, unbelievable, still in this century, is spoken about blue blood of Kings, Queens, Dukes and other Nobility, in my opinion is this left over from the period of our ancient history in which our ancestors knew that the offspring of 'The Children of God', the 'Fallen Angels' called 'Nephilim' the Giants, Demons and Monsters were much mightier then they were, so they worshipped their offspring 'Anakim' as God's, Kings, Priests of whatever you like to call them and most likely they had really BLUE BLOOD but only because their fathers had this type of blood.

In the next chapters we will see that we can find this phenomenon all over the world in ancient times and not only then but also at present time are still countries where Kings and Queens still rule in the name of the Gods, even when noticed that from their pretended 'high' descent nothing is left in their veins, if they ever had some.

With that in mind, I hope you can imagine that I personal, can't understand that in the 21st century there are still Kingdoms, Empires and Duke states in this world. This is also the case in my country The Netherlands were the Orange family still pretends that they belong to the offspring of William of Orange, which died out already in 1702. Nevertheless most of our population (about 80 %) still accepts this phenomenon, some of them because they won't have a President but most of them because they belong to Christianity, Islam or other religions (see later in this chapter proof that this is against the will of the Gods).

Part 3: Noah and his children

Before we begin with the story of Noah after the Flood we will first have a look at The Book of Enoch and especially Chapter 105, also called:

Fragment of the Book of Noah

In this part Enoch tells the amazing story of the birth of Noah.

And after some days my son Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she became pregnant by him and bore a son. And his body was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were white as wool, and his eyes beautiful. And when he opened his eyes, he lighted up the whole house like the sun, and the whole house was very bright. And thereupon he arose in the hands of the midwife, opened his mouth, and conversed with the Lord of righteousness.

And his father Lamech was afraid of him and fled, and came to his father Methuselah. And he said unto him: ' I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God of heaven; and his nature is different and he is not like us, and his eyes are as the rays of the sun, and his countenance is glorious. And it seems to me that he is not sprung from me but from the angels, and I fear that in his days a wonder may be wrought on the earth. And now, my father, I am here to petition thee and implore thee that thou mayest go to Enoch, our father, and learn from him the truth, for his dwelling place is amongst the angels.'

Lamech was afraid for his strange son because he looked different and was like the Angels of Heaven.

And when Methuselah heard the words of his son, he came to me to the ends of the earth; for he had heard that I was there, and he cried aloud, and I heard his voice and I came to him. And I said unto him: ' Behold, here am I, my son, wherefore hast thou come to me? ' And he answered and said: ' Because of a great cause of anxiety have I come to thee, and because of a disturbing vision have I approached. And now, my father, hear me: unto Lamech my son there hath been born a son, the like of whom there is none, and his nature is not like man's nature, and the colour of his body is whiter than snow and redder than the bloom of a rose, and the hair of his head is whiter than white wool, and his eyes are like the rays of the sun, and he opened his eyes and thereupon lighted up the whole house. And he arose in the hands of the midwife, and opened his mouth and blessed the Lord of heaven. And his father Lamech became afraid and fled to me, and did not believe that he was sprung from him, but that he was in the likeness of the angels of heaven; and behold I have come to thee that thou mayest make known to me the truth.'

We can read here that Enoch was still on Earth because Methuselah was able to visit his father. Reading the above story can only mean that the Earth-fathers looked different then the Angels of Heaven who were white of skin and hair.

And I, Enoch, answered and said unto him: 'The Lord will do a new thing on the earth, and this I have already seen in a vision, and make known to thee that in the generation of my father Jared some of the angels of heaven transgressed the word of the Lord. And behold they commit sin and transgress the law, and have united themselves with women and commit sin with them, and have married some of them, and have begot children by them. And they shall produce on the earth giants not according to the spirit, but according to the flesh, and there shall be a great punishment on the earth, and the earth shall be cleansed from all impurity. Yea, there shall come a great destruction over the whole earth, and there shall be a deluge and a great destruction for one year. And this son who has been born unto you shall be left on the earth, and his three children shall be saved with him: when all mankind that are on the earth shall die [he and his sons shall be saved].

And also Enoch knew that the Gods will do a new thing on the Earth after the Flood. Again the 'new' race is predicted.

And now make known to thy son Lamech that he who has been born is in truth his son, and call his name Noah; for he shall be left to you, and he and his sons shall be saved from the destruction, which shall come upon the earth on account of all the sin and all the unrighteousness, which shall be consummated on the earth in his days. And after that there shall be still more unrighteousness than that which was first consummated on the earth; for I know the mysteries of the holy ones; for He, the Lord, has showed me and informed me, and I have read (them) in the heavenly tablets.

And Enoch also knew that not all of the 'Nephilim' will be destroyed during the Flood because the unrighteousness will continue after the Flood and we will see that later in this chapter.

But let's go back to the story of Noah after the Flood.

The Children of Noah

In The Bible we can read :

Genesis 5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The order of birth in the Bible is different from that of Jasher and Jubilees because in The Book of Jasher we can read:

15 And thou shalt raise up seed, and thy children with thee, in the midst of the earth; and Noah went and took a wife, and he chose Naamah the daughter of Enoch, and she was five hundred and eighty years old. 16 And Noah was four hundred and ninety-eight years old, when he took Naamah for a wife. 17 And Naamah conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Japheth, saying, God has enlarged me in the earth; and she conceived again and bare a son, and he called his name Shem, saying, God has made me a remnant, to raise up seed in the midst of the earth. 18 And Noah was five hundred and two years old when Naamah bare Shem, and the boys grew up and went in the ways of the Lord, in all that Methuselah and Noah their father taught them.

In this chapter of The book of Jasher is not spoken of Ham.

In The Book of Jubilees we can read:

Chapter 4: 33 And in the twenty-fifth [1205 A.M.] jubilee Noah took to himself a wife, and her name was `Emz the daughter of R#39;, the daughter of his father's brother, in the first year in the fifth week [1207 A.M.]: and in the third year thereof she bare him Shem, in the fifth year thereof [1209 A.M.] she bare him Ham, and in the first year in the sixth week [1212 A.M.] she bare him Japheth.

In The Writings of Abraham we can read:

10:1 AND when Noah was four hundred and fifty years old, he begat a son and he called his name Japheth. 2. Forty-two years later he begat another son of her who was the mother of Japheth, and he called his name Shem. 11: 3. Eight years later Noah begat a son of his wife Naamah, who was of the seed of Cain, and he called his name Ham, for he said, Through him will the curse be preserved in the land. 12:1 NOW Noah had taken a wife of the seed of Cain, and she was a righteous woman; nevertheless, the curse remained with her seed according to the word of God. 2. And Noah took her on this wise: For the word of the Lord came unto Noah, saying, Take unto thyself Naamah, the daughter of Lamech, who dwelleth here in the city of thy fathers, for she hath been faithful to my gospel, wherefore I shall preserve through her the seed of Cain through the flood. 3. This Lamech who was the father of Naamah was of the seed of Cain being the son of Methusael, the son of Mahujael, the son of Irad, the son of Enoch, the son of Cain.

We can see above that the order of birth differs but it's not important for the story itself. We discussed already in chapter 4 that Noah's uncle 'Rake'el' was the same as the fallen 'Watcher' 'Rameel' mentioned in the book of Enoch (ch.6). When reading the above story in different books I think the order of birth of Noah's important sons with their respective mothers was :

	Name mother	Name	Age of Noah
1	Emzara, daughter of Rake'el (Rameel)	Japheth	458
2	Naamah, daughter of Enoch, his grand-grand father, she was 580 years old when Noah (498 year) married her	Shem	500
3	Naamah, daughter of Lamech (Cain line)	Ham	508

The story in the writings of Abraham in which is written that Naamah was of the seed of Cain looks not strange because we know that Ham was repudiated by his father Noah after the Flood. Further is known that Ham looked different then his brothers (I don't belief that he was a negro, most likely he had a brown skin). That Shem was Noah's foremost son is not strange because Shem was of the seed of Enoch in the first line.

The Generations of Shem, Ham and Japheth

We can read in The Bible :

Gn:10:1: Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

The order of birth of Noah's sons is not important for the story itself, nevertheless even the Bible mention in Gen 10:21 that Japheth was the elder brother of Shem.

A. The Generations of Japheth

The story in The Bible :

Gn:10:2:The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. Gn:10:3: And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. Gn:10:4: And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Gn:10:5: By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

In The Book of Jasher we can read:

7: 2 These are the sons of Japheth; Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras, seven sons. 3 And the sons of Gomer were Askinaz, Rephath and Tegarmah. 4 And the sons of Magog were Elichanaf and Lubal. 5 And the children of Madai were Achon, Zeelo, Chazoni and Lot. 6 And the sons of Javan were Elisha, Tarshish, Chittim and Dudonim. 7 And the sons of Tubal were Ariphi, Kesed and Taari. 8 And the sons of Meshech were Dedon, Zaron and Shebashni. 9 And the sons of Tiras were Benib, Gera, Lupirion and Gilak; these are the sons of Japheth according to their families, and their numbers in those days were about four hundred and sixty men.

The offspring of Japheth was counted 460, in 3 generations, a period of about 75 years.

The story in The book of Jubilees :

7: 19 The sons of Japheth: Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan, Tubal and Meshech and Tiras

B. The Generations of Ham

The story in The Bible :

Gn:10:6: And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. Gn:10:7: And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. Gn:10:8: And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. Gn:10:9: He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. Gn:10:10: And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

The story of Nimrod we will discuss in chapter 8.

Gn:10:11: Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, Gn:10:12: And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. Gn:10:13: And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, Gn:10:14: And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. Gn:10:15: And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, Gn:10:16: And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, Gn:10:17: And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, Gn:10:18: And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. Gn:10:19: And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goes, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. Gn:10:20: These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

In The Book of Jasher we can read:

7: 10 And these are the sons of Ham; Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and Canaan, four sons; and the sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Satecha, and the sons of Raama were Sheba and Dedan. 11 And the sons of Mitzraim were Lud, Anom and Pathros, Chasloth and Chaphtor. 12 And the sons of Phut were Gebul, Hadan, Benah and Adan. 13 And the sons of Canaan were Zidon, Heth, Amori, Gergashi, Hivi, Arkee, Seni, Arodi, Zimodi and Chamothi. 14 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, and their numbers in those days were about seven hundred and thirty men.

The offspring of Ham was counted 730, in 3 generations, a period of about 75 years.

The story in The book of Jubilees :

Chapter 7. 13 And Ham knew that his father had cursed his 'younger' son, and he was displeased that he had cursed his son. and he parted from his father, he and his sons with him, Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. 14 And he built for himself a city and called its name after the name of his wife Ne'elatama'uk.

In chapter 7 we will discuss the reason why Noah was angry to Ham in the part about the youngest son of Cush, Nimrod.

Summary of The Children of Noah and his offspring

Brown = The Book of Jasher (Chapter 7), Jubilees and The Bible.

Japheth	Ham	Shem
Gomer	Cush	Elam
Magog	Mizraim	Ashur
Madai	Phut	Arpachshad
Javan	Canaan	Lud
Tubal	-	Aram
Meshech	-	-
Tiras	-	-

The children of the sons of Japheth

Gomer	Magog	Madai	Javan	Tubal	Meshech	Tiras
Askinaz	Elichanaf	Archon	Elisha	Ariphi	Dedon	Beneb
Rephath	Lubal	Zeelo	Tarshish	Kessed	Zaron	Gera
Tegarmah	-	Chazoni	Chittim	Tari	Shebashni	Lupirion
-	-	Lot	Dudonim	-	-	Gilak

The children of the sons of Ham

red = The Bible (Genesis 11)

Cush	Mizraim	Phut	Canaan
Seba	Lud Ludim	Gebel	Zidon
Havillah	Anon Anamin	Haden	Heth
Sabta	Lehabim	Benah	Amori
Raama	Naphtuhim	Adan	Gergashi Girgasite
Satecha	Pathros Pathrusim	-	Hivi Hivite
-	Chasloth Casluhim	-	Arkee Arkite
-	Chaphtor Caphtorim	-	Sini Sinite
-	-	-	Arodi Arvadite
-	-	-	Zimodi Zemanite
-	-	-	Chamoti Hamathite

the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

The children of the sons of Shem

green = Jubilees (Jubilees 7 and 8)

Elam	Ashur	Arpachshad	Lud	Aram
Shushan	Mirus	Kainam	Pethor	Uz
Machul	Mokil	Shelach Salah	Bizayon	Chul
Harmon	-	Anar	-	Gathar
-	-	Ashcol	-	Mash

The children of the sons of Arpachshad

Kainam begat Shelah

In jubilees is Shelah not the son of Arpachshad but the son of Kainam

Shelach begat Eber

Eber begat Peleg and Yoktan

Yoktan begat Almodad, Shelaf, Chazarmoveth, Yerach, Hadurom, Ozel, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab.

Peleg begat Yen (Reu), Yen begat Serug (Seroh), Serug begat Nahor, Nahor begat Terah.

Terah begat Haran, Nahor and Abram

Arpachshad	Arpachshad	Arpaxad
?	Kainan	?
Shelah	Shelah	Salah
Eber	Eber	Eber
Peleg	Peleg	Peleg
Yen	Reu	Reu
Serug	Seroh	Serug
Nahor	Nahor	Nahor
Terah	Terah	Terah
Abram	Abram	Abram

Part 4: The Earth divided

The following story is only written in the book of Jubilees (the Bible and Jasher gives only a simplistic comment on it), the sons of Noah divided the Earth in three parts, can you again imagine why?, if not read further and you will see for yourself:

The story in The book of Jubilees :

8: 8 And in the sixth year [1567 A.M.] thereof, she bare him (Eber) a son, and he called his name Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide the earth amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg.

Chapter 8. 10 And it came to pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee (1569 AM) that they divided the earth into three parts, for Shem and Ham and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each, in the first year in the first week (1569 AM), when one of us who had been sent, was with them. 11 And he called his sons, and they drew nigh to him, they and their children, and he divided the earth into the lots, which his three sons were to take in possession, and they reached forth their hands, and took the writing out of the bosom of Noah, their father.

Here is spoken of 'The Angels of God' (they were on the Earth again, 100 years after the Flood) and they instructed Noah to divide the Earth unto his three sons, and Noah received the writings from the Angels. In chapter 7 we will also see that the Angels of God had another reason to come to Earth.

The lots given to Shem

Chapter 8. 12 And there came forth on the writing as Shem's lot the middle of the earth which he should take as an inheritance for himself and for his sons for the generations of eternity, from the middle of the mountain range of Rafa, from the mouth of the water from the river Tina, and his portion goes towards the west through the midst of this river, and it extends till it reaches the water of the abysses, out of which this river goes forth and pours its waters into the sea Me'at, and this river flows into the great sea. And all that is towards the north is Japheth's, and all that is towards the south belongs to Shem. 13 And it extends till it reaches Karaso: this is in the bosom of the tongue which looks towards the south. 14 And his portion extends along the great sea, and it extends in a straight line till it reaches the west of the tongue which looks towards the south: for this sea is named the tongue of the Egyptian Sea. 15 And it turns from here towards the south towards the mouth of the great sea on the shore of (its) waters, and it extends to the west to 'Afra, and it extends till it reaches the waters of the river Gihon, and to the south of the waters of Gihon, to the banks of this river. 16 And it extends towards the east, till it reaches the Garden of Eden, to the south thereof, and from the east of the whole land of Eden and of the whole east, it turns to the east and proceeds till it reaches the east of the mountain named Rafa, and it descends to the bank of the mouth of the river Tina. 17 This portion came forth by lot for Shem and his sons, that they should possess it for ever unto his generations for evermore.

'The Garden of Eden' (the space colony of the Gods) was still (or again) on Earth at that time, of course it was, otherwise The Angels could not bring the 'writing' with the lots Noah should give to his sons.

Chapter 8. 18 And Noah rejoiced that this portion came forth for Shem and for his sons, and he remembered all that he had spoken with his mouth in prophecy; for he had said: 'Blessed be the Lord God of Shem And may the Lord dwell in the dwelling of Shem.' 19 And he knew that the Garden of Eden is the holy of holies, and the dwelling of the Lord, and Mount Sinai the centre of the desert, and Mount Zion -the centre of the navel of the earth: these three were created as holy places facing each other.

And Noah was rejoiced that just Shem got this part of the Earth because all 'Holy Mountains' and 'The Garden of Eden' were in it. And Shem's lot was the middle of the Earth.

Chapter 8. 20 And he blessed the God of gods, who had put the word of the Lord into his mouth, and the Lord for evermore. 21 And he knew that a blessed portion and a blessing had come to Shem and his sons unto the generations for ever -the whole land of Eden and the whole land of the Red Sea, and the whole land of the east and India, and on the Red Sea and the mountains thereof, and all the land of Bashan, and all the land of Lebanon and the islands of Kaftur, and all the mountains of Sanir and 'Amana, and the mountains of Asshur in the north, and all the land of Elam, Asshur, and Babel, and Susan and Ma'edai, and all the mountains of Ararat, and all the region beyond the sea, which is beyond the mountains of Asshur towards the north, a blessed and spacious land, and all that is in it is very good.

In accordance with the orders of 'The Angels', Shem was the rightness owner of the land Shinar and Babel but later on Canaan, the son of Ham stole this land from Shem.

The lots given to Ham

Chapter 8. 22 And for Ham came forth the second portion, beyond the Gihon towards the south to the right of the Garden, and it extends towards the south and it extends to all the mountains of fire, and it extends towards the west to the sea of 'Atel and it extends towards the west till it reaches the sea of Ma'uk -that into which everything which is not destroyed descends. 23 And it goes forth towards the north to the limits of Gadir, and it goes forth to the coast of the waters of the sea to the waters of the great sea till it draws near to the river Gihon, and goes along the river Gihon till it reaches the right of the Garden of Eden. 24 And this is the land which came forth for Ham as the portion which he was to occupy for ever for himself and his sons unto their generations for ever.

And Ham's lot was the south of the Earth.

The lots given to Japheth

Chapter 8. 25 And for Japheth came forth the third portion beyond the river Tina to the north of the outflow of its waters, and it extends north-easterly to the whole region of Gog, and to all the country east thereof. 26 And it extends northerly to the north, and it extends to the mountains of Qelt towards the north, and towards the sea of Ma'uk, and it goes forth to the east of Gadir as far as the region of the waters of the sea. 27 And it extends until it approaches the west of Fara and it returns towards 'Aferag, and it extends easterly to the waters of the sea of Me'at. 28 And it extends to the region of the river Tina in a north-easterly direction until it approaches the boundary of its waters towards the mountain Rafa, and it turns round towards the north. 29 This is the land which came forth for Japheth and his sons as the portion of his inheritance which he should possess for himself and his sons, for their generations for ever; five great islands, and a great land in the north. 30 But it is cold, and the land of Ham is hot, and the land of Shem is neither hot nor cold, but it is of blended cold and heat.

And Japheth's lot was the north and the west of the Earth.

Shem, Ham and Japheth divide their portion amongst their sons:

Shem divides his part amongst his sons

Chapter 9. 2 And Shem also divided amongst his sons, and the first portion came forth for Elam and his sons, to the east of the river Tigris till it approaches the east, the whole land of India, and on the Red Sea on its coast, and the waters of Dedan, and all the mountains of Mebri and Ela, and all the land of Susan and all that is on the side of Pharnak to the Red Sea and the river Tina. 3 And for Asshur came forth the second Portion, all the land of Asshur and Nineveh and Shinar and to the border of India, and it ascends and skirts the river. 4 And for Arpachshad came forth the third portion, all the land of the region of the Chaldees to the east of the Euphrates, bordering on the Red Sea, and all the waters of the desert close to the tongue of the sea which looks towards Egypt, all the land of Lebanon and Sanir and 'Amana to the border of the Euphrates. 5 And for Aram there came forth the fourth portion, all the land of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the Euphrates to the north of the Chaldees to the border of the mountains of Asshur and the land of 'Arara. 6 And there came forth for Lud the fifth portion, the mountains of Asshur and all appertaining to them till it reaches the Great Sea, and till it reaches the east of Asshur his brother.

Ham divides his part amongst his sons

Chapter 9. 1 And Ham divided amongst his sons, and the first portion came forth for Cush towards the east, and to the west of him for Mizraim, and to the west of him for Put, and to the west of him on the sea for Canaan.

Japheth divides his part amongst his sons

Chapter 9. 7 And Japheth also divided the land of his inheritance amongst his sons. 8 And the first portion came forth for Gomer to the east from the north side to the river Tina; and in the north there came forth for Magog all the inner portions of the north until it reaches to the sea of Me'at. 9 And for Madai came forth as his portion that he should posses from the west of his two brothers to the islands, and to the coasts of the islands. 10 And for Javan came forth the fourth portion every island and the islands which are towards the border of Lud. 11 And for Tubal there came forth the fifth portion in the midst of the tongue which approaches towards the border of the portion of Lud to the second tongue, to the region beyond the second tongue unto the third tongue. 12 And for Meshech came forth the sixth portion, all the region beyond the third tongue till it approaches the east of Gadir. 13 And for Tiras there came forth the seventh portion, four great islands in the midst of the sea, which reach to the portion of Ham [and the islands of Kamaturi came out by lot for the sons of Arpachshad as his inheritance]. 14 And thus the sons of Noah divided unto their sons in the presence of Noah their father, and he bound them all by an oath, imprecating a curse on every one that sought to seize the portion which had not fallen (to him) by his lot. 15 And they all said, 'So be it; so be it ' for themselves and their sons for ever throughout their generations till the day of judgment, on which the Lord God shall judge them with a sword and with fire for all the unclean wickedness of their errors, wherewith they have filled the earth with transgression and uncleanness and fornication and sin.

In spite of the punishment with the Flood we will see in chapter 7 that they again should fall back to the evil deeds of their forefathers the Nephilim.

Conclusions chapter 6

' The Biblical story of the Flood was 'borrowed' from the much older story of Gilgamesh.

* Most of the Sumerian / Babylonian Gods have their counterpart in the different Godly names in the Bible:

'The Most High God' was the Sumerian God AN

'EL' was the Sumerian God ENLIL

'YA'EL' was the Sumerian God ANU

'YAH' was the Sumerian God ENKI

These last three Gods were the leaders of the Sumerian Gods (The Triad of Gods)

* Noah and his offspring belonged to the 'Anakim' and they were Giants.

' The Pentateuch is considered to have been written by Moses the lawgiver ( in the book of Jubilees Moses received the tablets of history from the Angels, it is assumed that the lines of Genesis 6 influenced the construction of the Book of Enoch and Jubilees, not the other way round. Despite this obvious assumption on the part of Hebrew scholars, there is ample evidence to show that much of Genesis was written after the Jews return from captivity in Babylon during the mid-fifth century BC.

If this were the case, then there is no reason why the lines of Genesis 6 could not have been tampered with around this time. In an attempt to emphasize the immense antiquity of the Book of Enoch and Jubilees, Hebrew myth has always asserted that it was originally conveyed to Noah, Enochs great grandson, after the Great Flood, i.e. long before the compilation of Genesis.

This claim of precedence over the Pentateuch eventually led the Christian theologian St Augustine (AD 354-430) to state that the Book of Enoch and Jubilees were too old (ob nimiam antiquitatem) to be included in the Canon of Scripture!

During the lifetime of Peleg (generation 15) the Earth was divided in three parts between the children of Noah and their offspring. In chapter 7 we will also read the story of Eber (generation 14), a remarkable story in which not only the Earth was divided but also that The Sons of Men were divided.

The CREATURE table

The GODS, ELOHIM (AN, ENLIL, ENKI and others)	'GODS'
Heavenly and Arch Angels, Seraphim, Nephilim.	'ANGELS'
The Fallen Angels: Satana, Adam and Eve, Watchers	'GIANTS'
The Children of the Devil and Watchers, Cain MAN	'GIANTS'
Adam, Eve (The Children of God), SETH - NOAH MAN, Watchers	'GIANTS'
The Demy GOD'S (chapter 5, 6 and 7)	'GIANTS'
DEMONS and MONSTERS, children of the evil Giants	'DEMONS'
HOMO SAPIENS (MEN) after the flood	'MEN'

Chapter 5

Giants Nephilim and Anakim

Revised and updated by the author 08-04-2011

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In this chapter we will look for the reason why the Gods destroyed most living Creatures on Earth by a Great Flood, a disaster carefully planned by the Gods. As discussed in chapter 3 and 4, most of the 'players' who deserved their punishment are already know to us.

After their descent to Earth, the Watchers indulged in earthly delights with their chosen 'wives', Through these unions were born Giant offspring named as Nephilim a Hebrew word meaning those who have fallen, which rendered in Greek translations as Gigantes, or 'Giants'.

Another mistake made by 'The Church Fathers' and the Jews, was that they forgot to erase the verses that contains stories of Gods, Angels and Watchers. Maybe they could not translate these 'Scrolls' any other way. My question still remain 'what is left over of Monotheism?'. As the reader knows I'm sure that the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha books should be part of the 'new' Bible, but they are and will not be added because the stories in these books don't fit in the Monotheism theory of 'Christianity', Islam and the Jews.

First of all we will read together the story of all these Creatures from the time Jared died until the time Noah went into the Ark. The next story we can find in many 'Scrolls' but I will use only three of them because otherwise this book would be to large and unreadable. Another argument is that in the 'Scrolls' that will be used is proof enough that my theory about the 'real' history of Ancient times is true.

To make it easier for the reader you can use the links below to read the story together:

A new window will open when you push the link of:

1. The Bible, King James Version

2. The Book of Jubilees

3. The Books of Enoch

4. The Book of Jasher

To explain what happened shortly before the flood we go first back to the story of other creatures that the Bible, the book of Jubilees and the book of Enoch are talking about

The Nephilim

Roots of the Nephilim

Genetic there was nearly no difference between Satana and his companions and the Daughters of Men this was also the same by 'The Watchers' (Children of Seth) and the Daughters of Men, otherwise they were unable to make children together. It is obvious that their Genetic structure was nearly the same because they were all 'Angels' and relatives at the beginning.

These unions between the daughters of Men, Satan and his hosts and the Watchers were:

1. 'Satana and his companions' and 'The Children of Cain' The offspring of this mingling were called 'Demons and Monsters'

2. 'The Watchers' and the children of Cain' called Nephilim The offspring of this mingling was called 'Anakim'.

Both were called Giants who are known with several names of which the most used is Anakim and Naphidim or Eljo.

There is another enigma contained within the lines of Genesis 6, for its appears to embody two entirely different traditions. Look again at the words of Genesis 6:2:

Gn:6:2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

They speak of the Sons of God coming unto the Daughters of Men, while in contrast with Genesis 6:4:

Gn:6:4: There were Giants (in Hebrew bible Nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

The meaning seemed clear enough: there were two quite separate traditions entangled here, one concerning the fallen race known to the early Israelites as the Nephilim (mentioned elsewhere in the Pentateuch as the progenitors of a race of Giants called Anakim), and the other concerning the bene ha-Elohim, the Sons of God, who are equated directly with the Angels of God in Jubilees tradition and the Watchers in Enoch tradition.

With other words: Nephilim, in Hebrew Bible Giants, is another word for 'Watchers', their offspring was called Anakim. The Children of Seth (God) were called Bene Ha-Elohim, their offspring was also called Anakim. Both offspring were Giants or, named in the Bible 'men which were of old, men of renown'.

A: THE CHILDREN OF GOD in the Bible

We read in The Bible:

Gn:6:1: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, Gn:6:2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.Gn:6:3: And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

By 'sons of God' the text means heavenly Angels, the original Hebrew being Bene ha-Elohim. In Verse 3 of Chapter 6 God unexpectedly pronounces that his spirit cannot remain in men forever, and that since humanity is a creation of flesh its life-span will henceforth be shortened to 'an hundred and twenty years'. Yet in Verse 4 the tone suddenly reverts to the original theme of the chapter, for it says:

Gn:6:4: There were Giants (in Hebrew bible Nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

As we discussed in chapter 4 the meaning of Genesis 6:3 is wrong translated or it's a part of the text which not belong to this part of the story because in The Book of Jasher we can read in chapter 5:11 that Methuselah and Noah were instructed to grand their fallen children ('Watchers') to return from their evil deeds:

Jasher 5:11 And the Lord granted them a period of one hundred and twenty years, saying, If they will return, then will God repent of the evil, so as not to destroy the earth.

The meaning of this clause must be clear when we see what is written in Genesis 6:3 My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. even as in Jubilees 5:8 And He said 'My spirit shall not always abide on man; for they also are flesh and their days shall be one hundred and twenty years'. God meant that man was granted to come back of their evil ways for 120 years.

The reader can see that the writers of the Bible made errors on purpose to have a way to explain the lifetime of modern mankind, or not on purpose, Nevertheless they made mistakes.

Theologians are aware of this dilemma, and get around the problem by suggesting that the angels fell from grace twice, once through pride and then again through lust. It seems certain that the term Nephilim was the original Hebrew name for the fallen race, while bene ha-Elohim was a much later term, plausibly from Iran, which entered Genesis 6 long after its original compilation.

In spite of the contradictions surrounding Genesis 6, its importance is clear enough, for it preserved the firm belief among the ancestors of the Jewish race that at some point in the distant past a Giant race had once ruled the earth, from the time of Jared until the time of David, the second King of Israel, with other words the offspring of the Anakim existed until historical times.

B: THE ANGELS OF GOD and The Giants in Jubilees

We read further in The book of Jubilees:

Chapter 5 1 And it came to pass when the children of men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them, that the angels of God saw them on a certain year of this jubilee, that they were beautiful to look upon; and they took themselves wives of all whom they chose, and they bare unto them sons and they were Giants.

The same story as in the Bible.

Chapter 5. 2 And lawlessness increased on the earth and all flesh corrupted its way, alike men and cattle and beasts and birds and everything that walks on the earth all of them corrupted their ways and their orders, and they began to devour each other, and lawlessness increased on the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of all men (was) thus evil continually. 3 And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt, and all flesh had corrupted its orders, and all that were upon the earth had wrought all manner of evil before His eyes.

You can imagine that when the offspring of the daughters of men and the Angels of God were Giants, then their 'elders' must have been Giants too.

We read further in The book of Jubilees:

Chapter 7. 21 from fornication and uncleanness and all iniquity. For owing to these three things came the flood upon the earth, namely, owing to the fornication wherein the Watchers against the law of their ordinances went a whoring after the daughters of men, and took themselves wives of all which they chose: and they made the beginning of uncleanness. 22 And they begat sons the Naphidim, and they were all unlike, and they devoured one another: and the Giants slew the Naphil, and the Naphil slew the Eljo, and the Eljo mankind, and one man another. 23 And every one sold himself to work iniquity and to shed much blood, and the earth was filled with iniquity. 24 And after this they sinned against the beasts and birds, and all that moves and walks on the earth: and much blood was shed on the earth, and every imagination and desire of men imagined vanity and evil continually.

Noah told his children, after the flood, why the Flood had been brought to the Earth. Here we can read also about the Nephilim (Naphidim) even as in the Bible, even we found a new name for the Giants, namely the Eljo. Even the Giants (Naphidim, Naphil, Eljo) sinned against the beasts and birds, You can imagine that the enormous number of stories in Myths and Legends about half Men-half Beast and half Men-half bird could be true, and it was true, they lived indeed a long ago and even until historical times (see later the story of Demons and Monsters).

C. THE WATCHERS in Enoch

We read in The book of Enoch:

Chapter 6 1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children. 7 And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. 8 These are their chiefs of tens.

In Enoch we see the most extensive version of the same story. In chapter 4 we have already discussed that at least three of the Angels, children of the heaven were close relatives of the last three earth-fathers.

We read in The book of Enoch:

Chapter 7 1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants.

The Angels are named here 'Children of the Heaven' and they were with 200 and lived on top of the mountain (and we found its name *HERMON') where Jared and his children (The children of God) lived, So, these Angels lived once near 'The Garden of Eden' as mentioned one of the four SPACE COLONIES of the Gods on Earth (mount Hermon, the mount of the East, mount Sinai and mount Zion). In chapter 8 and 9 we will read that the Sumerian Anunnaki came to Earth to do the work for the leader Gods in groups of 200, with a total of 600. The similarity with Enoch is obvious.

THE GREAT GIANTS in Enoch

We read in The book of Enoch:

Chapter 7. 2 And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: 3 Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. 4 And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. 5 And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. 6 Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.

3000 ells? *, 1 ell is about 0.30 meter so these Giants were indeed Giants their length was about 900 meters, the Greek translation speaks of 300 cubits (1 cubit is 0,45 meter) so even in the Greek tradition these Giants had the respectable length of 135 meters.

* here is mentioned the 'old' ell which is about 0,3 meter.

This is not the only place where is spoken of their enormous length, as we will see in later chapters. In most Myths, Legends and Sages it speaks of Giants with a length of about 6 to 90 meters. (Cyclops with one eye was one of these Giants but there were many more). In verse 5 we read a dazzling story that the 'Nephilim' began to sin against birds, beasts and reptiles and even they began to eat their flesh and drink their blood. Reading this story makes it more understandable what is written in Legends and Myths where is told that the most 'strange' beings once existed on Earth.

Conclusion:

1. The Bible talks about 'The Children of Seth' or 'The Children of God' who went down from the mountain, FALLEN ANGELS.

2. The book of Jubilees talks about 'The Angels of the Lord and the Angels of God', the ANGELS and WATCHERS.

3. The books of Enoch only talks about 'The Angels, children of the heaven' and the WATCHERS.

We found 'All Fallen Angels' where also the Bible is talking about and their offspring were Giants, Anakim, Demons and Monsters.

There are countless stories of Fallen Angels and Gods of the Bible, and also in many myths and legends from all over the world. Many of these Gods were worshipped in ancient times and they were abundant as well as exceedingly mysterious. Playing the harlot and whoring after other Gods brought destruction to early man.

The most important stories about these Gods, Demi Gods, Demons and Monsters we can find in Mesopotamia, in the Sumerian, Acadian and Babylonian stories regarding the Anunnaki, Igigi and Sebitti (see later chapter 8 and 9)

In chapter 4 I have already more then necessary proved that these three different Angels were one and the same and we will call them from now on 'The Nephilim' If you have read the story carefully you know that all Creatures that sinned were Angels, but I will use the word Angels meaning Fallen Angels.

Judgment of the 'Nephilim'

We can read in the Bible:

Gn:6:5: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gn:6:6: And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Gn:6:7: And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Gn:6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Gn:6:11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Gn:6:12: And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Gn:6:13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

That's all the Bible tells about 'The Nephilim'. In Jubilees and Enoch we can find more information.

First we read further in Jubilees:

Chapter 5 4 And He said that He would destroy man and all flesh upon the face of the earth which He had created. 5 But Noah found grace before the eyes of the Lord. 6 And against the angels whom He had sent upon the earth, He was exceedingly wroth, and He gave commandment to root them out of all their dominion, and He bade us to bind them in the depths of the earth, and behold they are bound in the midst of them, and are (kept) separate. 7 And against their sons went forth a command from before His face that they should be smitten with the sword, and be removed from under heaven. 8 And He said 'My spirit shall not always abide on man; for they also are flesh and their days shall be one hundred and twenty years'. 9 And He sent His sword into their midst that each should slay his neighbour, and they began to slay each other till they all fell by the sword and were destroyed from the earth. 10 And their fathers were witnesses (of their destruction), and after this they were bound in the depths of the earth for ever, until the day of the great condemnation, when judgment is executed on all those who have corrupted their ways and their works before the Lord. 11 And He destroyed all from their places, and there was not left one of them whom He judged not according to all their wickedness.12 And he made for all his works a new and righteous nature, so that they should not sin in their whole nature for ever, but should be all righteous each in his kind always. 13 And the judgment of all is ordained and written on the heavenly tablets in righteousness even (the judgment of) all who depart from the path which is ordained for them to walk in; and if they walk not therein, judgment is written down for every creature and for every kind.

'And against 'The Nephilim' whom He had sent upon the earth', In The Scrolls of Jubilees is clearly spoken about 'The Watchers' (so named in Enoch). 'And against their sons' (Anakim), here is clearly spoken about the offspring of 'The Nephilim' who also muted with the daughters of men.

We can here clearly read that 'ALL' Nephilim and Anakim, Demons and Monsters were destroyed from Earth BEFORE THE FLOOD but we will see later that NOT ALL of them were destroyed before the flood because also after the Flood we will meet them again in great amounts (see later in this chapter and in chapter 6 and 7)

Then finally comes verse 12 were we can read: 'And he made for all his works a new and righteous nature'. In the same verse we can also read that this new creation shall be judged as written down in the heavenly tablets. Finally the prediction of the 'Earth Fathers' was fulfilled and the Gods created a new 'race' HOMO SAPIENS, our real Ancestors. Now we know that Homo Sapiens was created shortly before or shortly after the Flood. We will see that the Flood took place about 32,358 years BC. (see chapter 13). Thus HOMO SAPIENS was created about 34,000 years ago (32,000 BC).

We discussed the punishment of the 'Nephilim' in the book of Jubilees but the book of Enoch is also very clear about this judgment and as we will see the Gods and the 'Good Angels' were extremely wrath to their leaders.

We read further in The book of Enoch:

Chapter 8 1 And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all coloring tinctures. 2 And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. 3 Semjaza taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, 'Armaros the resolving of enchantments, Baraqijal (taught) astrology, Kokablel the constellations, Ezeqeel the knowledge of the clouds, Araqiel the signs of the earth, Shamsiel the signs of the sun, and Sariel the course of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven . . .

In chapter 4 we could read about Genun and how he was instructed by Satana and his companions to make weapons. In the book of Enoch the 'Nephilim' brought forth hidden knowledge of which the God's had forbidden to make known to Mankind, Why?, we will see that later. And again we can read about the uncle of Lamech, 'Baraqijal' (the brother of his father Methuselah) who taught Mankind the knowledge of Astrology.

Chapter 9. 1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. 2 And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. 3 And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, 'Bring our cause before the Most High.'' 4 And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! 5 Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. 6 Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn: 7 And Semjaza, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. 8 And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. 9 And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. 10 And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth. 11 And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.'

And God was especially angry to Azazel, one of 'Nephilim', we can imagine that is because Azazel was the Leader of the 'Nephilim' and he had the knowledge of weapons and making war. In case of keeping this secret for Mankind he, in contradiction, learned Mankind to make weapons and make war. And Azazel and the other 'Nephilim' revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven.

In The book of Enoch we can read about the judgment of the Fallen Angels :

Chapter 10 1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name 'Hide thyself!' and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. 3 And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world. 4 ' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. 5 And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. 6 And on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire. 7 And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. 8 And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin. 9 ' And to Gabriel said the Lord: 'Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have. 10 And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and that each one of them will live five hundred years. 11 ' And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. 12 And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgment and of their consummation, till the judgment that is for ever and ever is consummated. 13 In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. 14 And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations. 15 And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. 16 Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall proof a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth' shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.

But in spite of the great sins the 'Nephilim' made, the Gods told the Angels that their offspring, the Anakim, still would live for 500 years but they should lose their eternal life. It seems that the Gods didn't have absolute power over 'The Nephilim' otherwise they would have destroyed them directly, together with their offspring. In the 'age' prediction lies concluded that the Flood should not come directly or that several 'Nephilim' and 'Anakim' should survive the Flood.

We will see later in this chapter that a great amount of the Children of The Anakim' still lived in the time of Moses, Joshua, Saul and David. Though they were degenerated in thousands of years and were only a 'shadow' of their powerful forefathers.In the next chapters we will see that most of the offspring of the 'Anakim' were Kings and they ruled over the human population after the flood. Most of them were worshipped as Gods and Demigods.

Also in the book of Enoch is spoken of a 'new' period with a 'new' creation because in verse 16 the Gods predicts 'the 'plant' of righteousness that will appear'. In chapter 6 and 7 we will see that here is spoken of the 'New' creation called HOMO SAPIENS.

Demons and Monsters

The 'Anakim' and the daughters of men, The Giants, 'produced' all kinds of Demons and Monsters, from the knowledge of their 'Fathers' the 'Nephilim' and they created what ever they liked and so were born the most 'Strange Creatures' that ever existed on Earth.

We read further in The book of Enoch:

Chapter 19 1 And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their SPIRITS ASSUMING MANY DIFFERENT FORMS are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to DEMONS as Gods, (here shall they stand,) till the day of the great judgment in 2 which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become SIRENS.'

The mating of humans and those who descended resulted in some extraordinary hybrid Creatures. Bringing forth many Evil Spirits from within physical bodies. These demonic hybrids began to completely corrupt and destroy the human race, they sinned not only with the daughters of men, they began to sin against the animals, beasts, birds, and reptiles, bringing forth the half human half animal creatures, which are so widely known throughout ancient cultures and civilizations and many were worshipped as gods. A time when ALL FLESH was corrupted it's ways. And after a time, resulting in the Great Flood / Deluge, ..'the end of all flesh'. Which also brought an end to inner breeding between nations.

Many of these 'children', Creations were also of Giant stature and many were barbaric and cruel, after these beings inhabited earth for a time they corrupted their ways even further by mating with the animals, bringing forth the incredible creatures we view in ancient myths and legends. Many of them were worshipped as Gods. In most Scrolls and ancient legends we see there were beings of a half human half fish nature; DAGON (half human and half Lion) was once worshipped as a god by the Philistines. In later chapters I will come back with other stories about Giants, Demons and Monsters from all over the world.

Can you imagine what strength these Giant 'Nephilim' had when their body was to 100 meters tall. Can you imagine that for such Creatures it's nearly no problem to carry stones and build Giant structures, keep also in mind that they had 'Tools' we can't imagine, and were able to carry or transport stones with a weight thousands of tons, If your answer is Yes than we have solved the problems where scholars are still wrestling with today.

The Giant 'Nephilim' were the builders of most Pyramids in Egypt, and NOT the Pharaohs as said today. The same conclusion can also be drawn for most great structures build all over the world, on Land and (at present time) under Sea level.Proof of that we can find when we look at the Pyramids of Egypt of which Scholars are aware that, by name, the Pyramid of Cheops can't be build by human beings, even with our most modern machines it is constructed in a way of which we have still no knowledge at present time.

Ancient structures of the Giants

The Great structures and Building of witch we can find fragments today, The Pyramids of Egypt and many other all over the world, The Temples in India, Mexico and other places in South America, Cities like Tiauanacu in Bolivia, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in India and last but not least Stonehenge in England (see picture), the Megaliths (Menhirs) in Bretagne France, Hunnebeds in The Netherlands (see picture) and Germany, Baalbek in Lebanon (see picture) are build by Giants and not by human beings (Homo Sapiens), our real ancestors. More proof of the above we can find in Museums in the form of giant tools and even giant skulls of which the origin is unknown.

The Great Pyramid of Gizeh

The Great Pyramid of Gizeh, close up

The Sphinx

The Sphinx, close up

This is probably the largest cut stone in the world. It is found about half a mile away from Acropolis at Baalbec, where similar, thought lightly smaller stones build the fundament on which the Acropolis stands. This stone is 68 ft (22 m) long and roughly 14 ft (3,3 m) square. Its weight is about 1,200 tons.

Stonehenge, England, about 8,000 BC

Hunnebed, about 3,000 BC. Schoonoord The Netherlands

 Giant Axes fond in Sumer. Bagdad Museum Iraq.

Giant Skulls of which the origin is unknown

 The enormous stones that were used by their builders to made these structures, most are from ten to thousands of tons in weight each, can not be cut out of the mountains and transported over (most enormous distances) by human beings. Even at present time we are not able to build such structures, even with our most advanced machines.

The GIANT ANAKIM

I mentioned already that the Giant 'Analim' died out slowly and their 'skills' degenerated in time, there was only a small piece left of the original strength and length compared to their ancestors, the first Giants with their enormous strength and length could have had a length of 10-100 meters. (keep in mind the length that is given in Enoch, 3000 ells). It sounds unbelievable but we know that this is the truth.

The 'Anakim' were quite tall and fierce. They were living almost over all the Middle-East, Europe, America and Asia before the destruction of the flood, there was a remnant of them after the flood which possibly inhabited Ammon, Moab, Edom and Bashan with it's fortified city with high walls and gates with bars, just to name a few who yet inhabited earth after the flood. Reasons behind the continued wars and great slaughters with total destruction in Biblical times.

Was this in any way connected with the people trying to control Mother Nature through and with these entities and their children? Of course it was. The destruction caused by the great flood, the end of the so called 'golden' age was a result of the increasing evil done by the 'Anakim' and their children. From the forbidden knowledge of those who came down. We know that evil and corruption increased with their appearance on Earth before the Flood but we have seen already that even after the Flood they still existed until historical times.

There are countless stories of visitors and or entities from the universe throughout our ancient history to date. Sacred books and folklore of widely separated lands all tell of Gods who visited Earth wrapped in clouds or conveyed by fiery chariots.

THE GIANT Anakim

in the Bible

In the Bible we can find a large amount of stories regarding the Anakim and their 'degenerated' offspring called the children of Anak, Emims and other names.

For instance in The Bible we can read about king Og (the Giant):

Dt:3:11: For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.

King Og was a 'small' Giant because he needed a length of his bed of 9*46 cm = 4,14 meters, so his real length would be about 4 meters. As mentioned above the Giant Anakim were the offspring of the Giant Nephilim from before the Flood

Dt:1:28: Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Dt:2:10: The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; Dt:2:11: Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.

Dt:2:21: A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:

Dt:9:2: A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!

Jos:11:21: And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. Jos:11:22: There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.

Jos:14:12: Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spoke in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

Jos:14:15: And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

The Emims were as tall as the Anakims and belonged also to the Giants, and they were Children of the Anakims and Moses referred that these children of the Anakims still lived on Earth in the days of Joshua and later still in the days of David. (Goliath) The Children of the Anakims (Anak) were as tall as their fathers but the degeneration of the Giant race, in length and in strength was obvious decreasing in those days because they were destroyed in a great number during the time of Joshua, Saul and David.

Moses spoke also of Giants in the days of the journey out of Egypt, again proof that the Gods didn't destroy all of them during the Flood because they still lived thousands of years after the flood in great numbers. (proof of that we can also find in the books of Enoch) I mentioned already the story of Moses, but there are more of the Giants in the Bible:

Also in Numbers we see a fleeting picture of the character of these 'mighty ones.'

Nm:13:32: And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. Nm:13:33: And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Even the Children of Anak (Anakim) were still of a great stature, still so great that Joshua and his army were like grasshoppers before them, so even after a long period of degeneration the Children of the Anakim were still Giants in their eyes. A strange detail is that is written that these sons of Anak eats the inhabitants of that land, so they were also Cannibals.

Also in Deuteronomy we can read:

Deuteronomy 2:19 And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.

Dt:2:20: (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; Dt:2:21: A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: Dt:2:22: As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:

Also Egypt was accounted a land of Giants in ancient times.

(the Children of Ammon). It's obvious that these Giants also build large structures and walls. They were the builders of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx.

Even in the time of Saul and David we can still find the Giants:

2Sm:21:18: And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the Giant. Chr:20:4: And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued. 1Chr:20:5: And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. 1Chr:20:6: And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot and he also was the son of the giant. 1Chr:20:7: But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. 1Chr:20:8: These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants. 1Chr:21:1: And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Satan?, (He suddenly came back to Earth in those days, warned by his offspring ? and he grew angry to David and his servants because they destroyed Satan's offspring. Even Satan was still on Earth at that time again proof that not ALL Nephilim were destroyed during the Flood.

In 1 Samuel we can read the story of Goliath:

1Sm:17:4: And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 1Sm:17:5: And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 1Sm:17:6: And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 1Sm:17:7: And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

In Chronicles we can read the same story:

1 CHRONICLES 20: 4-8 And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at GEZER with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew SIPPAI, that was of the children of the GIANT: and they were subdued. And there was war again with the Philistines.

Do you want more proof that the Children of the Giant 'Anakim' still lived on Earth in the time of Saul and David?.

Final conclusions chapter 5:

* The children of 'The Nephilim' and the daughters of Man (the children of Cain) were the Giant 'Anakim' with enormous strength and length. (from 10 to 100 meters tall) and their lifetime was about 500 years.

* These Giants were the builders of the enormous structures all over the word, including the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge in England and many more structures and ancient cities.

* The prediction of 'The Earth Fathers' was fulfilled, shortly before or after the flood, with the creation of a new 'race', namely 'HOMO SAPIENS', our real ancestors (see later in chapter 6 and 7).

* The offspring of The Nephilim' and the daughters of men, 'The Anakim' Giants, 'created' all kinds of Demons and Monsters, they had the knowledge from their 'Fathers' the 'Nephilim' to create what ever they liked and so were born the most 'Strange Creatures' that ever existed on Earth.

* Can you imagine why I don't belief in the theory that all living people on this earth are children of ADAM and EVE ?. People who still belief that story are unwilling to read the Bible and other books as historical books.

* When we read ancient history carefully we should have seen that almost ALL nations who were ruled by Kings made often War against each other. This phenomenon is left over from the time above discussed. Keep in mind that these Kings mostly were offspring of the Anakim who learned to kill from their fathers the Giant 'Anakim'.

* I belief that this is the reason we live with our 'primitive based historical thoughts' in the 21st century. Why are we still fighting all kinds of wars all over the world, most of them regarding religious differences and thoughts, (Catholics against Protestants, Islam against Christians etc.) It should be better to unite our knowledge and seek for the real history of mankind. When we use our knowledge and forget religion we will soon 'awake' and see that we still fight each other at present time due to the difference in religious thoughts. So far we did not learn from our history. We could know better but are unwilling to use our intelligence. I can't understand that we still do not learn from our ancestors NOT to worship these beings as Gods, as even in present time is still common.

I am sure that if we unite our cultures and knowledge and Scholars could closely and peacefully look for the real history in places where it is now impossible, due to political reasons (Iraq, Tibet, India and Pakistan etc), we should soon find the truth. Let us open our eyes and minds and let us search together for the real history of our Home planet and ancestors then to use a lot of time to fight each other with dogma's within our religions.

Consider that the Pope did announce the Year 2000 as the Year of consideration. I think it had been better to announce that year as Year to rewrite the Bible including at least, the book of Jubilees and the books of Enoch, but I am sorry to announce that this will not happen because of the reason I mentioned already 'Monotheism'. Our church fathers are aware of the above stories but are unwilling to change whatever because they should lose their power over religious people. They continue to deceive the religious people even they know better and still held the lock on all secret books and scrolls that are stored in the Vatican and other places. They forget one thing, once in the future when mankind have learned to use their culture and brains they will pay the penalty. I hope that future will come very soon.

So far we have only read one history namely the story of the Bible, Jubilees and Enoch, but as I mentioned already there are many more stories. Even the Bible exists in several versions, (Jewish, Bibles of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, each differing in some of their contents. In the next chapters we will look at the Flood and the Generations after the Flood and the Creation of Human (Homo Sapiens).

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The CREATURE table

The GODS, ELOHIM (AN, ENLIL, ENKI and others)	'GODS'
Heavenly and Arch Angels, Seraphim, Nephilim.	'ANGELS'
The Fallen Angels: Satana, Adam and Eve, Watchers	'Naphilim'
The Children of the Devil and Watchers, Cain MAN	'GIANTS'
Adam, Eve (The Children of God), SETH - NOAH MAN, Watchers	'Nephilim'
The Demy GOD'S (Chapter 5, 6 and 7)	'Anakim'
DEMONS and MONSTERS, children of the evil Giants	'DEMONS'
HOMO SAPIENS (MEN) created shortly after the great flood	'MEN'

Chapter 4

Children of God and Watchers

Revised and updated by the author 08-04-2011

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In this chapter we will look at The Generation Table from the period of Enoch (the son of Jared) until Noah, and afterwards also the Great Flood.

As mentioned in chapter 3 it is obvious that just Jared had problems with his children regarding the laws of God because in his time 'The Devil, Satan' with his hosts were on Earth and appeared often to him and his children, see the story that comes next.

The 'Children of God' sinned

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 19 8 And Jared continued to teach his children eighty years; but after that they began to transgress the commandments he had given them, and to do many things without his counsel. They began to go down from the Holy Mountain one after another, and to mix with the children of Cain, in foul fellowships. 9 Now the reason for which the children of Jared went down the Holy Mountain, is this, that we will now reveal unto you.

The children of Jared began to transgress his commandments in his 895th year, 1,355 years after creation. And his children began to go 'down' and had intercourse with the children of Cain.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter 20 1. AFTER Cain had gone down to the land of dark soil, and his children had multiplied therein, there was one of them, whose name was Genun, son of Lamech the blind who slew Cain. 2 But as to this Genun, Satan came into him in his childhood; and he made sundry trumpets and horns, and string instruments, cymbals and psalteries, and lyres and harps, and flutes; and he played on them at all times and at every hour.

In the clause 'gone down to the land of dark soil' we see proof again that Cain went out from Adam and Eve to another place which land is called in the Bible "Nod". Further we found another name for Jubal, namely GENUN. See Genesis 4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 3 And when he played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were heard beautiful and sweet sounds, that ravished the heart. 4 Then he gathered companies upon companies to play on them; and when they played, it pleased well the children of Cain, who inflamed themselves with sin among themselves, and burnt as with fire; while Satan inflamed their hearts, one with another, and increased lust among them. 5 Satan also taught Genun to bring strong drink out of corn; and this Genun used to bring together companies upon companies in drink-houses; and brought into their hands all manner of fruits and flowers; and they drank together. 6 Thus did this Genun multiply sin exceedingly; he also acted with pride, and taught the children of Cain to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness, which they knew not; and put them up to manifold doings which they knew not before. 7 Then Satan, when he saw that they yielded to Genun and hearkened to him in every thing he told them, rejoiced greatly, increased Genun's understanding until he took iron and with it made weapons of war.

Satan learned Genun (Jubal) the use of iron to make weapons?, this is in contradiction with the Bible (Gn:4:22) were is written that Tubalcain. his brother, was the instructor of iron and weapons.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 8 Then when they were drunk, hatred and murder increased among them; one man used violence against another to teach him evil taking his children and defiling them before him. 9 And when men saw they were overcome, and saw others that were not overpowered, those who were beaten came to Genun, took refuge with him, and he made them his confederates. 10 Then sin increased among them greatly; until a man married his own sister, or daughter, or mother, and others; or the daughter of his father's sister, so that there was no more distinction of relationship, and they no longer knew what is iniquity; but did wickedly, and the earth was defiled with sin; and they angered God the Judge, who had created them.

And sins increased when they married their own sisters, daughters or mothers, this is strange because the children of Adam did the same, marrying their own sister, Wasn't that a sin in the eyes of God? Finally we found the real name of the father of Cain, namely 'The God of Judge', but who was he?, I mentioned already that in my opinion the father (Creator) of Cain was Anu (the Sumerian leader of the Gods), but why was this 'God' angry?, we'll see that later. Reading the above we found proof that 'The Eternal God' was not the same as 'God the Judge' As mentioned in chapter 2 'The God of Creation' was Anu who used genes and the womb of Eve to create Cain.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: 11 But Genun gathered together companies upon companies, that played on horns and on all the other instruments we have already mentioned, at the foot of the Holy Mountain; and they did so in order that the children of Seth who were on the Holy Mountain should hear it. 12 But when the children of Seth heard the noise, they wondered, and came by companies, and stood on the top of the mountain to look at those below; and they did thus a whole year. 13 When, at the end of that year, Genun saw that they were being won over to him little by little, Satan entered into him, and taught him to make dyeing - stuffs for garments of divers patterns, and made him understand how to dye crimson and purple and what not. 14 And the sons of Cain who wrought all this, and shone in beauty and gorgeous apparel, gathered together at the foot of the mountain in splendour, with horns and gorgeous dresses, and horse races, committing all manner of abominations. 15 Meanwhile the children of Seth, who were on the Holy Mountain, prayed and praised God, in the place of the hosts of angels who had fallen; wherefore God had called them 'angels,' because He rejoiced over them greatly.

And God rejoiced greatly about the 'Angels' before they became 'Fallen Angels', and the children of Seth (The children of God, the fallen Angels who became Good) began to go down from the mountain and they still praised God in the presence of the children of Cain.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 16 But after this, they no longer kept His commandment, nor held by the promise He had made to their fathers; but they relaxed from their fasting and praying, and from the counsel of Jared their father. And they kept on gathering together on the top of the mountain, to look upon the children of Cain, from morning until evening, and upon what they did, upon their beautiful dresses and ornaments. 17 Then the children of Cain looked up from below, and saw the children of Seth, standing in troops on the top of the mountain; and they called to them to come down to them. 18 But the children of Seth said to them from above, 'We don't know the way.' Then Genun, the son of Lamech, heard them say they did not know the way, and he bethought himself how he might bring them down. 19 Then Satan appeared to him by night, saying, 'There is no way for them to come down from the mountain on which they dwell; but when they come to-morrow, say to them, 'Come ye to the western side of the mountain; there you will find the way of a stream of water, that comes down to the foot of the mountain, between two hills; come down that way to us.'

What was the reason that there wasn't a way to go down from the Holy Mountain ?. As mentioned in chapter 2 and 3 there was the possibility that 'The Holy Mountain' was a mountain with The Garden of Eden on it, above The Cave of Treasures. And 'The Garden of Eden' was a 'Space colony', guarded by Seraphim's and Cherubim's. Satana was aware of this and explained Genun that it was impossible to go down from the Mountain, except the Western side of it?, as mentioned in chapter 2, at the western side of the mountain a waterfall came down from 'The Garden of Eden' , from under 'the tree of Life', and formed four rivers down to the Earth ; so, from the waters it was possible to go down.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 20 Then when it was day, Genun blew the horns and beat the drums below the mountain, as he was wont. The children of Seth heard it, and came as they used to do. 21 Then Genun said to them from down below, 'Go to the western side of the mountain, there you will find the way to come down.' 22 But when the children of Seth heard these words from him, they went back into the cave to Jared, to tell him all they had heard. 23 Then when Jared heard it, he was grieved; for he knew that they would transgress his counsel. 24 After this a hundred men of the children of Seth gathered together, and said among themselves, 'Come, let us go down to the children of Cain, and see what they do, and enjoy ourselves with them.

A hundred men of the children of Seth went down from the mountain to go to the children of Cain. Now we know the meaning of what is written in The Bible: Gn:6:2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

The term 'The Sons of God' is the same as 'The Children of God', in this verse the Bible is talking about 'The Children of Seth' because they were called 'The Children of God' (see The Second Book of Adam and Eve chapter 11: 4: But because of their own purity, they were named 'Children of God, and they were with God, instead of the hosts of angels who fell').

Watchers and Children of God

'The Watchers' also named 'The Angels of the Lord' were on the earth in those days and they learned 'The Children of Cain' (Enoch) the knowledge of writing, I am pleased they did because we can read very important information in the books of Enoch.

There is no difference between 'The Children of Seth', also called 'The Sons of God' or 'The Children of God' and 'The Watchers' also called 'The Angels of The Lord' When we read the following texts carefully we will see that 'The Watchers' and 'The Children of God' (the offspring of Seth) were one and the same.

The attended reader know that in the days this events took place Enoch was still with them and new that his relatives, the children of God, should go down from the mountain to mingle with the children of Cain.

In The book of Enoch we can read:

note: Enoch was the son of Jared (not the son of Cain, called Enos), the first who learned writing from 'The Watchers' and he wrote :

Chapter 6 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.' And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: 'I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they all answered him and said: 'Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.' Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.

Enoch called the sinners 'The Angels, the Children of the Heaven', why?, I think this is obvious because he means that 'The Children of Seth', went down from the mountain. We will see soon that this is the truth. In 'The Second Book of Adam and Eve', chapter 19:20, is written about 100 men and in The Book of Enoch' about 200 men, but what is the difference. The first book wrote only of the children of Seth and Enoch wrote about them in total (Watchers and children of Seth). In chapter 5 and 6 we will see what happened with 'The Watchers' or 'Children of God' shortly before, during and after the Flood. In later chapters (8 and 9) we will see that the Watchers were called Anunnaki by the Sumerians.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 25 But when Jared heard this of the hundred men, his very soul was moved, and his heart was grieved. He then arose with great fervour, and stood in the midst of them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel the just, 'Let not one of you go down from this holy and pure mountain, in which our fathers have ordered us to dwell.' 26 But when Jared saw that they did not receive his words, he said unto them, '0 my good and innocent and holy children, know that when once you go down from this holy mountain, God will not allow you to return again to it.' 27 He again adjured them, saying, 'I adjure by the death of our father Adam, and by the blood of Abel, of Seth, of Enos, of Cainan, and of Mahalaleel, to hearken to me, and not to go down from this holy mountain; for the moment you leave it, you will be reft of life and of mercy; and you shall no longer be called 'children of God,' but 'children of the devil.'

We can imagine that Jared was furious to his relatives who would go to the offspring of Cain and he tried again and again to persuade them not to go down but he failed. Nevertheless he warned them that God would not allow then to go back to the holy mountain again and that their long lifetime will be taken from them and their offspring from the beautiful daughters of Cain's offspring. They would be called 'The Children of the Devil' as well.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 28 But they would not hearken to his words. 29 Enoch at that time was already grown up, and in his zeal for God, he arose and said, 'Hear me, 0 ye sons of Seth, small and great-when ye transgress the commandment of our fathers, and go down from this holy mountain ye shall not come up hither again for ever.' 30 But they rose up against Enoch, and would not hearken to his words, but went down from the Holy Mountain.

Enoch, the son of Jared, also warned his relatives not to go down from the Holy Mountain, but they did not listen.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 31 And when they looked at the daughters of Cain, at their beautiful figures, and at their hands and feet dyed with colour, and tattooed in ornaments on their faces, the fire of sin was kindled in them. 32 Then Satan made them look most beautiful before the sons of Seth, as he also made the sons of Seth appear of the fairest in the eyes of the daughters of Cain, so that the daughters of Cain lusted after the sons of Seth like ravenous beasts, and the sons of Seth after the daughters of Cain, until they committed abomination with them.

'The daughters of Cain', in the Bible were called 'The daughters of Men' : Gn:6:2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 33 But after they had thus fallen into this defilement, they returned by the way they had come, and tried to ascend the Holy Mountain. But they could not, because the stones of that holy mountain were of fire flashing before them, by reason of which they could not go up again. 34 And God was angry with them, and repented of them because they had come down from glory, and had thereby lost or forsaken their own purity or innocence, and were fallen into the defilement of sin.

The fallen 'Children of God' (Angels) could not come up to the mountain again and were doomed to stay down.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 20. 35 Then God sent His Word to Jared, saying, 'These thy children, whom thou didst call 'My children,' - behold they have transgressed My commandment, and have gone down to the abode of perdition, and of sin. Send a messenger to those that are left, that they may not go down, and be lost.' 36 Then Jared wept before the Lord, and asked of Him mercy and forgiveness. But he wished that his soul might depart from his body, rather than hear these words from God about the going down of his children from the Holy Mountain. 37 But he followed God's order, and preached unto them not to go down from that holy mountain, and not to hold intercourse with the children of Cain. 38 But they heeded not his message, and would not obey his counsel.

And all 'Children of God' fell, except Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah, as we can read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter 21. Jared dies in sorrow for his sons who had gone astray. A prediction of the Flood. 1. AFTER this another company gathered together, and they went to look after their brethren; but they perished as well as they. And so it was, company after company, until only a few of them were left. 2 Then Jared sickened from grief, and his sickness was such that the day of his death drew near. 3 Then he called Enoch his eldest son, and Methuselah Enoch's son, and Lamech the son of Methuselah, and Noah the son of Lamech. 4 And when they were come to him he prayed over them and blessed them, and said to them, 'Ye are righteous, innocent sons; go ye not down from this holy mountain; for behold, your children and your children's children have gone down from this holy mountain, and have estranged themselves from this holy mountain, through their abominable lust and transgression of God's commandment. 5 'But I know, through the power of God, that He will not leave you on this holy mountain, because your children have transgressed His commandment and that of our fathers, which we had received from them. 6 'But, 0 my sons, God will take you to a strange land, and ye never shall again return to behold with your eyes this garden and this holy mountain. 7 'Therefore, 0 my sons, set your hearts on your own selves, and keep the commandment of God which is with you. And when you go from this holy mountain, into a strange land which ye know not, take with you the body of our father Adam, and with it these three precious gifts and offerings, namely, the gold, the incense, and the myrrh; and let them be in the place where the body of our father Adam shall lay.

Jared told his children who had not 'sinned' that they should go to a 'strange land' and before they should leave the Holy Mountain, they should take the body of Adam and the three gifts from The Gods with them, Jared predicts them that 'The Garden of Eden' and 'The Holy Mountain' would vanish from the Earth during the Flood. The Gods were already making preparations to disassemble 'The Garden of Eden' and the 'Holy Mountain' to be ready before the Flood.

Jared predicts 'The Flood'

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 21. 8 'And unto him of you who shall be left, 0 my sons, shall the Word of God come, and when he goes out of this land he shall take with him the body of our father Adam, and shall lay it in the middle of the earth, the place in which salvation shall be wrought.' 9 Then Noah said unto him, 'Who is he of us that shall be left?' 10 And Jared answered, 'Thou art he that shall be left. And thou shalt take the body of our father Adam from the cave, and place it with thee in the ark when the flood comes. 11 'And thy son Shem, who shall come out of thy loins, he it is who shall lay the body of our father Adam in the middle of the earth, in the place whence salvation shall come.'

Verse 8 is opposite to verse 10 where in verse 8 is stated that God took the body of Adam but in verse 10 Noah is instructed by Jared to take the body of Adam with him in the ark? Jared knew that Noah was the only 'Child of God' who should remain after the flood and that he would have a son called Shem who would be a righteous man even as his father Noah was.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 21. 12 Then Jared turned to his son Enoch, and said unto him 'Thou, my son, abide in this cave, and minister diligently before the body of our father Adam all the days of thy life; and feed thy people in righteousness and innocence.' 13 And Jared said no more. His hands were loosened, his eyes closed, and he entered into rest like his fathers. His death took place in the three hundred and sixtieth year of Noah, and in the nine hundred and eighty-ninth year of his own life; on the twelfth of Takhsas on a Friday. 14 But as Jared died, tears streamed down his face by reason of his great sorrow, for the children of Seth, who had fallen in his days. 15 Then Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah, these four, wept over him; embalmed him carefully, and then laid him in the Cave of Treasures. Then they rose and mourned for him forty days. 16 And when these days of mourning were ended, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah remained in sorrow of heart, because their father had departed from them, and they saw him no more.

Enoch was told to abide in the Cave and take care of the bodies of the 'Earth Fathers' therein. Jared died in the 360th year of Noah's life, when we look at 'The Generation Table of the Bible'we'll see that the age of Jared when he died was 989 years ?. In the Bible he was 962 years of age when he died. (a difference of 27 years) Was Jared the last 'Earth Father' who was buried in 'The Cave of Treasures' ?. We'll see that he was.

'The Children of God' that not sinned

Generation 7: Enoch

In The Bible we can read: Gn:5:21: And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: Gn:5:22: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: Gn:5:23: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: Gn:5:24: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

That's all the bible has to see about Enoch, but again we can read more detail in other 'holy' books In The Second Book of Adam and Eve we can read: Chapter 22. Only three righteous men left in the world. The evil conditions of men prior to the Flood. 1. BUT Enoch kept the commandment of Jared his father, and continued to minister in the cave. 2 It is this Enoch to whom many wonders happened, and who also wrote a celebrated book; but those wonders may not be told in this place.

Even these scrolls wrote about 'the books of Enoch', so why do the 'Church Fathers' and the Jews deny the authenticity of these books?.

We read further in The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter. 22. 3 Then after this, the children of Seth went astray and fell, they, their children and their wives. And when Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah saw them, their hearts suffered by reason of their fall into doubt full of unbelief; and they wept and sought of God mercy, to preserve them, and to bring them out of that wicked generation. 4 Enoch continued in his ministry before the Lord three hundred and eighty-five years, and at the end of that time he became aware through the grace of God, that God intended to remove him from the earth. 5 He then said to his son, '0 my son, I know that God intends to bring the waters of the Flood upon the earth, and to destroy our creation. 6 'And ye are the last rulers over this people on this mountain; for I know that not one will be left you to beget children on this holy mountain; neither shall any one of you rule over the children of his people; neither shall any great company be left of you, on this mountain.' 7 Enoch said also to them, 'Watch over your souls, and hold fast by your fear of God and by your service of Him, and worship Him in upright faith, and serve Him in righteousness, innocence and judgment, in repentance and also in purity.' 8 When Enoch had ended his commandments to them, God transported him from that mountain to the land of life, to the mansions of the righteous and of the chosen, the abode of Paradise of joy, in light that reaches up to heaven; light that is outside the light of this world; for it is the light of God, that fills the whole world, but which no place can contain. 9 Thus, because Enoch was in the light of God, he found himself out of the reach of death; until God would have him die. 10 Altogether, not one of our fathers or of their children, remained on that holy mountain, except those three, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. For all the rest went down from the mountain and fell into sin with the children of Cain. Therefore were they forbidden that mountain, and none remained on it but those three men.

We can read here in verse 4 that Enoch ministered his people for 385 years ? In the Bible was the total lifetime of Enoch on Earth only 365 years. That can only mean one thing, Enoch was much older when taken by the Gods to Heaven. With a simple calculation we can cipher that Enoch was actually 914 years old.

As written in the above verses Enoch was 800 years old when Jared died. When Enoch ruled 385 years after his fathers dead he should be 1,185 years old by his ascension. But Jared died 234 years before the Flood so Enoch would have survived the Flood with 151 years. We know that Enoch's ascension took place BEFORE the Flood, so Enoch must have ruled already before Jared died. When we search for the real lifetime of Enoch we can find more evidence about the year of Enoch's ascension. In Jubilees, the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher (chapter 5:11) we can read that God ordered Noah to make an Ark directly after Enoch's ascension and that the offspring of Cain had only 120 years to return from their evil way otherwise the Flood should come.

The real 'lifetime' of Enoch is thus 800 + 234 - 120 = 914 years.

Before Enoch's ascension he said to his son Methuselah: '0 my son, I know that God intends to bring the waters of the Flood upon the earth, and to destroy 'our' creation'. 'And ye are the last rulers over this people on this mountain'. 'And to destroy our creation'?, what is the meaning of this?, Were the 'Earth Fathers' Creators themselves?. Enoch knew that all his relatives should die during the flood, except Noah, his wife and his 3 children with their wife's.

Enoch was transported by God from the holy mountain in light to heaven?, again is spoken of 'transported' to Heaven. The reader is already accustomed to this phenomenon, indeed he was raised by a space-ship. And even Enoch became not immortal because we could read above that he was with God until He would have him die.

The rest of the story we'll never know because the rest of the scrolls are also lost, or on purpose lost, forever.

But we can find some more information in other books.

Enoch in the book of Jubilees

We can read more information about Enoch in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4: 16 And in the eleventh jubilee Jared took to himself a wife, and her name was Baraka, the daughter of Rasujal, a daughter of his father's brother, in the fourth week of this jubilee, and she bare him a son in the fifth week , in the fourth year of the jubilee, and he called his name Enoch.(for explanation see the end of chapter 3)

We read further in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4: 17 And he was the first among men that are born on earth who learnt writing and knowledge and wisdom and who wrote down the signs of heaven according to the order of their months in a book, that men might know the seasons of the years according to the order of their separate months. 18 And he was the first to write a testimony and he testified to the sons of men among the generations of the earth, and recounted the weeks of the jubilees, and made known to them the days of the years, and set in order the months and recounted the Sabbaths of the years as we made, known to him. 19 And what was and what will be he saw in a vision of his sleep, as it will happen to the children of men throughout their generations until the day of judgment; he saw and understood everything, and wrote his testimony, and placed the testimony on earth for all the children of men and for their generations.

Enoch was the first who learned writing and science and he wrote several books. We will see later that this wisdom was only preserved for 'The Children of God / Watchers' and NOT for the offspring of Cain. Proof of this we can find later on because Enoch should testify against 'The Watchers', The Angels of the Lord', so he testified against his own relatives who were 'fallen' (see next). The recalculation of the Jubilees by Enoch was the beginning of the Year with 12 months, 30 days a month and a total of 360 days a year.

Note: As scholars know today the rotation of the Earth slows down in millions of years because of the gravitation of the Moon, once in the future, in about 2.5 billion years the Earth will stop rotating due to gravitation of the Moon. When we make a calculation, the years had 360 days in the time of Enoch and in present time the years count 365 days, so, the time when Enoch lived, about 2,500 years BC must be much more further in history, about 40,000 years ago. In chapter 11, 12 and 13 I'll come back to this subject.

Keep also in mind that from the time of Enoch, and the recalculation of time, there is a difference between the birthdays of the 'Earth Fathers' in the Bible and The Book of Jubilees, I don't think that's a coincidence.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 20 And in the twelfth jubilee, in the seventh week thereof, (581-588 AM) he took to himself a wife, and her name was Edna, the daughter of Danel, the daughter of his father's brother, and in the sixth year in this week (587 AM) she bare him a son and he called his name Methuselah.

And Enoch married also his niece (3rd time), and not his sister.

As with the birthday of Enoch, there is a difference between the birthday of Methuselah in accordance with The Generation Table of 100 years (687 AM in the Bible).

Enoch testified against 'The Watchers'

We read further in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 21 And he was moreover with the angels of God these six jubilees of years, and they showed him everything which is on earth and in the heavens, the rule of the sun, and he wrote down everything. 22 And he testified to the Watchers, who had sinned with the daughters of men; for these had begun to unite themselves, so as to be defiled, with the daughters of men, and Enoch testified against all.

As mentioned above Enoch testified against his own relatives 'The Watchers' (The Angels of the Lord), who also fell when they 'sinned' with the daughters of men.

We read further in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 23 And he was taken from amongst the children of men, and we conducted him into the Garden of Eden in majesty and honor, and behold there he writes down the con-damnation and judgment of the world, and all the wickedness of the children of men.

The Angels of God took Enoch back to ' The Garden of Eden', to protect him for the 'Watchers' who had sinned with the daughters of men (see later Genesis 6, Jubilees 5 and Enoch 6). We can imagine that Enoch was taken by The Angels from among men because he was a talebearer for'The Watchers', and God was afraid that they should revenge his testifying against them.

And Enoch was brought back to 'The Garden of Eden' and lived there until his ascension. 'The Garden of Eden', a 'space-colony', was still on top of the Mountain on Earth in the year 1422 AM (the year of death of Jared).

We read further in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 24 And on account of it (God) brought the waters of the flood upon all the land of Eden; for there he was set as a sign and that he should testify against all the children of men, that he should recount all the deeds of the generations until the day of condemnation. 25 And he burnt the incense of the sanctuary, (even) sweet spices acceptable before the Lord on the Mount. 26 For the Lord has four places on the earth, the Garden of Eden, and the Mount of the East, and this mountain on which thou art this day (God to Moses), Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion (which) will be sanctified in the new creation for a sanctification of the earth; through it will the earth be sanctified from all (its) guilt and its uncleanness throughout the generations of the world.

What is the meaning of 'And on account of it (God) brought the waters of the flood upon all the land of Eden? So, the Earth was also called 'the land of Eden' I hope the reader will not mix-up 'the land of Eden' with 'The Garden of Eden' because we can also read in verse 25 that God was 'on' the mount receiving sweet spices from Enoch. Further we can read that God has four places on Earth, four'Space-colonies' shortly before the Flood. They were:

1. 'The garden of Eden', let us call this mountain 'Mount Eden' (in Enoch 6 this mountain is called Mount Hermon)

2. The Mount of the East (probably a mountain somewhere in modern Iran or India)

3. Mount Sinai

4. Mount Zion

In verse 26 is clearly spoken that a 'new' generation should come after the Flood. The Gods and Enoch predicts the 'NEW CREATION', could they mean HOMO SAPIENS? Yes they did and we will see that later.

Now the reader can interpret that we found the reason why 'our' church fathers and the Jews don't accept the book of 'Jubilees' as part of the bible....., indeed there is more then one God and there are several types of Angels. Is it possible that when the Angels of God took Enoch to the 'The Garden of Eden' they also took the bodies of 'The Earth Fathers', Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel and Jared with them?

In chapter 20 of 'The Second Book of Adam and Eve' we debated that Jared ordered Noah to take the body of Adam with him in the Ark. In my opinion this plan changed and with the ascension of Enoch he took also the bodies of the first six Earth-fathers with him. The other gifts from the Gods, including the, so called, 'Garments of Skin of Adam and Eve' were taken in the Ark by Noah. Proof of that we will find in chapter 5 and 6 when we will discuss the story of the children of Noah and their offspring after the Flood.

Generation 8: Methuselah

In The Bible we can read: Gn:5:25: And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech. Gn:5:26: And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: Gn:5:27: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

We can read more information about Methuselah in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 27 And in the fourteenth jubilee (637-686 AM) Methuselah took unto himself a wife, Edna the daughter of Azrial, the daughter of his father's brother, in the third week, in the first year of this week, (665 AM) and he begat a son and called his name Lamech.

And also Methuselah married his niece (4th time), and not his sister. Is Methuselah's uncle 'Azrial' the same as the fallen 'Watcher' 'Asael' mentioned in the book of Enoch (ch.6)? The similarity between the names is to close to be untrue.

Also with the birthday of Methuselah, there is a difference between the birthday of Lamech in accordance to The Generation Table of The Bible of 209 years (874 AM in the Bible), the difference has grown in years. The reason we already know.

Generation 9: Lamech

In The Bible we can read: Gn:5:28: And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: Gn:5:29: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. Gn:5:30: And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: Gn:5:31: And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

Lamech was the first of the Earth-fathers who died much younger then all others, he died at 777 years of age.

We can read more information about Lamech in The Book of Jubilees : Chapter 4. 28 And in the fifteenth jubilee in the third week (700-707 AM) Lamech took to himself a wife, and her name was Betenos the daughter of Baraki'il, the daughter of his father's brother, and in this week (706 AM) she bare him a son and he called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort me for my trouble and all my work, and for the ground which the Lord hath cursed.'

And also Lamech married his niece (5th time) and not his sister. Is Lamech's uncle 'Baraki'il' the same as the fallen 'Watcher' 'Baraqijal' mentioned in the book of Enoch (ch.6)? The similarity between the names is for the second time to close to be untrue.

Also with the birthday of Lamech, there is a difference between the birthday of Noah in accordance to The Generation Table of The Bible of 350 years (1,056 AM in the Bible), the difference continued to grow over the years.

The reason that the lifetime of Lamech was only 777 years can be explained when we read in The Book of Jasher, chapter 5:19, And Lamech the father of Noah, died in those days; yet verily he did not go with all his heart in the ways of his father. I'm sure that also Lamech fell or nearly fell with his fellow 'Watchers' and therefore died earlier.

Generation 10: Noah

In The Bible we can read: Gn:5:32: And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Gn:9:28: And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. Gn:9:29: And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

So Adam still lived at the time that Lamech, the father of Noah, was born.

In The Book of Jubilees we can read: Chapter 4. 33 And in the twenty-fifth (1176-1225 AM) jubilee Noah took to himself a wife, and her name was Emzara, the daughter of Rake'el, the daughter of his father's brother, in the first year in the fifth week and in the third year thereof (1206 AM) she bare him Shem, in the fifth year thereof (1209 AM) she bare him Ham, and in the first year in the sixth week (1212 AM) she bare him Japheth.

And also Noah married his niece (6th time), and not his sister. Is Noah's uncle 'Rake'el' the same as the fallen 'Watcher' 'Rameel' mentioned in the book of Enoch (ch.6)? The similarity between the names is for the third time to close to be untrue.

Note: I hope that under my readers are none left who doubt that 'The Watchers' in Enoch and Jubilees are the same as 'The Children of God' or 'The Children of Seth' in The Bible. The reader who still stays skeptic will be convinced in chapter 8 and 9 where we will discuss the 'Gods of Sumer' called Anunnaki.

Also with the birthday of Noah, there is a difference between the birthday of Shem in accordance to The Generation Table of The Bible of 350 years (1,556 AM in the Bible), but the difference stops at 350 years.

Note: There must be a mistake in the translation of Jubilees in the period between the births of Enoch until Noah from 100 to 350 years, either with the 350 years with generation 9 and 10, or the generation table of the Bible. One of them is wrong, which we'll never know. (Although I don/t think it's important for the story itself)

Other scrolls with information are lost forever, except for the tablets found in Mesopotamia, I will reveal this story in later chapters.

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Final Conclusions chapter 4:

* The Children of God' are the 'Earth Fathers' from Seth until Noah in the Bible. In the books of Enoch and Jubilees they are called The Watchers or the Angels of The Lord.

* The children of Men are the offspring of Cain.

^ There is a difference in the timetable between the Bible and Jubilees of 100 to 350 years.

* Adam, Jared Enoch and Methuselah predicted all the Great Flood, they knew that since Satana and the fall of the Watchers evil should be destroyed by the Gods.

* We found proof that at least three uncles of Methuselah, Lamech and Noah are named in Enoch and Jubilees as 'Fallen Watchers' (Asael, Baraqijal and Rameel).

*Enoch predicts the 'NEW CREATION' after the flood, called HOMO SAPIENS, our ancestors.

Note: in chapter 8 and 9 we will see that The Children of God and the Watchers were called Anunnaki and Igigi by the Sumerians

I've created a Creature table (this table will be used in my whole book) :

The CREATURE table

The GODS, ELOHIM (AN, ENLIL, ENKI and others)	'GODS'
Heavenly and Arch Angels, Seraphim, Nephilim.	'ANGELS'
The Fallen Angels: Satana, Adam and Eve, Watchers	'Naphilim'
The Children of the Devil and Watchers, Cain MAN	'GIANTS'
Adam, Eve (The Children of God), SETH - NOAH MAN, Watchers	'Nephilim'
The Demy GOD'S (Chapter 5, 6 and 7)	'Anakim'
DEMONS and MONSTERS, children of the evil Giants	'DEMONS'
HOMO SAPIENS (MEN) created shortly after the great flood	'MEN'