Babylonia and Ancient Near Eastern Texts – Britannica Keyed

Source: George Barton, Archaeology and the Bible, 7th Edition, p. 303-305

Kenneth Sublett

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Marduk and the goddess Aruru (Ninhursag) with him created mankind, Cattle of the field, in whom is breath of life, he created. He formed the Tigris and Euphrates and set them in their places, Their names he did well declare.

     No reed had spring up, no tree had been created.

     No brick had been made, no foundation had been built,

1. No house had been constructed, no city had been built;

     No city had been built, thrones had not been established:

1.  (Enlil’s E-kur residence in Nippur)

2. Nippur had not been constructed, Ekur (Enlil‘s temple) had not been built;

3. Erech had not been constructed, Eanna (Anu‘s temple) had not been built;

4. The deep had not been formed, Eridu (Enki‘s city) had not been built;

5. The holy house, the house of the gods, the dwelling had not been made,–

6. All lands were sea,–

7. Then in the midst of the sea was a water-course;

8. In those days Eridu was constructed, Esagila was built,

9. Esagila where, in the midst of the deep, the god Lugal-dul-azaga abode,

10. (Babylon (Marduk‘s city) was made, Esagila (Marduk‘s temple) was completed.

11. The gods and the Anunaki he made at one time.

12. (The holy city, the dwelling of their hearts’ desire, they named as first),

13.   (MARDUK LOOKING 4 WAYS)

14. Marduk (Enki’s son) bound a structure of reeds upon the face of the waters,

15. He formed dust, he poured it out beside the reed-structure.

16. To cause the gods to dwell in the habitation of their heart’s desire

17. He formed mankind.

18. the goddess Aruru (Ninhursag) with him created mankind,

19. Cattle of the field, in whom is breath of life, he created.

20. He formed the Tigris and Euphrates and set them in their places,

21. Their names he did well declare.

22. The grass, marsh-grass, the reed and brushwood (?) he created,

23. The green grass of the field he created,

24. The land, the marshes, and the swamps;

25. The wild cow and her young, the wild calf; the ewe and her young, the lamb of the fold;

26. Gardens and forests;

27. The wild goat, the mountain goat, (who) care for himself (?).

28. 

29. The lord Marduk filled a terrace by the seaside,

30. …….a marsh, reeds he set,

31. ………..he caused to exist.

32. [Reeds he creat]ed; trees he created;

33. In their…..in their place he made;

34. [Bricks he laid, a founda]tion he constructed;

35. [Houses he made], a city he built;

36. [A city he built, a throne] he established;

37. [Nippur he constructed], Ekur he built;

38. [Erech he constructed], Eanna he built.

    Line 21 states that Marduk and the goddess Aruru created. In another, it was just Aruru:

39. 
40. The godess Aruru, when she heard this,

         A man like Anu she formed in her heart.

1. Aruru washed her hands;
2. Clay she pinched off and spat upon it;
3. Eabani, a hero (mixed-breed) she created,
4.              
5. An exalted offspring, with the might of Ninib (Ninurta).