1.7-8
Enūma eliš 1.7-8 · Before the gods had names
The gods themselves do not exist yet: unseen, unnamed, with no destinies.
· · ·
7𒂊𒉡𒈠𒀭𒈨𒌍𒆷𒋗𒁍𒌋𒈠𒈾𒈠
8𒋗𒈠𒆷𒆹𒆪𒊒𒅆𒈠𒌅𒆷𒅆𒈬
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
e-nu-ma1
enūma
When
la2
lā
not
ma-na-ma3
manāma
oneanyone
ilāni4
ilānū
the gods
šu-pu-u5
šūpû
had appearedmade visible
, la6
lā
not
zuk-ku-ru7
zukkurū
been callednamed
šu-ma8
šuma
by namea name
, la9
lā
nonot
ši-ma-tu10
šīmātu
destiniesfates
ši-mu11
šīmū
had been decreedfixed
, When not one of the gods had appeared, [none] had been called by name, no destinies had been decreed,
When not one of the gods had appeared, [none] had been called by name, no destinies had been decreed,
1.9-10
Enūma eliš 1.9-10 · The first gods are born
Inside the mingled waters, the first gods come into being.
· · ·
9𒅁𒁀𒉡𒌋𒈠𒀭𒈨𒌍𒆠𒆗𒋗𒌦
10𒀭𒌓𒈬𒀭𒆷𒄩𒈬𒍑𒋫𒁍𒌋𒋗𒈪𒄑𒍠𒊒
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
then were created the gods within them. Lahmu [and] Lahamu were brought forth, were called by name.
The poem goes a step further than Genesis here. In Genesis God is there before everything. In Babylon the gods come later than the waters: at this point not one has appeared, been named, or received a destiny.
A destiny, šīmtu, is a thing’s role in the world, its nature and its task. Deciding destinies is the highest power in the poem, and the whole story leads to the moment the gods hand that power to Marduk.