4.139-140
Enūma eliš 4.139-140 · Guards on the waters above
The sky is a barrier with water behind it, and it needs a bolt and guards.
· · ·
139𒅖𒁺𒌓𒌓𒆪𒈠𒊍𒍝𒊒𒌋𒊭𒊍𒁉𒀉
140𒈨𒂊𒊭𒆷𒋗𒍝𒀀𒋗𒉡𒋾𒌝𒋫𒀪𒅕
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
iš-du-ud1
išdud
He drewhe pulled
par-ku2
parku
the boltthe bar
, u-ša-aṣ-bi-it.3
ušaṣbit
he postedhe made seize
ma-aṣ-ṣa-ru4
maṣṣarū
guardswatchmen
, um-ta-ʾi-ir5
umtaʾʾir
[and] orderedhe commanded
šu-nu-ti6
šunūti
them
la7
lā
not
šu-ṣa-a8
šūṣâ
to let outto send out
me-e-ša9
mêša
her watersher water
. He drew the bolt, he posted guards, [and] ordered them not to let out her waters.
He drew the bolt, he posted guards, [and] ordered them not to let out her waters.
6.3-4
Enūma eliš 6.3-4 · Blood and bone
Marduk has made the sky, the stars and the earth. Now he tells his father Ea his plan.
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3𒁕𒈪𒇻𒊌𒀫𒈠𒄑𒍢𒅎𒌈𒇻𒉺𒅁𒅆𒈠
4𒇻𒍑𒁁𒈠lilâ𒇻𒀀𒈨𒇻𒋳𒋗
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
Blood I will knit together [and] bone I will bring into being. I will set up a first man; “Man” shall be his name.
The sky in this picture of the world is a lid on water. Marduk bars it and sets a watch so the sea above cannot pour down.
Genesis has the same sky with the same water behind it, and the same way out for that water. At the flood, Genesis 7:11 (KJV): “the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.” The great deep is təhôm, the Hebrew word that shares its root with Tiamat.