6.25-25b
Enūma eliš 6.25-25b · Kingu is brought before Ea
The gods have named the guilty one: Kingu, Tiamat’s general, who “made the war” and led her army.
· · ·
25𒅅𒈬𒋗𒈤𒊕𒀭𒂍𒀀𒌑𒊺𒁉𒆪𒋗
25b𒀭𒉆𒄿𒈨𒁺𒋗𒈠𒁕𒈨𒋗𒅁𒋻𒀪𒌋
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
ik-mu-šu1
ikmûšu
They bound himthey captured him
ú-[še-bi-ku-]šu2
ušebbikūšu
[and] brought himthey led him
maḫ-riš3
maḫriš
beforein front of
ⁱˡᵘÉ-a4
Ea
Ea
. i-me-du-šu-ma5
īmidūšuma
They laid on himthey imposed
an-nam6
annam
the penaltyguilt
ip-tar-ʾ-u7
iptarʾū
[and] cut openthey severed
da-me-šu8
dāmēšu
his blood
. They bound him [and] brought him before Ea. They laid on him the penalty [and] cut open his blood [vessels].
They bound him [and] brought him before Ea. They laid on him the penalty [and] cut open his blood [vessels].
6.26-26b
Enūma eliš 6.26-26b · From his blood, mankind
Ea does what Marduk planned.
· · ·
26𒀸𒁕𒈨𒋗𒅁𒈾𒀀𒈨𒇻𒌅
26b𒄿𒈾𒌋𒌆𒇷𒀭𒈨𒌍𒈠𒀭𒈨𒌍𒌝𒌨𒋓
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
From his blood he created mankind; [and] set free the gods from the toil of the gods.
Humans are not made from nothing, and not from clean clay. They are made from the blood of the rebel god who started the war. Kingu had led Tiamat’s army and held the Tablet of Destinies until Marduk took it from him.
Langdon’s brackets mark where the tablet is broken and he has restored the words; the signs drawn hollow above are his, not the scribe’s. Tap one to see.