6.7-8
Enūma eliš 6.7-8 · The gods divided in two
Marduk also reorganises the gods themselves.
· · ·
7𒇻𒊭𒀭𒉌𒈠𒀠𒅗𒅗𒋾𒀭𒈨𒌍𒇻𒅘𒆠𒅋
8𒅖𒋼𒎙𒇻𒁺𒁍𒌅𒈠𒀀𒈾𒅆𒈾𒇻𒌑𒍣𒍪
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
lu-ša-an-ni-ma1
lušannīma
I will changelet me alter
al-ka-ka-ti2
alkakāti
the waysthe doings
ilāni3
ilānī
of the gods
lu-nak-ki-[il]4
lunakkil
I will rework [them] with artlet me make artful
: lu5
lū
let them be
kub-bu-tu-ma6
kubbutūma
honouredmade weighty
iš-te-niš7
ištēniš
aliketogether
, lu-ú-zi-zu8
lūzīzū
dividedlet them be split
a-na9
ana
into
ši-na10
šinā
two [groups]
. I will change the ways of the gods [and] rework [them] with art: let them be honoured alike, [but] divided into two [groups].
I will change the ways of the gods [and] rework [them] with art: let them be honoured alike, [but] divided into two [groups].
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
They bound him [and] brought him before Ea. They laid on him the penalty [and] cut open his blood [vessels].
With humans doing the work, the gods get a new order. Later in this tablet the two groups are placed above and below: some gods in heaven, some in the underworld.
The verb for reworking them, nakālu, is from the same root as the “clever plans” Marduk devised over Tiamat’s body in Tablet IV. The word for honour, kubbutu, is the root of Hebrew kābôd, “glory”: in both languages, honour is weight.