Primeval History: Babylonian, Biblical, and Enochic. An Intertextual Reading

627 Pages·2011·1.879 MB·English

by  Helge S. Kvanvig

Primeval History:
Babylonian, Biblical, and Enochic
Supplements
to the
Journal for the Study
of Judaism
Editors
Benjamin G. Wright, III
Department of Religion Studies, Lehigh University
Associate Editors
Florentino García Martínez
Qumran Institute, University of Groningen
Hindy Najman
Department and Centre for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto
Advisory Board
g. bohak – j.j. collins – j. duhaime – p.w. van der horst –
a.k. petersen – m. popoviĆ – j.t.a.g.m. van ruiten –
j. sievers – g. stemberger – e.j.c. tigchelaar –
j. magliano-tromp
VOLUME 149
Primeval History:
Babylonian, Biblical, and Enochic
An Intertextual Reading
By
Helge S. Kvanvig
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2011
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kvanvig, Helge S., 1948–
Primeval history : Babylonian, biblical, and Enochic : an intertextual reading / by
Helge S. Kvanvig.
p. cm. — (Supplements to the Journal for the study of Judaism ; v. 149)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-16380-5 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Atrahasis (Old Babylonian
epic) 2. Assyro-Babylonian literature—History and criticism. 3. Bible. O.T. Genesis—
History of Biblical events. 4. Ethiopic book of Enoch VI–XXXVI—Cricitism,
interpretation, etc. 5. Creation—Comparative studies. I. Title.
PJ3611.K83 2011
208’.2—dc22
2010053917
ISSN 1384-2161
ISBN 978 90 04 16380 5
Copyright 2011 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated,
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Fees are subject to change.
I have learned the art of the sage, Adapa, I am familiar with the secret
storehouse of all scribal learning, celestial and terrestrial portents.
I can debate in an assembly of scholars and discuss with the clever
oil diviners (the treatise) “if the liver is a replica of the sky.” I used
to figure out complicated divisions and multiplications that have no
solutions. Time and again I have read the cleverly written composi-
tions in which the Sumerian is obscure and the Akkadian is difficult
to interpret correctly. I have studied inscriptions on stone from before
the Flood which are sealed, obscure and confused.
Assurbanipal (668–627 BCE)

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments .............................................................................. xi
Abbreviations ..................................................................................... xiii
Introduction ........................................................................................ 1
Primeval History ............................................................................ 1
Babylonian, Biblical, and Enochic .............................................. 3
PART ONE
MESOPOTAMIAN PRIMEVAL TRADITIONS
1. The Epic of Atrahasis ................................................................... 13
1.1 The Manuscripts of Atrahasis ........................................... 13
1.2 Outline of the Story ............................................................ 19
1.2.1 The Igigu Myth ....................................................... 19
1.2.2 The Flood Myth ...................................................... 21
1.3 The Overall Structure of the Epic .................................... 25
1.3.1 Creation and Annihilation ................................... 25
1.3.2 First and Second World Order for Humans ..... 29
1.3.3 The Confusion of the Human and the Divine ... 39
1.4 The Characters ..................................................................... 60
1.4.1 The Gods .................................................................. 60
1.4.2 Atrahasis .................................................................. 65
1.5 The Noise: Conceptualizing the Story ............................. 72
1.5.1 “Noise and Din” in the Scholarly Discussion ... 72
1.5.2 Rigmu as a Key Word ............................................ 75
2. Primeval Lists and Stories ........................................................... 83
2.1 The Variety of Traditions .................................................. 83
2.2 The Eridu Genesis ............................................................... 84
2.3 Antediluvian Kings and Cities .......................................... 90
2.4 Extraordinary Antediluvian Kings ................................... 99
3. The Traditions of the Apkallus .................................................. 107
3.1 The Lists of the Seven Apkallus ........................................ 107
3.2 Bīt Mēseri and the Adapa Myth ....................................... 117
3.3 The Apkallus as Protective Spirits .................................... 129
viii contents
3.4 The Apkallus as Guardians of the Cosmic Order
and of the King ................................................................... 136
3.5 The Apkallus and the Transmission of Antediluvian
Revelation ............................................................................. 146
4. The Poem of Erra and the Disruption of Cosmic Stability .... 159
5. Concluding Remarks ................................................................... 177
PART TWO
PRIMEVAL HISTORY IN GENESIS
1. The Sources of the Primeval History ........................................ 185
2. The Overall Composition of Genesis ........................................ 189
3. The Theology of the Priestly Source .......................................... 191
4. The Beginning and End of the Primeval History ................... 197
5. Priestly and Non-Priestly Material in the Primeval
History ............................................................................................ 201
6. The Biblical Flood Story and Mesopotamian Parallels .......... 209
7. The Structure of the Priestly Source and Mesopotamian
Primeval Traditions ...................................................................... 235
7.1 Mesopotamian and Biblical Primeval Histories ............ 235
7.2 The Protagonists: Enoch and Noah ................................. 243
7.3 The Priestly Document as a Counter Story .................... 258
8. The Reason for the Flood and the non-P Material ................ 265
8.1 The Earliest Strata of non-P .............................................. 265
8.2 Genesis 6:1–4 and the Fate of the Antediluvians .......... 274
9. Concluding Remarks ................................................................... 311
PART THREE
THE PRIMEVAL HISTORY IN THE BOOK OF WATCHERS
1. The Book of Watchers ................................................................. 319
1.1 The Literary Sources ........................................................... 319
1.2 The Parts and Content of the Book of Watchers .......... 323
1.3 Diffusion ............................................................................... 325
1.3.1 Enochic Writings and the Aramaic Testament
of Levi ....................................................................... 325
contents ix
1.3.2 The Wisdom of Ben Sira and
Pseudo-Eupolemus ................................................. 330
1.3.3 Evidence from Qumran and Daniel 7 ................ 341
2. The Watcher Story ....................................................................... 347
2.1 Growth and Date ................................................................ 347
2.2 Genesis and the Watcher Story ........................................ 361
2.2.1 Comparison between Genesis 1–9 and the
Watcher Story ......................................................... 361
2.2.2 The Watcher Story and the Priestly Source ....... 368
2.2.3 The Watcher Story and Genesis 6:1–4 ................ 373
2.3 The Literary Structure of the Watcher Story ................. 395
2.4 The Flood in the Watcher Story ....................................... 405
2.4.1 The Flood Structure in the Watcher Story and
in the Priestly Source ............................................. 405
2.4.2 The Human-Divine Mixture and the Giants ..... 413
2.5 The Rebellion in the Watcher Story ................................ 426
2.5.1 The Watcher Story and the Poem of Erra ......... 426
2.5.2 The Watchers in Daniel 4 ..................................... 428
2.5.3 The Watchers in the Watcher Story ................... 443
2.5.4 The Watchers and Teaching ................................. 453
2.5.5 Forbidden Marriage ............................................... 469
2.6 Enoch in the Watcher Story ............................................. 498
2.6.1 Enoch as Protagonist ............................................. 498
2.6.2 The Demons ............................................................ 504
2.6.3 Enoch as Intercessor and Primary Sage ............. 508
3. Concluding Remarks ................................................................... 517
Appendix: The Primeval History in Genesis and in the
Watcher Story ................................................................................ 531
Bibliography ........................................................................................ 575
Indices .................................................................................................. 593