Okay, so I've been really getting into this new chronological study bible I got (see
History), and I've decided when I get to a section about a name I don't know too much about, I'd look it up to learn more.
I started from the beginning (where else do you start in a Bible composed in chronological order?) and the first major name I've come across is that of Gilgamesh of ancient Babylon(c.2000 BC). I'd heard of him before (in a star trek episode, strangely enough), but don't really know the story behind him.
Before I go on, I need to introduce a man you might have heard of straight from the book of Genesis. Ever heard of Nimrod? He was the grandson of Ham, who was the son of Noah. He was also said to be a "mighty hunter before the Lord." Sounds great! I've always thought that would be a cool way for people to remember me: "Carrie, a mighty warrior for the Lord!" But turns out this was not such a great guy. His name actually translates as "The Rebel".
Anyway, so I was reading up on this treatise on Gilgamesh, and guess what? According to many extra-biblical documents about both Gilgamesh, it seems most experts on both Biblical studies and otherwise think that
Gilgamesh is Nimrod! How crazy is that?
Only 8 people descended from the ark after the flood. Their theory is that Nimrod was the first to lead the people away from God, similar to what Cain did when he left his family after killing Abel.
Here is an excerpt from the treatise I read that explains why they think Nimrod is Gilgamesh. If you can make it through the entire thing (it took me a while) I think you'll find it a pretty interesting concept!
Read more after the
"The Gilgamesh Epic describes the first “God is dead” movement. In the Epic, the hero is a vile, filthy, perverted person, yet he is presented as the greatest, strongest, hero that ever lived (Heidel 1963: 18). So that the one who sent the Flood will not trouble them anymore, Gilgamesh sets out to kill the perpetrator. He takes with him a friend who is a monstrous half-man, half-animal-Enkidu. Together they go on a long journey to the Cedar Mountain to find and destroy the monster who sent the Flood. Gilgamesh finds him and finally succeeds in cutting off the head of this creature whose name is “Huwawa” (“Humbaba” in the Assyrian version; see Heidel 1963: 34ff).
Is there a connection with the Gilgamesh epic and Genesis 10? Note what Gilgamesh says to Enkidu the half man, half beast, who accompanied him on his journey, found in Tablet III, lines 147-150.
- اقتباس :
- “If I fall,” Gilgamesh says, "I will establish a name for myself. Gilgamesh is fallen, they will say, in combat with terrible Huwawa."
But the next five lines are missing from all tablets found so far! Can we speculate on what they say? Let's try… We suggest that those five lines include,
- اقتباس :
- "But if I win, …they will say, Gilgamesh, the mighty vanquisher of Huwawa!"
Why do we say that? Because
Genesis 10:9 gives us the portion missing from the Gilgamesh tablets. Those lines include. "it is said, Nimrod (or Gilgamesh) the mighty vanquisher of YHWH." This has to be what is missing from all the clay tablets of the Gilgamesh story. The Gilgamesh Epic calls him Huwawa; the Bible calls Him YHWH.
Heidel, speaking of the incident as it is found on Tablet V says,
- اقتباس :
- All we can conclude from them [the lost lines] is that Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut off the head of Humbaba (or Huwawa) and that the expedition had a successful issue [ending] (1963: 47).
The missing lines from the Epic are right there in the Bible!
Because of the parallels between Gilgamesh and Nimrod, many scholars agree that Gilgamesh is Nimrod. Continuing with Gilgamesh's fable, he did win, he did vanquish Huwawa and took his head. Therefore, he could come back to Uruk and other cities and tell the people not to worry about YHWH anymore, he is dead. "I killed him over in the Lebanon mountains. So just live however you like, I will be your king and take care of you."
There are still other parallels between the Bible and the Gilgamesh epic:
- “YaHWeH” has a somewhat similar sound to “Huwawa.” Gilgamesh did just as the “sons of god” in Genesis 6 did.
- The “sons of god” forcibly took men's wives. The Epic says that is precisely what Gilgamesh did.
- The Bible calls Nimrod a tyrant, and Gilgamesh was a tyrant.
- There was a flood in the Bible; there is a flood in the Epic.
- Cush is mentioned in the Bible, Kish in the Epic.
- Erech is mentioned in Scripture; Uruk was Gilgamesh's city.
- Gilgamesh made a trip to see the survivor of the Flood. This was more likely Ham than Noah, since “Nimrod” was Ham's grandson!
Historically, Gilgamesh was of the first dynasty of UrukAs Jacobsen points out (1939: 157), kings before Gilgamesh may be fictional, but not likely. The fact that the Gilgamesh epic also contains the Deluge story would indicate a close link with events immediately following the Flood. S.N. Kramer says,
- اقتباس :
- A few years ago one would have strongly doubted his (historical) existence… we now have the certitude that the time of Gilgamesh corresponds to the earliest period of Mesopotamian history. (Kramer 1959: 117)"
Nimrod's kingdom
~The rest of the treatise can be found here:http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/nimrod.html
