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Babylonian and Hebrew Theophoric Names

The document discusses similarities between Babylonian and Hebrew theophoric names, which are personal names containing the name of a deity. It provides examples of names from both cultures referring to gods as shepherds who protect their people. Additional examples show names invoking gods for their strength, as fortresses, rocks, or sources of shade and shelter. The document suggests these similarities indicate shared religious concepts between the Hebrews and their Babylonian ancestors.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
345 views10 pages

Babylonian and Hebrew Theophoric Names

The document discusses similarities between Babylonian and Hebrew theophoric names, which are personal names containing the name of a deity. It provides examples of names from both cultures referring to gods as shepherds who protect their people. Additional examples show names invoking gods for their strength, as fortresses, rocks, or sources of shade and shelter. The document suggests these similarities indicate shared religious concepts between the Hebrews and their Babylonian ancestors.

Uploaded by

Amon Sakifi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES.

85
a year and a half before he could earn sufficient to pay for such
a necessary article as an ox-goad, or an axe. It is evident, therefore,
that the writer of Samuel wishes to impress upon us the extreme
oppression of the Israelites by the Philistines, and the extraordinary
pains that were taken to prevent metal tools or implements finding
their way among the Hebrew population.
It may therefore be claimed that the discoveries of archaeology
enable us to understand clearly a passage which has been a difficulty
to translators for centuries; and the generations of scribes who have
handed down the text are absolved from any charge of carelessness
or officious meddling; except that in vers(l 20 i.n'IV,n~ has usurped
the place of ij:J.-,,, and in verse 21 a false connection was made
by the insertion of !, and i, so that we ought to read 1VS1Vi
instead of 1VS1VSi, and o,~,,;,i1S instead of o,~i,;,i1Si.
"And all Israel went down to the Philistines to forge every man
his ploughshare and his 'etb:_, and his axe and his goad; and the
inducement was a payam for the ploughshares and for the 'etihim,
and three k_ille?_b/in for the axes, and to put a point on the goad; so
that in the day of battle no sword or spear was found in the hand
of the people."

BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORIO NAMES.

By JOSEPH OFFORD.

THE narrative in Genesis relating the origin of the Hebrew nation


clearly assigns as the ancestral home of Terah and Abraham, the
place called Ur. This must have been either .Mugheir, or the Akka-
dian North-Babylonian district of Uri. That is to say, in either case
Abraham was a Babylonian, and the whole evidence derivable from
the language of his descendants, the Hebrew, proves him to have
been a member of the Semitic inhabitants of .Mesopotamia, and not
a Sumerian, or of another branch of the human race to be found
scattered there, that is termed the Anzanite or Elamite stock.
If the statement as to Abraham's Babylonian origin is correct, it
is to be anticipated that numerous evidences of similarity of thought,
ideas, and the expression of these, should be apparent in the Old
Testament Books, between the Jews and their ancestors and the
descendants of these latter, living contemporaneously with the
G 2
86 BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES.

Hebrews in Palestine. These proofs it is well known have in many


instances been found and indicated. The identical concepts pro-
ducing them manifest themselves deep down in those most primitive
of all specimens of the particularities of a human race's psychology-
the titles used for the personal names of a people and of their gods.
Especially interesting are those illustrating the religious thoughts
and cults, and it is to instances of such kind that the forthcoming
remarks are devoted.
There will be minor differences noticeable in the expression of
originally similar concepts, but these, in most cases, will be explained
when a major premise in the investigation is allowed for. That is,
that the same ideas are clothed in a polytheistic form in the old
home of the Chaldees, and so have been somewhat modified to adapt
them to the monotheistic theology of the "chosen people," as
exemplified in the Old Testament.
In passing, it should be observed that no parallel series of
instances of the identity cf primitive Hebrew concepts and those of
the Egyptians can be adduced. Whilst the so-called "Egypticity"
of some parts of the Pentateuch is quite remarkable-the accuracy
of the words employed, the phrases used, and the instances cited,
indicating a complete familiarity with Ancient Egypt of the era to
which the Biblical story relates, as to its manners, customs, and
worships-yet the more accurate the reference is to Egyptian matters,
the more do the differences appear, in the majority of instances,
between them and Jewish affairs. The two nascent civilizations
are here illuminated, but by contrasts.
On the other hand, as our perfection in reading the cuneiform
inscriptions progresses, and the material available for comparison
augments, the closer appear the numerous affinities between the
Hebrews and the population of Mesopotamia.
In comparing the Assyrio-Babylonian theophoric names with
corresponding ones in Hebrew, it will Le found that they almost
always allude to some special attribute of the deity arising from His
attitude towards mankind. 1 It may be said that, given the postu-
late of a god by humanity, this would naturally, if the names of
gods were used as part of personal titles, arise everywhere. But
the instances to be adduced, it will soon be apparent, amount to
more than this : the nuances of thought demonstrated amongst the

1 The era is too early for such expressions as omnipotent or omnipresent.


BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THROPHORIC NA:MES. 87
"make-up," if it may he so called, of the names the people-or the
priests for them-selected, are identical; and are so in a degree
that cannot be equalled by comparison with the onomasticon of any
other ancient race, excepting of course their common relatives such
as the Arameans and Arabs.
It is very important, too, to note that the same similarities can
sometimes be traced to the Sumerian, or non-Semitic Babylonians,
and to the semi-Semitic inhabitants of Susa and Elam.
The instances selected are only a few out of many hundreds, and
are not chosen because they happen to be those most adapted for
the purpose, but merely because they are surmised to be sufficient
for it, and it is hoped may lead the way to scholars increasing them
by the addition of still more appropriate specimens.
An interesting instance of similarity is that of the idea of God
as "Shepherd of His flock," found among many names in cuneiform
annals, such as Assur-re-sunu, "Assur is their Shepherd"; Shamash-
re'ua, "Shamash is my Shepherd"; and in the very first Babylonian
dynasty at present known to us we find kings called Shamash-re-u
and Su-re'u.1
In the Babylonian Expedition of Pennsylvania University, p. 28,
Prof. Hilprecht, translating a text calling Bur Sin "the powerful
Shepherd of Ur," gives instances of numerous names in ingar, nagid,
and Utnl, all also meaning Shepherd as a title of a divinity.
The belief in God as a protector, naturally, where the deity is
considered as beneficent towards pure and worthy devotees, is
prominent in these joint names, but so also are the variations upon
the theme, such as the use of the picturesque symbols of a fortress
or stronghold, a. shelter, a shadow or shade, a rock, a hill or a
mountain.
Shemariah, 2 "The Lord is my Guardian," or Protector, and
Azariah, "Whom Jehovah helps," the meanings of which are so
well illustrated by Psalm xxxiii, 20, "He is my help and shield,"
are strikingly supplemented by such names as the old Sumerian
Utu-ur-ra, "Ur is a Protector," or Bel-shum3-uzur, "Bel protect the
1
See Isaiah xl, 11, "Shall feed his flock like a Shepherd"; Psalms xxiii, I;
Ez. xxxiv, 11 ·14; Jer. xxxi, 10.
2 Shemariah (1 Cliron. xii, 5) ="Kept of Yah "; Azariah (1 Chron. ii, 8) =

"Whom Yah helps"; Uzziah (2 Chron. xxvi, 1) ="Strength of Yah."


3 Prof. Jastrow considers this Shum (from Shurnu) to be the Sh'mu of

Samu-el. Slrnmu being the Assyrian equivalent of the Hebrew shem and equal
to ablu (Abel) and maru.
88 BABYLONIAN A~D HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES.

offspring," or Shamash-abal-uzur, "0 Shamash, protect the son."


Perhaps, however, Ismachiah, "God sustains," Azaziah, 1 "God is
(my) Strength," are more closely allied to Ilu-nasir, "God is my
Protector," or Assur-garnelia, "Assur is my Supporter," as Eliada 2
was" whom God cares for." The virtue of a protector lies in his might
or strength, so the Babylonian who was called Iau-um-ilu is the
lao-el (Joel), "Jehovah is Mighty," 3 as Nirig-ellat-za is "Nirig is
his Defender." So Nergal-tukla-tua and Nabu-tukla-tua trusted in
the strength of Nergal and Nebo, as Tuculti-abal-Esharra, 4 "My
help is the son of Ishara," and Ilama-tukak, "I trust in God," and
Assur-udannin-aplu, meaning "Assur fortifies the son," relied upon
their gods. The notion of God being his servant's strength like a
fortress or keep, as expressed in Psalm xviii, 5 was quite a favourite
one in Babylonian names, like Urkittu-duri, or Urkuti-duri, "U rkittu
is my Fortress" and "Ur is my Fortress," and Belemenuri, "Bel is
my Fortress." This is also shown by the shorter form of the title
Belduri.
The primitive strongholds were the rocks, so we have such
Hebrew deity titles as Zuriel, "God is my Rock"; Elizur, "God is
a Rock." 6 A Babylonian expressed this idea by naming his offspring
Suri-addana, "My Rock be propitious." That the rock was his god
is proved by the proto-Arabic deity Suriel, and by the god Sur of
the Aramaic inscription of the semi-Assyrian princes at Shamal, or
Zenjirli.
The Rock deity provides a grateful shade for his worshipper
to hide for concealment or shelter, so Bezaleel 7 rested in "God's
Shadow," and Zephaniah was "The Lord hideth." 8 So Ina-silli-Bel
meant "In Eel's Shadow." There he hoped to be hidden and shel-
tered from his foe, as did Elizaphan 9 and Eliada. God could shelter
l 2 Chron. xxxi, 13.
2 2 S&m. v, 16.
3 See Isaiah ix, 6, "The Mighty God," and lx, 16, "The Mighty One of

Jacob."
' This is, practically, as spelt in 2 Kings xvi, 7, and in the Aramaic inscrip-
tion found at Zenjirli. A.V., Tiglath Pileser.
• Jer. xvi, 19, "0 Lord, my fortress and stronghold."
6 Numb. iii, 35, Zuriel; ii, 10, Elizur, "God is my Rock"; see such phrases

as "Rock like our God," 1 Sam. ii, 2 ; " The Rock that begat them," Deut.
xxxii, 18. Also N 11mb. i, 6, Zurishaddai.
7 Exod. xxxi, 2.
8 Isaiah xxxii, 2, "Shadow of a great Rock."
9 Elizaphan, "God hides," Numb. iii, 30.
BABYLONIAN .AND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES. 89

one, like a bird does its tender young in a nest, hence such a name
as Itti-Bel-ginni, ""\Vith Bel is my Nest." This may, however,
mean the family is under Bel's protection. Compare also Silli-
Shamash, "Shelter of Shamash," Proc. Soc. Bibi. Art:h., 1907, p. 179.
The emotions expressed by such Hebrew names as Hoshania, 1
"The Lord heareth," Ishmael, "God hears," Jaazaniah, 2 "God
listeneth," are duplicates of a name in a Sippara tablet, 3 Isma-ilum,
"God hears," or Sin-sheme, "0 Sin, hear," whilst the expression of
Lamentations, 4 "The Lord will regard them no more," is the reverse
of that of a man's name, Bel-emuranni, "Bel has regarded me."
Although precisely similar names are not in the Biblical Hebrew,
such titles, in cuneiform, as Adad-remani, "Adad, pity me," and the
Sumerian one of Ningirsu-Nisag, "Ningirsu is gracious," are quite
reminiscent of Hebrew thought, as are Jewish ideas of the care and
mercy of God to be found in names like Atanah-ila, "I sigh after
God," Ilanu-taklak, "I trust in God," and Lihdi-ili, "May he rejoice
in God," also Adad-Milki, "Adad is my Councillor," also Ili-maliki,
"My God is my Councillor," as voiced by Isaiah (ix, 6), "His name
shall be called Councillor."
The symbolism of a rock is closely allied with that of a hill or
mountain, and both peoples delighted in terming the deity a
mountain.
The El-Shaddai of Palestine may be equated with Il-Shadde
of Babylonia. Bel Shaddua, orB el Shedia, meaning "Bel is my
Mountain," 5 is thus used as a name. Shadu in Assyrian might
mean "mount " (or lord). Bel was Shadi-rabu, " The Mighty
Mountain," like "God the Mount of my help."
Shad also, in Hebrew, meant " breast," and Gen. xlix, 25, 6
appears to play upon this fact of the word's double significance.

1 .A.zaniah, "J ah heareth" ; N eh. x, 9, 1 Chron. iii, 18. .A.ssurbanipal says

in an inscription, uznu rapa#um iAruguAu, "An open (wide) ear Nabu and Tasmit
huve given to me" ; see Revue Biblique, 1905, p. 53.
~ 2 Kings xxv, 23.
3 Recueil de Travaux, Vol. XXII, p. 35.

4
Lam. iv, 16, see Mai. i, 9, "The Lord will regard your persons."
0 Delaporte, Revue de l' H,:stoire des Religions, 1906, p. 47, etc. Enlil had
for title Kur-gala, "Great Mountain," Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1911, p. 81.
6 "The God of thy father . . . the .Almighty . . . shall bless thee ... with

blessings of the breast." El-Shaddai may suggest the translation, "The God of
the breasts."
90 BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORlC NAMES.

The conception of a hill, mamelon, resembling the breast is,


however, world-wide, causing two hills in Scotland to be called by
peasants the "Paps of Jura."
In connection with Shadu either meaning mountain or lord, in
the Memoires de
Delegation en Perse, III, 18, Pere Schei! gives a
fragment of a vocabulary which he renders thus:-
" Sadi, 'my mountain' (or my prince).
Sad-du-ni, 'our mountain' (or our prince).
Sad-du-su, 'his mountain' (or his prince)."

It is a list of divine or supreme beings, and shows how the


duplicate significance was apparent and intended.
Some Hebrew names extol the Divine by intimating, in the form
of an interrogation, that He is incomprehensible. Thus we have
Michaiah, 1 " Who is like Jehovah 1 " and Michael, " Who is like
God 1" 2 Many Babylonian names are constructed in a similar way,
such as Aba-Ningirsukim, "Who is like Ningirsu 7" Mannu-ki-Adad,
or Mannu ki-Isht,ar, "Who is like Adad 1" or Ishtar. So also Elihu,
if translated " Whose God is he 1 " (or Whose God is here 7) is
answered in a Sumerian's title, Uttu-me-ne, "Utu is he"; and the
Sumerian Utu-ba-ra, "Utu is Lord," is equivalent to Elijah.
The conception of God as the light to guide or to illumine our
path, is very familiar in Babylonian. Thus a name found in Ilu-nuri,
"God is my Light": Bel-nuri and Shamash-nuri are similar to the
expression in Psalm xxii, 1, "The Lord is my Light": whilst the
sentence, "Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment," 3 is
almost duplicated in a tablet text in praise of Merodach as being
illani-illabis-nnri, "The god is clothed with Iight." 4 In the same
manner the Hebrew N eriah, "God is a Lamp," is allied to Assyrian
Nur-ilu, or Nu-ur-riya, 5 and Nur-ilishu, "His God is light,"
Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1914, p. 216. The light divine must be
perceived by the worshipper, so they used such names as Bel-Lamar,
"That I may see Bel," like Job's desire, "Yet in my flesh shall I see
God." 6

1 Kings xxii, 8; 2 Ohron. xvii, 7.


1
2 3 Psalm civ, 2.
Dan. x, 13.
4 Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1906, p. 199. The plural is used for a single deity
here like Elohim.
6
• Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1892, p. 14. Job xix, 26.
BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES. 91
The fatherhood of God as expressed in the Biblical Abiel, 1 is
rendered more emphatically in the Assyrian name Ilu-abi, "God is
my Father." The conception is that of the deity being His child's
Creator, for we have numerous patronymics such as Assur-bani, and
Bel-bani, "Assur (or Bel) is my Creator." If God was creator-
parent of mankind He, Himself, was the uncreated being as shown
by such a name, in Sumerian, as Ba-u-da-me-a, "For Ba there is no
father"; we may compare the phrase in Craig's Religious Texts, i, 83,
"'here Assur is said to be "he who creates himself." God's
fatherhood involved His affection for His children. Thus the
Hebrew Elidad, "God is a friend," is surpassed by Eldad, 2
"Whom God loves," or Jedidiah, "Beloved of Jehovah." But an
ancient Elamite Semitic king called Idadu-Susinak, "Beloved of
Susinak," and a Babylonian Utu-ki-ram-me, "Utu is He who loves
me," breathes a high confidence.
The parental affection of God rendered man His own special
protegi. Thus Ammiel is "Man of God," so in Sumerian a Gal-Bau
was "Bau's man," and Awil ilu !sum, "Man of the god Ishi "; and
the word Amid forming part of names signified the same conception
in other cuneiform appellations. It meant a willing servant of
the deity. So, many a pagan Pict was christened as Gillie Christ
(Gilchrist).
Precisely so, in numerous Sumerian and Babylonian homes, a
favourite form of indicating devotion to God was to name.a child
the deity's devotee or serf. In Sumerian, Ur, forming part of a
name such as in Ur-Bau, signified "Bau's devotee." Similarly, Arad
meant the same in Assyrian in such names as Arad-Bel or Arad-
Banitu. Abdili, a Babylonian name, is practically identical, and
also parallel, with Hebrew Abdiel. But the Biblical Mikneiah, 3
"God's chattel," surpasses the cuneiform titles in fervour. 4 The
Sumerian name Ninmar kimah-kal-la, "N. exalts the humble man,"
is closely allied to Ezek. xxi, 26.

1 1 Sam. ix, 1, and Eliab, Numb. i, 9.


2 Numb. xxxiv, 21; compare Babylonian llu-tappi, "God is my Companion."
3 1 Ohron. xv, 18. See also a Phoenician seal reading 1~0~pr.,, Enc. Bib.,
3284.
4 The name Ahijah, "God is a brother," of 1 Kings xi, 9, is identical with

.A.~i-jawi of a tablet found at Taanak, but the bearer may have been an .A.ramean.
Prof. Hilprecht gives a cuneiform name in the time of Artaxerxes, .A.hi-ia-a-ma.
Gabriel, "God's Hero," is equivalent to Gubriya in Assyrian.
92 BABYLONIAN AND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES.

Some Mesopotamian names have such a monotheistic trait, and


contain deity titles so similar to Jehovah (Yahveh), that explana,-
tions of them might lead to debatable matters. Various coincidences
that must not be omitted are those between Hammurabi's calling
Sin Sin-be-el-sa-me-e, and the Biblical Yahveh Shamaim of Gen·
xxiv, 7.1
Also the same king's deity Ilu-siru, who is certainly to be equated
with El-Elyon. The "I am" of Exodus seems the counterpart
of such names as Ibassi-ilu, "God is"; or Ki-ni-ib-ba-si, ' The true
One exists," quoted by Hommel and Ranke. Iawi-ilu also occurs,
but may be the title of an Arab residing in Babylonia. Possibly
Ibassi-ilu was of Canaanite extraction. 2 Another such name as
Ia'we-ilu is Yaum-ilu, which, as Dr. Pinches points out, has not quite
the same meaning. He considers it to mean, "Jab is God," not
"Jehovah is God." It occurs during the Hammurabi period. 8
I am unaware of any cuneiform cognomens indicating contempla-
tion of the purificatory powers of the deity, perhaps because so
much of the needed cleansing was performed by the temple priest-
hood, but in a text setting forth the rite for driving out demons
the regeneration is ascribed directly to Ishtar in these words, sa
Istar-ana-isate l1tses1i, "Whom Ishtar rescues through the fire." 4
Among interesting resemblances are such names as Abishua, 6
"Father of Welfare," and the name of the eighth monarch of
Babylon's first dynasty, Abi-e-shukh. Note also the similarity
between the Babylonian personages Ebi-shum and Abeshua. The
virtual identity in signification between the Biblical Malkiah 6 and
Abimelech and the Assyrian Abi-sarru is quite clear; as also
between Habazaniah and Humbuztu.

1 One of the new Genizah fragments of the Hebrew text of Ecclesiasticus,

s~'
that for chapter xlvii, 5, reads 111Sl1 rendered in our version "Most High
God." A personal name on a Hittite cuneiform tablet is Setsani-sar-tsabim,
"Setsani, Lord of Hosts," Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1907, p. 96.
2
Pere Scheil, among names found in records from Susa, gives .A.bi-ilum,
almost certainly a Canaanite.
3 The Old Testament in the Light of the Records of Babylonia and Assyria,

1st ed., p. 199. M. Thureau-Dangin and Prof. Sayce give several instances of
the name Isarlim, which is equivalent to Israel.
4
Jastrow, "Babylonian Parallels to Job," American Journal of Biblical
Literature, 1906, 179.
~ 1 Chron. viii, 4.
6 Jer. xxxviii, 6. OJ. Babylonian Abi-ili.
BABYLONIAN .A.ND HEBREW THEOPHORIC NAMES. 93

If Shamserae of 1 Chron. viii, 26, should be read Shemserai,


then the Babylonian name of Shumuabi, meaning "Shem is my
father," is very similar.
The Ahuzzath of Gen. xxvi, 26, seems akin to the name Ahu-ilum
of a text from Sippara. 1
The identity of conception between the Biblical Ammiel, "A
kinsman is God," and tlie Babylonian Ammizaduga has long since
been noticed. See the Babylonian name Sin-shada, and the Ammi-
Shadai of Numb. i, 12.
Jehoash, 2 "Jab gave," and Nebo ushanni, "Nebo gave me," like
Nethaniah, "The Lord has given," and Natanu-ya-awa, need no
comment, but Jehoshebah, "The Lord is an oath," or covenant, is
closely illustrated by a common Mesopotamian phrase, when taking
an oath before a divinity, to sanctify the ratification of a deed or
covenant: in Assyrian, nis-ili zakdru. The last word reminds us of
the name Zechariah, "The Lord remembers." The Hebrew concept
of God's righteousness is voiced in such a Babylonian name as
Shamash-shar kitim, " Shamash is king of righteousness."
Some premonition of the Logos of John's Gospel appears in a
name Ilu-bi-Shamash, "The Word of Shamash is God," and in
Ilu-bi-sha. 8 The divination and personification of the ·word of God,
however, was carried very much further in cosmogonic concepts
than these names imply. Dr. Stephen Langdon, in his Sumerian
and Babylonian Psalms (p. xix) enlarges upon this ·matter and, in an
essay upon a seal of the Hammurabi period, he points out that the
Word of the gods is identified with the first member of the Trinity,
Anu, in such a title as Anu-pi-Ninib, "The Word of Ninib is Anu." 4
There are several cuneiform copies of a Hymn to the "Word of
Merodach." Upon the seal mentioned occurs a name, Erik-amat-kum,
"Eternal is thy Word." Another name is Etil-pi Merodach, "Mighty
is the Word of Merodach." 5
There is a great contrast between the humility of men in
connexion with their gods in the religious texts of Babylonia and of
Egypt. Such appeals for forgiveness and mercy as appear in the

1 Recueil de Travaux, XXU, 36. 2 2 Kings, xiii, 25.


3 Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., 1910, p. 71.
4 "A Cylinder Seal of the Hammurabi Period," Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arck.,

1912, p. 159.
6 Compare the peculiar Babylonian name Puni-rabi, "The mouth (of God)

is great." Allotte de la Fuye, Documents Pre-Sargoniq_ues, 87, II.


94 ARCHAEOLOGICAL NOTES.

cuneiform "Penitential Psalms" and the story of the Babylonian


Job, have, so far as we at present know, scarcely any like expressions
in Egyptian literature or theological works. The ancient Egyptian
preferred to allege, in his "Negative Confession," that he had not
committed transgressions, and that he had done that which he
ought to have done. If this personal guarantee of perfection was
insufficient, then he relied upon the knowledge and recapitulation
of magic formulae and priestly certificates to pass him through the
hall of judgment to a well-deserved paradise.
It is probable that the continual warfare, and the cruelty with
which campaigns were carried out in Mesopotamia, as well as the
liability to disease in the low lands of Babylonia, had bred a more
lowly state in the minds and the thoughts of the people. Life was
more strenuous and uncertain. To the Babylonian the sack of cities,
the tortures and privations of prisoners, and the carrying away
of captives were quite familiar trials; and the sorrows of such
events and the misery caused by epidemics kept ever before him
the helplessness of man, and deepened his sense of guilt and sin. 1

ARCHAEOLOGICAL NOTES.

By JOSEPH OFFORD.

X. Notes.
In Volume XVII of The Babylonian Expedition of Pennsylvania
University, Ciineiform Texts, pp. 64-66, Dr. Hugo Radau shows
conclusively, by means of records concerning the Babylonian
monarchs Kuri-Galzu and Burna-Buriash, that the word translated
"son" from the Black Obelisk text relating to Jehu, frequently
does not mean son, or even grandson, in the ordinary sense, but
merely a descendant in the kingship. It is said that some writers
have condemned the authenticity of the parts of 2 Kings concerning
J ehu because the biblical author did not agree with the Assyrian
Annals on this point. The word used by the scribe of Shalmaneser II
on the obelisk which cuneiform translators have properly (with
1 See Cuneiform Texts, XXIX, I," Report of Plague in the City."

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