THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Session 5

Welcome

REVIEW LAST WEEK

What did he say?

ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE FLOOD

Babylonian Flood account

Epic of Gilgamesh

ARCHAEOLOGY EPIC OF GILGAMESH

• Twelve large tablets

• The tablets date to 7th Century BC but the material goes back another 1000 years

• Language is Akkadian or Sumerian and Old Babylonian in cuneiform characters

• The 12 major tablets were found in the Library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh

• Other smaller tablets and fragments have been found in surrounding sites

BIBLICAL CONNECTIONS

• Genesis 10:10 mentions Erech or Uruk

• Search for immortality (eternal life)

• Seeks out Noah (Utanapishtim) for advice

• Mentions the flood (deluge)

• Gilgamesh’s description is as a giant--16-18 feet high (Genesis 6:4)

• Gilgamesh wants to kill the “god” who caused the flood (Humbaba or Humwawa)

WHO IS GILGAMESH?• King of Erech (Uruk) between circa 2700-

2500 BC (ruled for 126 years)• Hero of Sumerian and Babylonian epic

poetry• Son of the goddess Ninsun • Father was a 'lillu' (spirit)• One of the kings on The Sumerian king-list• The Sumerian king-list was composed circa

2100 BC

KING GILGAMESH

THE SUMERIAN KING LIST

WELD-BLUNDELL PRISM

WHERE AND WHEN WAS IT DISCOVERED?

1839

EPIC OF GILGAMESHWho discovered it?

Austen Henry Layard

EPIC OF GILGAMESHWho translated it?

Henry Rawlinson

THE CAST OF CHARACTERSEpic of Gilgamesh

• Gilgamesh - Main character

• Enkidu – Main companion of Gilgamesh

• Shamhat - A temple prostitute

• Utnapishtim - Babylonian Noah

• Utnapishtim’s wife

• Urshanabi - Guardian of “stone things”

• The Hunter – Tries to tame Enkidu

• Group of major gods

EPIC OF GILGAMESH PLOT• Five different poems combined in an epic

• Gilgamesh is a cruel despot and unjust king of Uruk

• The gods respond to the people of the city to distract Gilgamesh

• The gods send Gilgamesh on a number of quests

• One quest is for eternal life where he seeks out Utnapishtim

SIMILARITIES TO THE BIBLICAL FLOOD STORY

BIBLE GILGAMESH

1. Divinely Planned Divinely Planned

2. Divinely Revealed Divinely Revealed

3. Defection in the Human Race

Defection in the Human Race

4. Deliverance of the Hero and His Family

Deliverance of the Hero and His Family

SIMILARITIES(CONTINUED)

BIBLE GILGAMESH

5. Divinely Instructed to Build a Huge Boat

Divinely Instructed to Build a Huge Boat

6. Specify the Duration of the Flood

Specify the Duration of the Flood

7. Name the Landing Place of the Boat

Name the Landing Place of the Boat

8. Include Similar Striking Details

Include Similar Striking Details

MAJOR DIFFERENCES TO THE BIBLICAL FLOOD STORY

BIBLE GILGAMESH

1. Monotheistic Polytheistic

2. Moral framework Immoral

3. Differentiates between spirit and matter

Mixes spirit and matter (pantheism)

4. Clear on the reason for the flood

The gods argued about the reason for the flood.

MINOR DIFFERENCES (continued)

BIBLE GILGAMESH5. Noah was public about

the flood comingThe gods kept the

flood a secret

6. 40 day flood 6-7 days and nights flood

7. 450 feet long boat Boat the size of a cube

8. Mount Ararat Mount Nisir

CONCLUSIONS

• The Differences don’t destroy the striking similarities

• An early tragedy of the Flood effected every people and culture

• Both Hebrew and extra-biblical tradition about the Flood agreed on the basic facts

• The themes of divine judgment, righteousness and eternal life were part of the worldview of Mesopotamia

EXPLANATION OF FLOOD PARALLELS

1. The Genesis Account is drawn from the Babylonian or Sumerian tradition.

2. The Babylonian Gilgamesh is drawn from the Genesis narrative.

3. These traditions arose spontaneously.

4. The two accounts go back to a common source.

WHAT ARE OUR CHOICES?

2 PETER 1:19

We have also a more sure word of Prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day

star arise in your hearts:

QUESTIONS?

Does anyone have any questions about last weeks lesson?

ABRAHAM

ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLICAL RECORD

ARCHAEOLOGY AND ABRAHAM

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God

Hebrews 11:8-16

WHO WAS ABRAHAM?

• Father of Isaac and grand-father of Jacob• Claimed by all three monotheistic religions• Was a polytheist until a divine encounter• Had a family• Was very wealthy (i.e. owned camels)• Was called to leave his home• Is central in both Old Testament and New

Testament

WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT ABRAHAM FROM ARCHAEOLOGY?

•No direct archaeological evidence for Abraham•Travel between Ur and Israel was not unusual•Nahor and his tribe (Abraham’s brother) is mentioned in the Cappadocian (19th century BC) and Mari Tablets (18th Century BC)•The name Abram or Abraham is mentioned in various tablets

SIR CHARLES LEONARD WOOLLEY

British Archaeologist 1880-1960

THE CITY OF UR TELL AL-MUQAYYAR

MARI TABLETS

HOME OF ABRAHAM (Abram)

UR

THE DYNASTY OF UR2100-2000 BC

THE WORLD OF ABRAM (Abraham)

(Circa 2000 BC)

Ancient Ziggurat from Ur: the stairway to heaven to worship the moon goddess. Sumerian god and goddess join together around a sacred tree.

ZIGGURAT

PAGANISM OF ABRAM IN UR

Ur of old Babylonia

worshipped the moon god

Stele of Ur-Nammu (ca. 2200 BC), detail (cf. Frankfort) showing the crescent moon.

ABRAHAM’S HOME IN UR

THE RICHES OF UR

ABRAHAM WAS A RICH MAN

• Rich in gold and silver (Gen13:2; 24:35)

• Owned camels

• Acquired property

• Is described as a merchant

• He has much livestock

• He trains an army to rescue Lot

MUSIC AT UR

FLOOD LAYERLEONARD WOOLLEY

UR EXCAVATION

ABRAHAM’S TRAVELS

ABRAHAM’S JOURNEY

EXPLORING ABRAHAM’S LIFE IN ISRAEL

More to come next week…