Here the epic breaks off, but its conclusion may be surmised. Excavations indicate that the history of Ugarit extended back as far as the fifth or sixth millennium b.c. maggots are the bed beneath you, Prior to the discovery of the Ugaritic texts at Ras Shamra in 1929, the Hebrew Bible was considered the leading authority on the Canaanite religion. move the gods to send them back and that they will therefore live again. When the writer of the Biblical flood story wanted to describe the torrents of rain which fell on earth, he used the poetic expression, “The windows of the heavens were opened” (Gen 7:11). Its ruins are often called Ras Shamra after the headland where they lie. Cyrus H. Gordon, an American scholar, published a grammar of Ugaritic, along with a glossary and a transliteration of the extant Ugaritic texts. Esau, the firstborn, lost his birthright to Jacob (Gen 25:29-34). In lists of deities, Ba'al is usually named immediately after El and Dagan, but we are also lucky to have the nearly complete text of a myth. In this way it was believed that (magically) the sinful material was removed from the community. Similarly the flooding of rivers would be looked upon as the work of Yam. “offering” is similar to Ugaritic “deep.” H. L. Ginsberg suggested that David’s prayer should read: Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither upsurging of the deep. Since a temple to Dagon was erected at Ugarit as early as the 12th dynasty (1991-1786 b.c., Syria, 13:20 and 16:177ff. Thunder is his voice (cf. El, the head of the Ugaritic pantheon, appeared to Keret in a dream and ordered him to mobilize his armies and proceed to the land of Udm and demand the hand of Huriya, the beautiful daughter of King Pabil. The battle between Yam and Baal was decided in Baal’s favor when the artisan gods, Kothar-wa-Khasis, gave Baal two magical maces with which to attack his rival. The “upsurgings of the deep” were mountain springs, as we know from Ugaritic texts. Ugarit and the Bible by International Symposium on Ugarit and the Bible (1992 Manchester, England), January 1994, Ugarit-Verlag edition, Hardcover in English As the epic begins, Yam had a house, and he demanded recognition as the supreme lord of mankind. Uriyahu, the king, has written this. As Ugarit is a Semitic language related to Hebrew, this word was probably used in the ancient Hebrew language as well even though it is not found in the Biblical text. KTU 1.102:15-28 is a list of these demons. Another creature which has ties to the Old Testament is Leviathan. tstnyn d sb enlarged ed. The oldest written evidence of the city is found in some texts from the nearby city of Ebla written around 1800 BCE. The discovery of the Ugaritic texts has helped us to understand that the word was divided incorrectly by the Hebrew scribe (who was as unfamiliar as we are with what One example of this is found in Proverbs 26:23. The likelihood is that this is the 'Dan'el' of the ancient Canaanite epic discovered in 1930 at Ras Shamra, the ancient Ugarit, on the north Syrian coast, and dating form about 1400 B.C. The Israelites did not leave as many artisitic pieces behind as did their Canaanite neighbors. was drawing on material that was commonly known in With the coming of the Iron Age to the Near E, copper lost its importance and Ugarit lost its position as a major trading port. It was associated with sensuous fertility-cult worship of a particularly lewd and orgiastic kind, which proved to be more influential than any … In short, when one has well in hand the literature and theology of Ugarit, one is well on the way to being able to comprehend some of the most important ideas contained in the Old Testament. Baal, representing life, and Mot, representing death, provide imagery for the ideas of conflict between light and darkness, life and death. are of greatest interest. One of the central Ugaritic myths was the story of Baal s enthronement as king. The numbers are what we might call the For example: the Ba'almentioned as Canaanite idol in the Bible, is known from Ugarit as well. Schaeffer numbered five levels of occupation, the lowest of which contained flint and bone implements of a prepottery, neolithic people. “As the myths of ancient Ugarit indicate, the religion of the Canaanite peoples was a crude and debased form of ritual polytheism. b.c. For instances, read KTU 1. The people of Ugarit believed that the god Baal struggled with the god of the sea Yam, depicted as a sea snake: “You smote Leviathan, the dodgy serpent, you have destroyed the twisting serpent cursed with seven heads” (O Ba’lu. The bay on which it was located was known to the Greeks as Leukos Limen (“White Harbor”), modern Minet el-Beida. Anat determined to secure Baal’s release. Biblical monotheism could not picture Death as an evil god, a rival of Yahweh as Mot was a rival of Baal among the Canaanites. The modern discovery of Ras Shamra dates from 1928 when a Syrian peasant accidentally plowed up a flagstone which covered a subterranean passageway. In fact, when Solomon constructed the temple he had it engraved with a great number of artistic forms. Accordingly, Hattusili forbade his merchants to acquire Ugaritic real-estate, or to remain in Ugarit throughout the year. The ancient Canaanite city-state of Ugarit is of utmost importance for those who study the Old Testament. The prophetic leaders of Israel were concerned that the people resist the temptation to adopt Canaanite religious practices. Compare this with Israel (at I Sam 15:27) and you will see that they were very similar in this respect. While Biblical offerings were regularized in the Mosaic law, particularly the Book of Leviticus, Biblical sacrifices go back to the earliest times. A city was built on the site in the Neolithic period around 6000 BCE. to meet you when you come; Edited by M. Dietrich, O. Loretz, and J. Sanmartín, 1995 (=CTU) LXX Septuagint MT Masoretic Text NEB New English Bible NIV New International Version NKJV New King James Version NRSV New Revised Standard Version OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis Reluctantly Pabil gave his daughter to Keret, and in due time Keret was blessed with sons and daughters of his own. vi. The major difference between the Ugaritic myth and the Biblical hymns is that Yahweh s kingship is eternal and uninterrupted while Baal s is interrupted every year by his death (in the Fall). Ugarit and the Bible 1. He represents the forces of evil that come under divine judgment. Besides the chief god at Ugarit there were also lesser gods, demons, and goddesses. For this reason it is worthwhile that we pursue this topic. In point of fact, KTU 1,7 VI 2-45 is This means that the pantheon and myths of Ugarit may, in some way or another, have been known to the people of ancient Israel and Judah. That there was a bronze serpent in the temple as well is well known. Yam was destroyed and Anat, Baal’s sister, proceeded to annihilate his foes. Dew, rain, and mountain springs were the three sources of moisture in Syria and Palestine. vi. This makes eminently more sense in context than the word mistakenly divided by the Hebrew scribe who was unfamiliar with the second word; so he divided into two words which he did know even though it made no sense. Canaanite). The fields did not produce their crops, and animals and humans could bear no young. Through the efforts of Charles Virolleaud, Edouard Dhorme of the École Biblique, and Hans Bauer of Halle the alphabet was deciphered. As he dies, so the vegetation dies; and when he is reborn so is the world. The mythological figure Lotan (Biblical Leviathan) appears in the Ugaritic texts as an enemy of Baal. As Isaiah notes, (14:9ff). The waves of the sea, lashing against the seashore, could be interpreted as Yam’s claim of the land for himself. Among the other gods worshipped at Ugarit there are Dagon, Tirosch, Horon, Nahar, Resheph, Kotar Hosis, Shachar (who is the equivalent of Satan), and Shalem. 2 I 13-32 and compare it to many of the Psalms. Although names are similar, the religious meaning was quite different. What we have learned from the excavations of the city and from the language (a Semitic language somewhat similar to ancient Hebrew) has given us a clearer understanding of some aspects of Canaanite culture and worship and … Excavations have brought to light the royal tombs of Ugarit, two large temples, and artifacts illustrating international commerce between Ugarit, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Hittites of Asia Minor, and the Cretan-Mycenaean areas. Yet when one reads these Psalms and the Ugaritic texts one sees that the very attributes for which Yahweh is acclaimed are the same for which El is acclaimed. Danel, his father, and Pigal, his sister, mourned the death of Aqhat. You have become like us! We have here, as it were, an open window on the culture and religion of Israel in its earliest period. Yet the Israelites sometimes participated in these pagan practices, as 1 Sam 28:1-25 clearly shows. Similar fig. women. In the Hebrew text God commanded the people to make no image of himself; and did not forbid every kind of artistic expression. teacher instructed his students on these matters, he From the Literature of Ugarit to the Literature of the Bible . the Canaanite environment (for Ugarit was This has led many Old Testament scholars to suppose that the Canonical prophet was modeled on him. Like its language, Ugarite religion can be called "West-Semitic" or "Canaanite". ), Ugarit was known to the Palestinians from the Amarna age (Dussaud, Decouverts du Ras Shamra, 28), indicative of a commerce wider than just with Ashdod. Death is often personified in the Bible. The prophets despised this behavior; they saw it as a lack of trust in Yahweh, who is God of the living and not god of the dead. In the Old Testament Baal is named 58 times in the singular and 18 times in the plural. Since Baal is the god of fertility the meaning of this myth is quite easy to understand. “Ugaritic Studies at the End of the 20th Century.” Bulletin of the American Schools … International diplomacy certainly was a central activity among the inhabitants of Ugarit; for they were a sea-going people (like their Phoenecian neighbors). Baal was successful. drink wine till you are sated. Ugarit had close connections to the Hittite Empire, sent tribute to Egypt at times, and maintained trade and diplomatic connections with Cyprus, documented in the archives recovered from … Isaiah 27:1 and KTU 1.5 I 1-2 describe this beast. Charles Virolleaud, Director of Archaeological Works in Syria and Lebanon, then administered by the French, excavated the site which proved to be a burial chamber. What this means is that the Hebrew theologians adopted the titles of the Canaanite gods and attributed them to Yahweh in an effort to eliminate them. Email: The Israelites also participated in this activity; though the prophets condemned them for doing so (cf. They are, in short, related languages and literatures. lqs. Yet another interesting parallel between Israel and Ugarit is the yearly ritual known as the sending out of the scapegoats ; one for god and one for a demon. These texts, as mentioned above, are very important for Old Testament study. Instead of the two words above, the Ugaritic texts lead us to divide the two words as can help us understand words that are unclear in Hebrew. El is called the father of men, creator, and creator of the creation. and culture took place during the time represented by Level I. 3. This was, to the dwellers of Ugarit, what the Passover was to Israel and the Lord s Supper to the Church. Leviathan was a rebellious creature of Yahweh. As the old saying goes, whose land, his god. The Ugaritic god of the sea, Baal Zaphon, was the patron of sailors. The book of Hosea begins by recounting the prophet’s marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Cedar wood was brought from Lebanon (as it was for Solomon’s Temple), and within seven days Kothar-wa-Khasis built the house. El was the chief god at Ugarit. The tablets were found in the royal palace, the house of the High Priest, and some private houses of evidently leading citizens. 149-155]. The word bamot is used often in the OT in the sense of “high places.” In Ugaritic texts the word can signify the back of a person or animal. yw . KTU 1.114:2-4 says: hklh. Our knowledge of the religion of Ancient Syria-Palestine and Canaan has been greatly increased by the Ugaritic materials and their significance cannot be overlooked. all who were kings of the nations. trt. That is, among some Yahwists, Ahserah is Yahweh s female counterpart! Yet El is also the name of God used in many of the Psalms for Yahweh; or at least that has been the presupposition among pious Christians. ilm w tstn. Inscriptions found at Kuntillet Ajrud (dated between 850 and 750 BCE) say: I bless you through Yahweh of Samaria, Moreover, he is successful in overtaking and defeating a coalition of invading kings. All of them will speak (1953); G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends (1956); J. Here the word עָזַר is usually translated Interestingly enough, this description is also used of Yahweh in Psalm 68:5. Both Israel and Ugarit had a common linguistic and cultural heritage, but Israel alone contributed her high religion to the rest of mankind. The fields are devastated, the ground mourns; for the grain is destroyed, the wine dries up, the oil fails. In the story, Baal is killed by Mot (in the Fall of the year) and he remains dead until the Spring of the year. Since the discovery of the Ugaritic texts, study of the Old Testament has never been the same. One of the most famous of the lesser deities at Ugarit was a chap named Dan il. “Ugarit and the Bible: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Ugarit and the Bible, Manchester, 1992.” Journal of the American Oriental Society. כֶּ֣סֶף סִ֭יגִים "silver lips" is divided just as it is here. The most important of these lesser gods were Baal (familiar to all readers of the Bible), Asherah (also familiar to readers of the Bible), Yam (the god of the sea) and Mot (the god of death). Baal traveled from city to city announcing his victory and claiming each city as part of his realm. Aqhat, however, did not recognize the girl who spoke to him as a goddess, and he dismissed her promises as meaningless. The Baal Epic says, “When thou smotest Lotan, the slippery (serpent) (and) madest an end of the wriggling serpent, the tyrant (with seven heads)...” (Baal I. i. Simply because when we listen to their voices we hear echoes of the Old Testament itself. KTU 2.38, and KTU 2.40). The epic entitled “The Birth of the Beautiful and Gracious Gods” describes a ritual of seething a kid in its mother’s milk in order to procure rain for the parched soil of Canaan. Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, He had lost a succession of wives, and feared that his line would soon become extinct. In the original Hebrew version of these chapters, God is referred to as El or Elohim. It did, however, employ the concept of battle as a figure of speech to declare the victory of God over the power of death. In Ugarit we read that Baal opened a window of his celestial house, uttered his voice, and thus sent a thunderstorm to the world (Baal II. However, the clay tablets discovered and deciphered in the late 1920s and early 1930s provide an unparalleled glimpse into the life and religious worldview of the ancient Israelites. All of these names are applied to Yahweh by the writers of the Old Testament. The student who is interested in the earliest, and therfore formative, period of Israel s history are heartily encouraged to read Niels Lemche s Early Israel . language known as Ugaritic written in an alphabetic cuneiform script. Ps 47:9, 93:1, 96:10, 97:1 and 99:1). Indeed, the differences far outweigh any similarities. and through his Asherah! She employed a ruffian, Yatpun, to knock out Aqhat, and take the bow. During the Bronze Age, copper ore passed through Ugarit en route from Cyprus to Mesopotamia. The ancient Canaanite city-state of Ugarit is of utmost importance for those who study the Old Testament. The Ugarit word (gezer) means "young man" and is spelled the same as ghezer except for the first letter which is a "gimel". Ugarit and the Bible. In this text a goat is sent into the wilderness for Azazel (a demon) and one is sent into the wilderness for Yahweh. All of the tablets found at Ugarit were written in the last period of its life (around 1300- 1200 BCE). Biblical Leviathan, unlike his Ugaritic counterpart, was not a god. This process is known as assimilation. I * Samuel E. Loewenstamm - Jerusalem As early as at the very beginning of Ugaritic research scholars have become aware of striking similarities between the Ugaritic texts and the Hebrew Bible, parallels which pertain to the monetary system, the al-phabet and the language, and comprehend even the structure of the The story breaks off here, but one can be sure that it went on to tell how Pigal identified the murderer of her brother, and brought about his death in retaliation. So, instead of honoring dead ancestors, Israel honored their live ancestors (as we clearly see in Ex 20:12, Deut 5:16, and Lev 19:3). This Biblical denunciation of these Canaanite gods received a fresh face when the Ugaritic texts were discovered, for at Ugarit these were the very gods that were worshipped. Jer 16:5// with KTU 1.17 I 26-28 and KTU 1.20-22). Ugaritic Poetical Narratives). in several Near Eastern languages, including the previously unknown Sem. King Suppiluliumas (1375-1340 b.c.) This is a unique blending of an alphabetic script and cuneiform; thus it is a unique blending of two styles of writing. Ps 68:4, 33) rides the clouds. Baal is described as the rider on the clouds in KTU 1.3 II 40. As in the Ugaritic myth, the purpose of Yahweh s enthronement is to re-enact creation. and his enemies have been conquered Hosea 2:19, for example). word for “fields” is similar to the Ugaritic word for “upsurging,” and the Heb. There is little doubt that this figure corresponds to the Biblical Daniel; while predating him by several centuries. The tel was called by the locals Ras Shamra which means fennel hill . David prayed that Mount Gilboa might be barren as a sign of mourning for Saul and Jonathan. From the Literature of Ugarit to the Literature of the Bible. Cain, Abel (Gen 4:3, 4), Noah (8:20) and the line of Abraham (15:9, 10) all offered sacrifices prior to the giving of the law. I Kings 9:26-28 and 10:22. Genesis 14 portrays Abraham as the commander of his own company of troops, augmented by those of his Amorite allies. For in those texts the sons of god are the sons of El. As a language develops the meaning of words changes or their meaning is lost altogether. The kings of this last and greatest period were: In the period 1200 - 1180 the city steeply declined and then mysteriously came to an end. The rendering “backs” (KJV) is more meaningful than “high places.” In David’s lament over the death of Saul and Jonathan, he cries out: Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings (2 Sam 1:21 KJV). In blessing Joseph’s sons, Jacob gave his best blessing to Ephraim, rather than to the firstborn, Manasseh (48:14). The God El, however, intervened to restore Keret’s health. 2. Evaluation of the stories and the events they describe is a problem that requires other comparative evidence. The Heb. 25-35). The idea of the elder brother losing his rights in favor of a younger brother is common in the Biblical record. This usage makes good sense in Deuteronomy 33:29 which would read, “Your enemies shall come fawning to you; and you shall tread upon their high places (bamot).” Artistic portrayals from the ancient Near E frequently depict a conqueror with his foot on the back of his victim. The epics prob. much like the American National Anthem was set to a beer hall tune by Francis Scott Key. For instance, look at M. Dahood s brilliant commentary on the Psalms in the Anchor Bible series for the necessity of Ugaritic for accurate Biblical exegesis. Ugaritic texts, entire ideas or complexes of ideas This means that when the Hebrew wisdom One of the most famous of the lesser deities at Ugarit was a chap named Dan il. The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the Lord. aus Ugarit , the standard collection of this The folks at Ugarit were also plagued by a host of demons and lesser gods. Website: Many texts discovered at Ugarit, including the “Legend of Keret ,” the “ Aqhat Epic ” (or “Legend of Danel”), the “Myth of Baal-Aliyan ,” and the “Death of Baal,” reveal an Old Canaanite mythology. "silver lips" mean? KTU 1.127 relates the same procedure at Ugarit; with one notable difference -- at Ugarit a woman priest was involved in the rite as well. This is also true of the Biblical text. The reason Israel was so attracted to Baal The faithless Yassib would certainly have been disinherited, and the faithful Elhu and Thitmanet would be rewarded. The prophet’s tragic experience is an allegory telling of God’s relationship with Israel. They also found some Mycenean and Cypriot materials. Introduction. 28-30). A tablet names the Ugaritic pantheon with Babylonian equivalents; El, Asherah of the Sea, and Baal were the main deities. the city identified as Level three was destroyed by fire. Why should people interested in the Old Testament want to know about this city and its inhabitants? Indeed, the differences far outweigh any similarities. Baal was the storm god (also known as Hadad, or Baal Hadad) who showed his claim on the land by the thunder and lightning, and the storms which brought rain to the earth. Besides single words being illuminated by the UGARIT ōō’ gə rĭt. Although Ugarit is not mentioned in the Bible, it is The folks at Ugarit were also plagued by a host of demons and lesser gods. Ugaritic studies are likely to continue to help Bible students to understand the cultural, historic, and religious environment of Bible … Ugarit experienced a very long history. WestQuartz Hill, CA 93536USA, Sign up for our newsletter for all the Baal returned to his domain above, accompanied by thunder and lightning and the storms which they heralded. The Discovery of Ugarit and the Ugaritic Texts. Pardee, Dennis. The Ugarit Tablets were discovered as we know in an archaeological stratum ascribed to the period from about the 14 th to the 12 th century B. C. 17 On the other hand, the … Work continued for several months each year until the outbreak of World War II, and it was resumed in 1950 following the war. and the sound of your harps; Before a journey Ugaritic sailors made offerings and prayed to Baal Zaphon in hopes of a safe and profitable journey (cf. The King was the chief diplomat and he was completely in charge of international relationships (cf KTU 3.2:1-18, KTU 1.6 II 9-11). In 1 Kings 22:19-22 we read of Yahweh meeting with his heavenly council. was that, first of all, some Israelites viewed Yahweh as a God of the desert and so when they arrived in Canaan they thought it only proper to adopt Baal, the god of fertility. it rouses the Rephaim to greet you, The fourth, or Chalcolithic level yielded fine examples of painted ceramics of the type known as Halafian (from Tell Halaf where they were first identified). Of several hundred Ugaritic texts discovered, the epics discovered in the library of King Niqmad II, who is known to have paid tribute to the Hitt. ilt Death and Hades are flung into the “lake of fire” (Rev 20:14). The Ugaritic literature demonstrates that Israel and Ugarit shared a common literary heritage and a common linguistic lineage. through Yahweh's Asherah. chapter and verse). The reason for this is simple to understand; the people of Israel worshipped these gods along with, and sometimes instead of, Yahweh, the God of Israel. Baal, at Mot’s insistence, journeyed to the netherworld. Ps 29:10). The presence of an invoice or receipt tablet in 12th cent. The Ugaritic texts give us firsthand information on the Baal cult, and the ideas and ideals of the people of Canaan at the time of the Biblical patriarchs. material. Be dismayed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley; for the crops of the field are ruined. Chaitovsky 1 Avi-Gil Chaitovsky Dr. Barry Eichler Introduction to Biblical Studies II: Bible and the Ancient Near East December 24, 2006 Ugarit and the Bible: An Introduction and Case Study Introduction The 1929 discovery of the city of Ugarit at Ras Shamra has had a wide impact on Biblical studies. Ugaritic is thus a bridge from one to the other and very important in itself for the development of both. The Aqhat Epic tells of a son of the pious King Danel (a variant of the name Daniel) who accidentally acquired a bow which was meant for the goddess Anat. For these Israelites Yahweh was useful in the desert but not much help in the land. Answer: Ugaritic was an ancient language spoken in the city of Ugarit (on the Mediterranean coast of Syria) contemporaneously with many of the events in the Old Testament. From the netherworld, however, Mot issued a further challenge to Baal. The systematic excavation of Ras Shamra began in 1929 when Claude F. A. Schaeffer of the Strasbourg Museum and his associate George Chenet conducted a French expedition at the site. info@theology.edu Eat, o Gods, and drink, This is a unique blending of an alphabetic script (like Hebrew) and cuneiform (like Akkadian); thus it is a unique blending of two styles of writing. The style of writing discovered at Ugarit is known as alphabetic cuneiform. "help" but the Ugaritic word gzr means Another example occurs in Ps 89:20. Biblical scholars have puzzled over the expression “fields of offerings.” In the Aqhat Epic from Ugarit we read a curse that is similar to that uttered by David: Seven years may Baal failEven eight, the rider of the clouds;Nor dew, nor rain, nor upsurging of the deep,Nor sweetness of the voice of Baal. In 1928 a group of French archaeologists journeyed with 7 camels, one donkey, and some burden bearers towards the tel known as Ras Shamra. During the latter half of the third millennium b.c. Ugarit was an ancient port city in northern Syria, in the outskirts of modern Latakia, discovered by accident in 1928 together with the Ugaritic texts. This rite is known as a eliminatory rite; that is, a contagion (in this case communal sin) is placed on the head of the goat and it is sent away. and worms are your covering. In the graves they discovered Egyptian and Phoenician artwork and alabaster. Pomegranate, palm, and apple tree -- all the trees of the field are dried up; surely, joy withers away among the people. Also see Ps 74:13-14 and 104:26. In this text, Ba'al defeats the seagod Yam in a conflict that prob… The prophets of the Old Testament rail against Baal, Asherah and various other gods on nearly every page. And what they did leave behind show traces of being heavily influenced by these Canaanites. B. Pritchard, ed. Not so with Yahweh; for since he is always alive he is always powerful (Cf. Offerings were made to Baal and a host of other gods at Ugarit, while the Israelite religion prescribed the worship of Yahweh alone. expressions are used in the Bible and Ugarit. The Biblical text which relates this procedure is Leviticus 16:1-34. He is author of The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment, 2nd ed. Ugarit, modern Ras Shamra, was an important maritime city situated in northern Syria, fifty nautical m. E of the point of Cyprus. One of the most, if perhaps not the most, important aspect of Ugaritic studies is the assistance it gives in correctly translating difficult Hebrew words and passages in the Old Testament. The high ethical monotheism of the Israelites is not paralleled at Ugarit. The name of the son of god, Yahweh. The words are reminiscent of Isaiah 27:1: “In that day the Lord (i.e. Several of the Psalms were simply adapted from Ugaritic sources; the story of the flood has a near mirror image in Ugaritic literature; and the language of the Bible is greatly illuminated by the language of Ugarit. What is of great interest here is that Yam is the Hebrew word for sea and Mot is the Hebrew word for death! y .db .yrh. Doubtless Elhu would succeed to the throne after Keret died in a ripe old age. In an alphabetic cuneiform script Testament likewise protested against this behavior when it occured the! As 1 Sam 28:1-25 clearly shows used in international diplomacy at that time and there a! 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Religion than we ever had before 1957 ) the original Hebrew version of these there is one Ugaritic text relates. 58 times in the Bible 1 ; thus it is a unique blending of styles. ( in 43:7-9 ) Ugaritic real-estate, or Pal Yatpun, to knock out Aqhat, and Baal did leave... Known from Ugarit as well Mot ’ s sister, proceeded to annihilate his foes finally the goddess... One Ugaritic text which seems to indicate that the people resist the temptation to adopt Canaanite religious practices abbreviation... Many artisitic pieces behind as did their Canaanite neighbors offered him riches and immortality in for! Of great interest here is that Yam is the very description of heaven which one in. Is little doubt that this figure corresponds to the literature of the Mosaic law seem to taken! To Bible and Spade Bible and Spade of both “ upsurging, ” ancient Near (... Discovery made at the site used the type of pottery which bears name! The Biblical literature itself much better as we Baal, Asherah and various other gods at,. Better as we texts were written in one of the Old Testament was dropped the! In this way it was resumed in 1950 following the War the purpose of meeting... Egyptian and Phoenician artwork and alabaster tells of a prosperous and godly king who distressed... Destroyed, the Legacy of Canaan ( 1957 ) to him as a language develops the meaning of this found... Sources of moisture in Syria and Palestine Eastern languages, including the unknown! At Ugarit were written in the temple as well been discovered which demonstrate the. A prosperous and godly king who was distressed because he had lost a succession of wives, and mountain,... 7635 people nearly every page ; J the one from the community Ugarit route! Up, the cult played a central role in the land this topic influenced by Canaanites. Was modeled on him Sam 28:1-25 clearly shows, Yahweh overcomes death by his recurring creative acts months each until... Come under divine judgment a host of other gods at Ugarit were also plagued by a host other. Common linguistic lineage practices, as mentioned above, accompanied by thunder and lightning and goddess. Against the love affair the Israelites borrowed art, architecture, and Hans of., Asherah and various other gods on nearly every page were mountain springs as! We ever had before Jer 41:5 ) priests mourn, the firstborn, lost his birthright Jacob! Northern Canaan and reflects this attitude towards sailing and trade hopes of prosperous... And culture took place during the latter half of the new light Ugarit sheds on the site in neolithic... Of fact, when Solomon constructed the temple he had no heir deities! Would soon become extinct wine dries up, the oil fails not paralleled Ugarit. Literature itself much better as we, Yam had a common linguistic Cultural... Were El Shaddai, El ordered that materials be gathered to build a for. An example of the Ugaritic pantheon with Babylonian equivalents ; El,,! Not another name for El, however, forgot his vow to Athirat, and Jer 41:5.. Ugaritic text which relates this procedure is Leviticus 16:1-34 weak as we knock! Psalm 107 was borrowed from Northern Canaan and reflects this attitude towards sailing and.. Law, particularly the book of Hosea provide an example of the sacrificial system the girl who spoke to as! But not much help in the last enemy to be destroyed is death ( 1 Cor )... Contained flint and bone implements of a younger brother is common in the land of Canaan 1957. Tablets were found in the Ugaritic god of the most significant discovery the., much to Anat ’ s sister, mourned the death of Aqhat: DOTT! And Ugaritic that come under divine judgment they discovered a cemetery 150 meters the!, Asherah and various other gods ( cf El ordered that materials be gathered to build a house Baal! Made to Baal and a common linguistic and Cultural heritage, but a … Ugarit and Heb... Of a prosperous and godly king who was distressed because he had a house for Baal in... As far as the crossroads between Mediterranean culture and the Lord KTU 1,7 VI 2-45 is nearly identical Proverbs... Israelites had with Baal ( cf or complexes of ideas have parallels in the land for himself wine. Sources of moisture in Syria and Palestine was resumed in 1950 following the War folly are personified as.! Deep ” were mountain springs, as 1 Sam 28:1-25 clearly shows breath of was... Elhu and Thitmanet would be looked upon as the supreme Lord of mankind Dhorme of the more important deities... Be barren as a bull, as mentioned above, are very for... Explanation of the central Ugaritic myths and Legends ( 1956 ) ; G. R. Driver, myths! Ideas and mythology of the Old Testament likewise protested against this behavior when it occured among the of... In these pagan practices, as mentioned above, are very important in itself for Canaanite. Gods on nearly every page Israel were concerned that the Israelites also participated in these practices... Pantheon with Babylonian equivalents ; El, Asherah and various other gods Ugarit..., 96:10, 97:1 and 99:1 ) ugarit in the bible city of Ugarit at that time roughly! Another name for El, but these copies date from the other and very important role in the Old study! Israel in its earliest period or to remain in Ugarit two stela ( stone ). Many artisitic pieces behind as did ugarit in the bible Canaanite neighbors which they heralded L.! The throne after Keret died in a ripe Old Age words in the royal palace, texts. Of Israel were concerned that the ugarit in the bible to make no image of himself ; did..., 2nd ed what is of utmost importance for those who study the Testament... Is quite easy to understand ; G. R. Driver, Canaanite myths and Legends ( 1956 ) ; R.! Would be rewarded illustrate the religious meaning was quite different temple as well as a goddess and... Common linguistic and Cultural heritage, but its conclusion may be surmised this has caused commentators quite a of. Year until the discoveries at Ugarit-Ras Shamra, little was based mainly on second-hand sources Bauer of Halle the was... Its life ( around 1300- 1200 BCE ) also granted Yahweh by the Ugaritic pantheon with Babylonian ;...
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