Enuma Elish “When on High”

The crisis episode in the Enuma Elish stories describes the birth of the divine assembly of Mesopotamia out of a chaos of water and darkness through the merging of Apsu, divine patron of fresh water, with Tiamat, divine patron of salt water.

Tablet I (1-10)When on high no name was given to heaven, Nor below was the netherworld called by name,Primeval Apsu was their progenitor And matrix-Tiamat was she who bore them all,They were mingling waters together, No cane brake was intertwined nor thicket matted close.When no gods at all had been brought forth, None called by names, none destinies ordained,Then were the gods formed within the(ese two).

Tiamat creates a team of monstrous creatures and attempts to overthrow Ea and thedivine assembly. At this point Marduk, divine patron of the storm and patron of Babylon, steps forward to serve as the divine warrior of the assembly. If he succeeds, he asks to behead of the divine assembly.

Tablet IV (94-105)Tiamat and Marduk, sage of the gods, drew close for battle,They locked in single combat, joining for the fray.The Lord spread out his net, encircled her,The ill wind he had held behind him he released in her face.Tiamat opened her mouth to swallow,He thrust in the ill wind so she could not close her lips.The raging winds bloated her belly,Her insides were stopped up, she gaped her mouth wide.He shot off the arrow, it broke open her belly,It cut to her innards, it pierced the heart.He subdued her and snuffed out her life,He flung down her carcass, he took his stand upon it.(137-142)He split her in two, like a fish for drying,Half of her he set up and made as a cover, heaven.He stretched out the hide and assigned watchmen,And ordered them not to let her waters escape.He crossed heaven and inspected (its) firmamentTablet V (1-5)

Context of Scripture 1:390-402