Archaeology and the Old Testament Chapter 12 Ebla
Archaeology and the Old Testament Chapter 12: Ebla Dr. Gregg Wilkerson
Ebla n Archaeological studies at Ebla provide an interesting case study of how such discoveries can be sensationalized and have a wide spectrum of interpretation as to their relevance to understanding the Patriarchal narratives.
Ebla Discovery Ebla was known from more than a dozen Sumerian and Akkadian texts. n Its geographic location was unknown until discoveries by Paolo Matthiae beginning in 1964. n The site is Tell Mardikh and was excavated between 1968 and 1975 n
Ebla Locaton n Tell Mardikh is in northwest Syria, 34 miles south of Aleppo.
Ebla The tell is 100 feet above plain and 140 acres in size. n The initial discovery was made by a plowing farmer who unearthed a carved double basin. n At Ebla were found 16, 500 cuneiform tablets n
Ebla Tablets n n n There are 7, 000 complete tablets, and many others are fragmentary. The tablets are flat slabs of clay about 12 inches square with as many as 3000 lines each. One slab contains about 50 pages of 30 lines each in English writing. Some tablets the size of hamburgers Others as small as one square inch.
Ebla Tablets Headless bust with inscription dedicated to the goddess Ishtar n By king (or prince? ) Ibbit-Lim, son of Igrish-Khepa, or the "family of Ebla" n
Torso of Ibbit. Lim, King of Ebla
Ebla Tablets Most (80%) of the Ebla tablets concern mundane administrative records, account files and receipts. n There about 250 bilingual dictionaries (Sumerian word signs and Semitic syllabic signs) n
Ebla Encyclopedic lists Animals n Birds n precious metals n non-precious metals n
Ebla Tablets government documents (treaties, letters, laws, reports on military campaigns) n Mathematical calculations n Magical charms and hymns n
Ebla Tablets and Religion There are 150 tablets of religious literature. n Three tablets contain Sumerian myths, n Two tablets involving Uruk (know previously from other sources). n
Sensational Claims Between 1973 and 1980. n Close affiliation with the Patriarchal narratives was claimed. n This early enthusiasm was reassessed beginning in 1977. n
Ebla Tablets and Biblical Place Names n n n Ebla Name 'e-ma-ra KI si-da-mu KI n n n Biblical Place Gommorah Sodom
Ebla Tablets and Biblical Place Names Aphek, Ashdod, Dor, Jaffa, Gaza, Jerusalem, Samaria, Shechem, Maroth and Hazor n Now all contested n
Ebla personal names and the Bible Israel, Ishmael, Michael and Abram. n NOT a surprise. n These same names are found in other texts in places hundreds of miles away from each other and centuries apart. n
Ebla personal names and the Bible Ebrium or Ebrum the vizier at Ebla. n The word was compared to biblical Eber (heb 'br) n More likely this word is based on Akkadian barum = "to see". n
Contested personal names n Adam, Eve, Tubal, Noah, Abram, Ishmael, Hagar, Keturah, Bilhah, Israel, Micah, Michael, Saul and David
EBLA CREATION STORY n Similarities of Ebla tablet literature to the Bible are often based on who is translating them.
EBLA CREATION STORY n n n Pettinato's translation Lord of heaven and earth the earth was not, you created it the light of day was not, you created it the morning light you had not [yet] made exist Edward's translation n Lord of heaven and earth. . . you do not n As on [the] earth (? ) like a father, n You don't let the orphan n live a life bound by debt (? ) n
ARCHAEOLOGY OF EBLA n n n Prehistoric settlement at Ebla was followed by its first town on the acropolis site sometime in 3500 -2400 BC (Neolithic Age). The population of city was between 10, 000 to 20, 000 ant at its zenith in 2400 -2250 BC. Ebla had four gateways, several temples, large areas of private houses all or mudbrick, all surrounded by a wall with a higher citadel or 'acropolis' in the center.
ARCHAEOLOGY OF EBLA The regional population is estimated to have been 260, 000 with 4, 700 civil servants. n Ebla was destroyed by the armies of Sargon of Akkad and grandson Naram. Sin circa 2300 -2250 BC (Early Bronze Age). n
ARCHAEOLOGY OF EBLA Following this destruction, the city grew up again in 1900 -1800 BC (Middle Bronze Age, the epoch of the patriarchs). n There was a final destruction by Hittites about 1600 BC. n After this catastrophe only small settlements were established at Ebla n
140 acres 260, 000 people 4, 700 civil servants
EBLAITE SOCIETY At Ebla the “King” was elected to 7 year term. n The Queen shared in state affairs n King Ebrium, who was elected 3 times, ruled 28 years, arranged to have his son Ibbi Sipish named as his successor, and thus created a dynasty. n
EBLAITE SOCIETY n Loss of democracy with the ascension of Ibbi Sipish may have lead to civil strife and Ebla's decline.
Ebla Elders and Government n n The "Elders" were wealthy merchants of Ebla. Artisans were probably organized into corporations. The government structure consisted of fourteen provinces, each administered by governors. These provinces provided much tax revenue in gold.
ECONOMY OF EBLA The Ebla was an economic-commercial city-state, not a military empire. It had connections north to central Anatolia, west to Cyprus, south Sinai peninsula and east to northern Iran. 10, 000 geographical names preserved in the Ebla tablets
Ebla government officials There were 11, 400 "functionaries" attached to royal palace. n Commerce included olives, vineyards, flax of linen, sheep, wool textile industry , all of which were regulated n
The Ebla textile industry Central to Ebla’s success. n The main Ebla city is named A-RI-GAAT n Name based on verb ARAG, meaning "to spin or weave“ n Feminine plural of ARAG means "Spinning Women". n
The Ebla textile industry Linguistically, this word ARAG may be basis of Greek "arachne", spider's web. n The word appears in Greek mythology's Arachne, a Lydian maiden who challenged the goddess Athena to a contest in weaving. n
The Ebla textile industry n n Elba city or place name A-RI-GA-AT n Textile meaning to spin or weave n ARAG n arachne, spider's web n BAD n Hebrew BAD = “linen” n Hebrew SHESH = ”whitest linen” n Hebrew SAPIT = “rug, carpet” n n n SHESH SA-PI-TU
LANGUAGE OF EBLA COMPARED TO HEBREW The Ebla language was similar to Canaanite n Canaanite is a cousin-language of Hebrew n All three are “Old North Semitic” family n
Ebla language and Biblical interpretation 114 tablets with important bilingual vocabularies of Sumerian and Eblaite n These bilingual vocabularies can give important insights into proper translations of many verses in the Bible n
Example: Joseph the “Superintendent” ‘ABREK found in Genesis 41: 43 n hapax legomenon (only once in entire OT) n Common interchange of B and G in Eblaite. n The Eblaite words 'AGARAKUM or ‘ABARAKUM mean "superintendent" n
Genesis 41: 43 n "He had him ride in a chariot as his second in command, and men shouted before him “ 'ABREK “, or “Superintendent”
RELIGION AT EBLA 150 tablets of religious literature. n 500 gods with 25 major deities. n Many weather and fertility gods n Similar to those revered by Canaanites n
Ebla’s patron god DA-BI-IR n Hebrew DEBER , means "pestilence. " n Worship God of Pestilence in order to ward off pestilence n
Ebla’s River God Other popular god at Ebla. n NI-DA-KUL, or I-DA-QUL n Hebrew of Genesis 2: 14 = HIDDEQEL n “Tigris river”, n
Religion at Ebla Each of four city gates named for a god. n Royal family made monthly sacrifices n several classes of priests. n and two classes of prophets: makhkhu (ecstatic, dancing, singing) (preachers, orators) n
Nabi'utu (“prophet”) n Similar to Hebrew nabi = “prophet”
Ebla Religion and The Word Concept also found in the New Testament (John 1: 1 "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us”) n DA-BAR: Old Eblait god, based on concept of “the Word”. n
Henotheism at Ebla had a form of henotheism, the worship of one god above the others. n Hymn: "Lord of heaven and earth" n
Eblaite Religion and the God of Israel (Ya, Yahweh) If YA- is at the BEGINNING of a Mesopotamian name, then it is divine n YA-RA-MU n I-A-A-KHU n I-A-GU-LU n
Eblaite Religion and the God of Israel n n n Ebla YA-RA-MU n n Israelite Ya is exalted (2 Samuel 8: 10, 1 Chronicles. 26: 25, many verses in 1 and 2 Kings
Eblaite Religion and the God of Israel n YA-RA-MU = YO-RA-M (Yoram) Joram = "My god is exalted
Eblaite Religion and the God of Israel n n Ebla I-A-A-KHU n I-A-GU-LU n n I-A-BE I-A-GU n "Ya is joy" “Ya is Master” n I-A-MI-GU n "Ya is the Voice" n n Israel I-A-RA-BU "Ya is brother“ "Ya is Healer", or "Ya is Great"
Eblaite Gods in relation to Israelite Theology and Poetry n The motif of knowledge
The motif of knowledge n n Ebla LA-DI-A-AT = "Belonging to Knowledge" n n Israel El-DE-OT-YHWH = "the God of Knowledge is Yahweh" (1 Sam 2: 3)
The motif of knowledge n TEMIM DE'OT 'IMMAK, "the Perfect of knowledge is with you” (Job 36: 4)
The motif of knowledge n n Canaanite DI-A = “knowledge” n n n Israel DE’AH = “knowledge” Psalm 73: 11: "And they say, 'How does God know ' and "Is there knowledge (DE'-AH) in the Most High? ”
The motif of perfection n n Ebla TA-MI-MU, "the Perfect One". n n n Israel TE-MI-M is found in the book of Job “those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge” (Job 37: 16)
The motif of compassion n Ebla SU-RA-UM "Lamb of the Compassionate” n n n Israelite 'EL RAHUM "For a compassionate God ('EL RAHUM) is Yahweh your God" (Deuteronomy 4: 31)
The motif of fertility n "The just will flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. . . Still full of the same in old age, they will remain fresh and green" (Psalm 92: 13 and 92: 15)
The motif of fertility n n Ebla fertility gods DDA-SHI-IN = "The Fresh One" RA-AN = “The Green One” n Israel n DESHENIM = “Fresh” RA'ANANNIM = “Green” n
EBLA AND THE PATRIARCHS n Middle Bronze Age Ebla was standing in patriarchal period
EBLA AND THE PATRIARCHS n n n Ebla “NAM-RAD’ "NAM-RAD, king of Bargau" n n n Israel Nimrod Biblical tradition holds that Nimrod was the founder of several Mesopotamian kingdoms
EBLA AND THE PATRIARCHS n n Ebla A-DA-MU 'A-WA QU-TU-RA, "the perfumed one" n n Israel Adam HAWWAH (Eve) QETURAH (Gen. 25: 1 -6, Keturah, 2 nd wife of Abraham)
EBLA AND THE PATRIARCHS Ebla existed during the Patriarchal Age n Some Patriarchs may have visited it n Eblait personal and god names similar to some Hebrew names n Some shared cultural traditions n
NEXT TIME n Exodus, Part 1
- Slides: 71