The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria

[196] The text is defective at the point where the god's name is mentioned. See Keils Bibl. 3, 1, p. 133. King reads, Lugal-diri-tu-gab.

[197]Kosmologie, pp. 481 seq.

[198] Belser, Beiträge zur Assyr. ii. 203, col. vi.

[199]Kossaer, pp. 25-27.

[200] Delitzsch, Kossaer, p. 33.

[201] See above, p. 105.

[202] Examples of punning etymologies on names of gods are frequent. See Jensen's discussion of Nergal for examples of various plays upon the name of the god. Kosmologie, pp. 185 seq.

[203] Jensen, Kosmologie, pp. 185 seq. and p. 218.

[204]Kosmologie, p. 195.

[205] Rawlinson, i. 29, 16.

[206] This notion that the ground belongs to the gods, and that man is only a tenant, survives to a late period in Semitic religions. The belief underlies the Pentateuchal enactments regarding the holding of the soil, which is only to be temporary. See W. R. Smith, Religion of the Semites, pp. 91 seq.

[207] In Babylonian, Kallat Eshara, with another play upon her name. See above, p. 173.

[208]I.e., (Protect) his life, O Gula.

[209] Servant of Gula.

[210] See V.R. pl. 60.

[211] To this day in the Orient, fine productions of man's skill are attributed to the influence of hidden spirits, good or bad, as the case may be.

[212] This position does not, of course, exclude the fact that in the original form of the tradition, Tubal-cain, Naamah, and other personages in the fourth chapter of Genesis were deities.