Ba'al and Môt.

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Ben C. Smith
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Ba'al and Môt.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Modified and formatted from Qadash Kinahnu, which compiles several different translations of the ancient story (where given a choice, I went with Driver; and I ignored the alternate readings marked by "ALT"):

g. I* AB
Column 1
"When/for all that you smote/killed//If thou goest fighting Lotan (=Leviathan), the Slippery/Fleeing/Evasive Serpent,
made an end of/finished off//if now thou wouldst try to destroy the Wriggling/Twisting/Tortuous/Slant Serpent,
the tyrant/monster with/Shalyat of seven heads,
The heavens will burn up and droop helpless,
for I myself will crush you in pieces,
I will eat (you) . . . . . (and) forearms.
Indeed you must come down into the throat of El's son, Divine Mot, Death,
into the watery depths, the gorge of the Beloved of El, the Youth, Ghazir, the Hero!"
Depart and tarry not do the gods;
Then indeed they set their faces towards
Ba'al on the Heights of Tsaphon, mount of the North.
Then say Gapen and Ugar:
"Message of El's son, Divine Mot, Death,
Word of the Beloved of El, the youth, Ghazir, the Hero:
Then mine is the appetite of lions (in) the waste/like that of a lioness// The appetites of lions naturally crave sheep;
as the desire/longing of a dolphin is - in/for the sea;
or a pool attracts/seizes wild oxen, a spring does the like to hinds/deer;
If in truth it is my desire to consume clay,
Here then with both my hands I eat it,
If my sevenfold portions are served unto me,
or if the cup is mixed by Nahar, the River!
Ba'al has invited me with my brothers,
Hadad has called me with my kinsfolk!
But it is to eat bread with my brothers
and to drink wine with my kinsfolk
Have you then forgotten, Ba'al, that I can surely transfix you.
[ . . . . . ] you
for all that/When/If now thou smotest/killed/goest fighting Lotan (=Leviathan), the Slippery/Evasive/Fleeing Serpent,
made an end of/finished off/to destroy the Wriggling/Twisting/Tortuous/Slant Serpent,
Shalyat the Tyrant of seven heads/ The seven-headed monster (of might),
The heavens will burn up/wither and droop, (like the folds of your robes . . . .)
for I myself will crush you in pieces,
I will eat (you) . . . . . (and) forearms.
Now surely, indeed, you must descend into the throat of Divine Mot, El's son, Death,
into the watery depths/pit of the Beloved of El, Ghazir, the Hero!"

Column 2
One lip down to the earth, one lip to the heavens;
Mot stretches tongue to the stars.
Ba'al must enter his maw/innards; and must descend/ go down into his mouth,
like an olive-stuffed bread, Like the produce of earth, the fruit of the trees.
Afraid is Ba'al the Powerful;
Terrified is the Rider on the Clouds:
"Leave/ Depart/ Be gone!; Speak to El's son Mot/Death,
repeat to the Beloved of El, the youth, Ghazir the Hero:
'Message of Ba'al the Powerful, the word of the Mightiest of Warriors:
Hail/Be gracious, Divine Mot, El's son Death!
I am your slave, I am your bondsman forever.' "
The gods leave and tarry not;
Then indeed they set their faces toward the Divine Mot
in (the midst of) his city, the Swamp/Mire-y/Hamriya, to the pit where is/Muck - the low throne that he sits on, Down unto the Pit of Mot he descends, to the throne that he sits on Where a pit is the throne on which he sits.
(to the) filth of the earth, which is his estate. His filthy land of inheritance. Phlegm, the land of inheritance.
They lift their voices and cry: The message of mightiest Ba'al,
the word of the Mightiest of Warriors:
'Hail/Be gracious, El's son/Divine Mot/Death!
I am your servant/slave, I am your bondman forever.' Rejoice did the Divine Mot, El's son, Death.
He lifted up his voice and cried:
How Ba'al comes to make merry along with my companions,
How Hadad, tarries awhile with my comrades! [ . . . . . ] my bread
[ . . . . . ] he has cut up
[ . . . . . ] ?I am rejoicing
[ . . . . . ] depart

Column 3
[ . . . . . ] great is the seat [ . . . . . ]
great is the seat [ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ] the land [ . . . . . ]
t`td.tkl.[ . . . . . ]
it shall belong to your son [ . . . . . ]
of your son [ . . . . . ]
. . . . . like the stars [ . . . . . ]
Truly I must call Mot [ . . . . . ]
the beloved one within [ . . . . . ]
(How of a truth) can I put [ . . . . . ]
can I overturn you [ . . . . . ]
. . . . . and go [ . . . . . ]
and go, gods [ . . . . . ]
the most gracious of the gods [ . . . . . ]
Sheger (a deity of cattle, lit. off-spring of cattle), much [ . . . . . ]
Sheger, much [ . . . . . ]
Truly I must call Mot [ . . . . . ]
the beloved one within [ . . . . . ]
and go, gods [ . . . . . ]
and tell to [ . . . . . ]
with much sheep [ . . . . . ]
much sheep [ . . . . . ]
Ithm (a deity of cattle) [ . . . . . ]
Truly I must call Mot [ . . . . . ]
the beloved one within [ . . . . . ]
. . . . . And go [ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ] go [ . . . . . ]

Column 4
And to seek [ . . . . . ]
a hundred [ . . . . . ]
do you seek [ . . . . . ]
He lifted up his voice and cried:
"Where then is Ba'al [ . . . . . ]
Where is Hadad [ . . . . . ]
Ba'al arose with his seven pages
with his eightserving maids
he came near [ . . . . . ]
food [ . . . . . ]
while the gods did eat and drink
and they were supplied with a suckling;
with a salted knife they did carve a fatling;
they did drink flagons of wine;
from cups of gold the blood of trees;
from cups of silver [ . . . . . ]
flagons [ . . . . . ]
. . . . . and the [ . . . . . ]
they went up; new wine [ . . . . . ]
the house of El [ . . . . . ]
for a ruler [ . . . . . ]
who has sent [ . . . . . ]
has sent [ . . . . . ]
do you recount [ . . . . . ]
the reviler [ . . . . . ]

Column 5
mightiest
Ba'al [ ? Take in the hand? ] your torch
[ ?in ] your [right hand red ochre ?]
[ . . . . . ] the life of a calf
[ . . . . . ] I will put him in a hole of the earth-gods/numinous dead.
And as for you, take your clouds,
your winds, your thunder-bolts, your rains;
with you, your seven servitors/pages,
your eight noble serving maids;
with you Pidraya, daughter of light,
with you Talaya, daughter of rain/showers.
Then truly, do you set your face
towards Mount Kankaniya/the rocks/mountain (at the entrance) of my grave/the cavernous mountain; Lift the mountain with your hands,
Raise the holt upon your palms,
And go down to the house of "freedom" in the depth of the earth, and be counted among them those who
go down into the earth, and you will know nothingness,
like mortals/of mortality/ for thou wilt have become as one who has died! Obeys does Mightiest Ba'al.
He loves a heifer in Dabr, the desert pastures
a cow in Shechelmamat field, by the shore of the realm of death;
he did lie with her seven and seventy times,
she allowed him to mount eight and eighty times;
and she conceived and gave birth to a boy, Math, the twin-brother
Mightiest Ba'al did clothe him with his robe
[ . . . . . ] him as a gift
for the Beloved One [ . . . . . ] to his breast . . .

Column 6
They penetrate the mountain/pavillion of El,
enter the massif/tent of the King, Father of Years,
They lift their voices and they cry:
"We two did go round to the edges of the earth,
to the limits of the watery region.
We arrived at - the pleasant place, the desert pasture ‘Pleasure,’ the land of pastures the pleasance of Dabr-land,
the lovely fields of the shore of Death 'Delight,' the fields on the shore by the realm of Death the beauty of Shahalmamat-field.
We came upon Ba'al: fallen on/sunk into the earth/ground.
Dead is Ba'al the Powerful!
Perished is the Prince, Master of the Earth!"
Straightaway Kindly El the Compassionate
Comes down from his throne, Sits sit on his footstool;
Then coming down from his footstool, does sit on the ground.
He pours/strews ashes/dust/earth of mourning on his head,
dust of wallowing/in which he rolled (fig. of mortification) on his crown/pate;
he covers his loins with sackcloth.
He cuts himself/his skin with a stone (knife),
with flint for a razor/he made incisions with a razor;
Cheeks and chin he scrapes,
He harrows/rakes his (upper) arm (with a reed).
He plows his chest (lit. nose of heart=the breast bone) like a garden,
Furrows his back/torso like a valley.
He lifts his voice and cries: Ba'al is dead!
What will become of the people? Dagon's Son gone! What of the multitudes?
after Ba'al/in Ba'al's place I will go down into the earth."
Then Anath too goes to and fro/ goes and wanders/ goes strolling and walking/ is walking and wandering
on every mountain to the heart of the earth,
over every hill to the heart of the fields.
She arrives at/comes to the pleasant place, the desert pasture/ 'Pleasure,' the land of pastures/ the pleasance of Dabr-land; the lovely fields of the shore of Death/ 'Delight,' the fields on the shore by the realm of Death/ the beauty of Shachalmamat-field..
She comes upon Ba'al: fallen on /sunk to the earth.
She covered her loins with sackcloth For raiment she dons sackcloth and loincloth.

h. I AB
Column 1
She cuts/scrapes herself/her skin with a stone (knife),
with flint for a razor;/she made incisions with a razor;
Cheeks and chin she gashes,
She plows her chest like a garden, Furrows/rakes her back/torso like a plain/valley.
Ba'al is dead!
What will become of/happen to the people? Dagan's Son gone! What of the multitudes/ masses?
After Ba'al/in Ba'al's place - we will go down into the earth "
Down with her comes the Luminary of the gods, the Torch of the Divine Ones, Lady Shapash the Sun:
Then weeps she her fill of weeping; Deep she drinks tears, like wine.
Then loudly calls she to the Torch of the Divine Ones/ the Luminary of the Gods, Lady Shapash the Sun,
"Lift, I pray you, onto me Mightiest Ba'al!"
The Torch, Luminary of the Gods, Lady Shapash the Sun, obeys.
She lifts up Aliyin Ba'al the Mightiest; on the shoulders
of Anat surely she sets him; and she takes/brings him
to the Heights of Tsaphon of the North. She bewails/weeps for him
and buries him. She puts/lays him in the hollows
of the numinous dead//gods/shades/ ghosts - of the earth.
She slaughters seventy buffaloes/wild oxen/rumim As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She slaughters seventy plow oxen/ alepim
As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She slaughters seventy sheep (lit. small cattle)/ tsin
As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She slaughters seventy deer/harts/ aylim (oryx?)
As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She slaughters seventy mountain goats / y‘alim
As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She slaughters seventy asses / chamrim
As kgmn/tribute/oblation/funeral offering to Mighty Ba'al;
She put his [ . . . . . ] in [ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ] him as befitted a brother-in-law of the gods.
Then straightway she turns her face
toward ’El at the sources/convergence of the Two Rivers/ Streams,
in the midst of the springs/pools of the double-deep/Two Oceans/Seas/Deeps.
She penetrates the mountain/tent of ’El,
Enters the massif/shrine of the King, Father of Years,
At the feet of ’El she does homage and falls down/bows down and adores/bows and falls,
She prostrates herself and does him honor/worships him.
She lifts her voice and she cries:
"Now let rejoice ’Athirat and her sons.
’Elat and the company of her kinsfolk/her pride of lions.
For dead is Ba'al the Powerful!
Perished is the Prince, the Master of the Earth!"
’El cries aloud to Lady ’Athirat of the Sea:
"Hark/Hear/Listen, O Lady ’Athirat of the Sea,
Give one of your sons that I may make him king."
And answers Lady ’Athirat of the Sea:
"Yes, let us make king who has knowledge and intelligence, Yadi‘-Yalhan."
But answered Kindly ’El the Compassionate:
"One feeble in strength cannot run
like Ba'al; nor release the spear/javlin
like Dagan's son Glory-Crown/when the time is right."
But answered Lady ’Athirat of the Sea:
"No! Let us make king ’Athtar the Awesome.
Let the king be ’Athtar the Awesome!"
Thereupon straightway ’Athtar the Awesome
goes up into the Heights of Tsaphon in the North;
He sits in the throne of Mightiest Ba'al.
His feet do not reach the footstool;
His head does not reach the headrest.
And spoke ’Athtar the Awesome:
"I cannot be king in the Heights of Tsaphon!"
And down comes ’Athtar the Awesome;
he descends from the seat of Mightiest Ba'al.
and he becomes king over - all the broad earth/ ’El's earth, the whole of it
[ . . . . . ] they drew water from/into casks.
[ . . . . . ] they drew water from/into barrels.

Column 2
A day, days/ ALT: One day, then two,
passed. Maiden Anat
feels drawn to him; Like the heart of a cow
for her calf, Like the heart of a ewe
for her lamb, Is the heart of Anat
for Ba'al. She grabs Mot
by the fold/ hem/ edge of his garment/ clothes, She seizes/constrains him
by the hem/ end/ edge of his robe/ garments. She lifts up her voice and she
cries: "Come, Mot! Give up my brother!
But responds/replies Divine Mot, El's son Death: "What
do desire you, O Maiden Anat ?
I went and wandered/ to and fro/was taking a walk and wandering. Every
mountain to the heart of the earth; Every hill
to the heart/in bowels of the fields. My appetite did lack
the sons of men; My appetite, the multitudes
of the earth. I arrived at/came to/reached the pleasant place, the desert pasture/ 'Pleasure,' the land of pastures/the pleasance of Dabr-land;
the lovely fields on Death's shore/ 'Delight,' the fields of the shore by the realm of Death/ the beauty of Shahalmamat-field.
I it was who approached/confronted Mighty Ba'al
I who put him like a lamb in my mouth;
and like a kid he was carried away in my gullet."
Lady Shapash the Sun, the torch, luminary of the gods did burn/glow hot,
the heavens - are wearied by/ shimmer under - the hand of the Beloved of El, Mot.
A day, days passed. From days to months.
Maiden Anat feels drawn to him;
Like the heart of a cow for her calf; Like the heart
of a ewe for her lamb; Is the heart
of Anat for Ba'al. She grabs/seizes
divine/son of the El, Mot; with blade
she does cleave/split him, with fan/sieve she does winnow
him, with fire she does burn him,
with hand-mill/mill-stone she grinds him, in the field
she does sow/scatter him, his remnants/pieces indeed devoured
by birds, his limbs/parts/portions indeed consumed
by fowl. Flesh to flesh cries out.

Column 3
For surely perished has he (Baal).
But if Mighty Ba'al lives/is alive,
if the Prince, the Master of the Earth, exists/has revived,
Then in a dream of Kindly El the Compassionate,
in a vision of the Creator of All Creatures,
The heavens oil let rain,
the wadis let run with honey.
then I will know that alive is Mighty Ba'al,
revived has/existent is the Prince, Master of the Earth."
In a dream of Kindly El, the Compassionate,
in a vision of the Creator of All,
the heavens rain down oil,
the wadis flow with honey.
Rejoice does Kindly El, the Compassionate:
his feet on the footstool he sets,
he parts/opens his throat/mouth/jaws and laughs;
he raises/lifts up his voice and shouted/cried:
"Now I can/will sit and be at ease;
take its ease/lie calm in my breast shall my heart/spirit/soul;
For alive is Mighty Ba'al,
Existent/Revived is the Prince, Master of Earth."
El calls to the Virgin Anat:
"Hearken/Hear/Listen, O Maiden/Virgin Anat!
Speak/Say to the Luminary of the Deities/the gods' Torch Lady Shapash, the Sun:

Column 4
"Parched/Cracked/Dried are the furrows of the fields, O Shapash;
Parched/Cracked/Dried are the furrows of El's fields;
Ba'al has neglected the furrows of his plowland/ tillage.
Where is Mighty Ba'al?
where is the Prince, the Master of the Earth?"
The Virgin Anat departed;
indeed she set her face
toward the Luminary of the Deities/gods' torch, Lady Shapash, the Sun;
she raised/lifted up her voice and cried/shouted:
"Message of the Bull, El your father,
the word of the Kindly One, your sire/begetter:
Parched/Cracked/Dried are the furrows of the fields, O Shapash;
Parched/Cracked/Dried are the furrows of El's fields;
Ba'al has neglected the furrows of his plowland/ tillage.
Where is Mighty Ba'al?
where is the Prince, the Master of the Earth?’ "
And replies the Luminary of the Deities/gods' torch, Lady Shapash, the Sun:
"Pour sparkling wine from its container,
bring a garland for your relative/sibling;
and I will seek Mighty Ba'al."
And replies the Virgin Anat:
"Hence and thither you go, O Shapash,
wherever and whither, may El protect you."

Column 5
Seizes does Ba'al the sons of Athirat.
Rabbim/The great ones he smites with the broad-sword/in the back/on the shoulder;
Dokyamim/The pounders of the Sea (Waves?) he smites with the mace/bludgeon/club;
Tsorim/The small ones he drags/fells to the ground/earth.
Sits does Ba'al upon the throne of his kingship,
on the cushion on the seat of his dominion.
A day, days passed, from days to months, from months
to years. Then in the seventh year
[ Then spoke ] the Divine/Godly/son of El Mot
to mightiest Ba'al;
he lifts up his voice and cries:
Because of you, Ba'al, I have experienced abasement/disgrace/ shame,
Because of you I have experienced splitting with the sword,
Because of you I have experienced burning with fire,
Because of you I have experienced grinding with mill-stones,
Because of you I have experienced winnowing/ sifting with the basket/sieve,
Because of you I have experienced [sowing] in the fields,
Because of you I have experienced scattering in the sea.
Give one of your brothers
so that I may be fed/ sit down and eat
and the anger that I feel will turn back.
if not one of your brothers,
behold I shall [ . . . . ]
I shall consume/make an end of [humankind]
I shall consume/make an end of the multitudes [of earth].’
And he [ . . . . ]

Column 6
[ . . . . . ] I will drive him forth,
[ . . . . . ] I will banish him
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ] divine Mot, son of El, Death
[ . . . . . ] peoples.
[ . . . . . ] divine Mot, son of El, Death
[let him eat] his seven pages/servitors!’
And answered divine Mot:
"But look! Ba'al has given me my own brothers to eat,
the sons of my mother to consume!"
He returned to Ba'al in the Heights of Tsaphon
he lifts up his voice and cries:
"My own brothers you have given me, Ba'al, to eat,
the sons of my mother to consume!"
They butted each other like camels kgmrm/ antelopes kzmrm
Mot is strong/firm, Ba'al is strong/firm. They gored
like wild oxen; Mot is strong/firm, Ba'al
is strong/firm. They bit like serpents
Mot is strong/firm, Ba'al is strong/firm.
They kicked/tugged like runners/chargers
Mot fell down, Ba'al fell down (on top of him).
Lady Shapash the Sun cried out from above to Mot:
"Hear/Listen, I beseech you, o divine/El's son Mot.
Why do/How can - you battle with Mighty Ba'al?
How of a truth shall the bull El your father hear you?
Indeed/Surely he will undermine/pull up the support/ foundations of your seat/throne,
indeed/surely will overturn the throne of your kingship,
indeed will break/smash the sceptre/staff of your rule/dominion/judgment.’
Afraid is Divine Mot
In dread/Terrified is the Beloved of El, the Youth, Ghazir, the Hero.
Mot rouses himself at her call
Let them seat Ba'al on the throne of his kingdom,
on the cushion on the seat of his dominion!
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
[ . . . . . ]
Do you indeed betake yourself to the fresh meat,
Yes, do you indeed eat the bread of honor/contribution/ sacrificial meal,
Yes, do you indeed drink the wine of favor/oblation/offering,
Lady Shapash, - the shades are under you/judges the Healers/shall govern the gathered ones (rapha'im);
Lady Shapash, - the ghosts are under you/judges the gods/shall hold sway over the upper gods ilnym;
the gods come to you,
behold! the Dead come to you/Gods, Death is yours. Kothar is your companion/friend
and your acquaintaince/intimate Khasis.
In the sea are Arsh, Desire, and Tannin, the Dragon;
Let Kothar-wa-Khasis banish them,
Drive them away, let Kothar-wa-Khasis!

Refer also to John C. L. Gibson, Canaanite Myths and Legends, pages 68-81: http://docslide.us/documents/canaanite- ... gends.html.

Summary from Ulf Oldenburg, The Conflict Between El and Ba'al, page 75:

When Ba'al at the apex of his power demands the unconditional surrender of Môt that he may gain the whole earth, he loses his life. As he descends into the underworld, being swallowed up by Môt, Ba'al becomes a chthonic deity. From the underworld Ba'al arises again when Môt is slain.

Interesting comparison:

Ba'al and Môt, Column 3, lines 18-21:
Even I may sit down and be at ease, and (my) soul within me may take its ease;
For mightiest Baal is alive, for the prince lord of earth exists.

Psalm 18.47 Masoretic (18.46 English):
Yahweh lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation.

Ben.
ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ
outhouse
Posts: 3577
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:48 pm

Re: Ba'al and Môt.

Post by outhouse »

Ben C. Smith wrote: Interesting comparison:



Ben.

It is. There is a lot that made it through the redactions still hiding in the first 5 books.

After all these people were Canaanites for the most part.

The evolution of Yahweh into monotheism is a good example of how a deity is created like Jesus from plagiarized sources and parallels and redaction. Including the cross cultural evolution in both deities. Jesus went from Aramaic Judaism into Hellenism in the Diaspora, Israelites from multiple Semitic cultures after the bronze age collapse before evolving into to groups north and south each loyal to different deities at different times while polytheist they mirrored henotheism during war time loyal to Yahweh before monotheism after King Josiah's reforms.


Sorry I love the evolution of monotheism and their polytheistic past. I love the stuff you brought
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Ben C. Smith
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Re: Ba'al and Môt.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

outhouse wrote:Sorry I love the evolution of monotheism and their polytheistic past. I love the stuff you brought
Thanks. Of possible interest: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2361.

Ben.
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