Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter Mattfeld" <mattfeld AT mail.pjsnet.com>]

Mr. Martin has raised an interesting question, did the Enuma Elish exist in
Post-exilic times in Palestine ? The answer is that most probably there were
Jews in the Persian province of Yehud (Judah) who were familiar with the
Enuma Elish.

The Enuma Elish was recited every year as part of a ceremony re-installing
the king of Babylon. As part of the public ceremonies, he took the hand of
Babylon's supreme god Marduk. It is not unreasonable to suppose that some
Jews lived in Babylon, and that not all left for Yehud in 538 BCE under the
Persians and Cyrus. Ezra brought Jews from Babylon circa 458 BCE, the
Persian King being called the king of Babylon (cf. Ezra 5:13, Nehemiah
13:6).

The early Persian kings were installed as Kings of Babylon and held court in
that city. Cyrus through Artaxerxes were called "kings of Babylon," and
probably took part in the Enuma Elish ceremonies. So the answer is yes to
Mr. Martin's question, there were indeed most probably Jews in Post-exilic
Palestine aware of the Enuma Elish.

All the best,

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
Walldorf by Heidelberg
Baden-Wurttemburg
Germany