Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Peter Kirk:

Why do you find a closer model for Genesis in Greece rather than in
Mesopotamia? Is Genesis really so much closer to Herodotus than to
Gilgamesh? Of course it is different from both.

My research indicates that Genesis was composed in the 5th century BCE (the
Medus myth, see earlier posts). I have noted however certain motifs that
appear in Genesis and which appear no where else in the ANE myths, but they
do appear in the Greek works of Homer and Hesiod (9th-7th centuries BCE).
How to account for this strange phenomenon ? Others have noted these motifs
and posited the Greeks borrowing from the ANE world via the Hittites and
Phoenicians. The problem is, if the Phoenicians are the source, acting as a
cultural bridge, how to account for the fact that they failed so miserably
in introducing these motifs to the Egyptians and Assyrians with whom they
enjoyed a much longer and fruitful commercial intercourse ?  The great
Assyrian library of Ashurbanipal does not have any tablets with these themes
on them, and they ruled over Phoenicia, how come ?

Genesis' Greek parallels:

Hesiod claims the gods made man first and later a woman (Pandora), just like
Adam is made first and then a woman (this is not a Mesopotamian motif).  The
first race of men died "beloved of the gods" death overtaking them as a
gentle sleep. This is quite a contrast to the Mesopotamian notions man was
made as an afterthought to relieve the god's of toil. Greek myths have men
enjoying a bountiful nature without toil until hubris rears it ugly head and
man becomes alienated from Zeus, a similar notion of hubris exists for Adam.

The first woman, Pandora is blamed for mankind's woes because she disobeyed
and her womanly curiousity opened the forbidden jug releasing evil. Eve's
curiosity and disobeyeance lands Adam and mankind in trouble. Succeeding
ages of mankind become more debased-a common theme in Hesiod and the bible.
Greek gods wrestle with human heroes and are overcome by them, being
released only upon granting a boon, like Jacob's wrestling with the angel.
Homer tells the story of a beautiful wife taken from her lawful husband by a
lustful foreign prince, who's city suffers disaster- a theme with Abraham
and sarah, the foreign prince being Pharaoh and Abimelech of Gerar.

If I am correct in dating Genesis to the 5th century BCE, then these motifs
may have been picked up by Jews at the Persian court, being exposed to Greek
advisors, mercenaries, spies, physicians, and businessman. In identifying
Genesis as a 5th century creation, I find an answer not only for Madai's
descent from Japheth/Iapetos, but also an answer for why Noah blessed
Japheth to co-rule Canaan with Shem. The Philistines according to Genesis
are descendants of Ham, not Japheth. The Table of Nations lists Japheth's
descendants, so it makes sense to me that among these peoples is one who is
blessed to co-rule Canaan with Shem (the Hebrews). Only the Medes/Madai
ruled over Canaan with the Jews (Shem), when Cyrus, the grandson of
Astyages, last king of Media, brought about Judah's re-birth. All Persian
kings claim descent from Cyrus, who in turn is Median through his
grandfather, and Genesis makes Madai the son of Japheth. What was the
extraordinary kindness that Japheth did to warrant the Hebrews "giving up
sole rule" of their beloved Promised Land, sharing it with Japheth ? I would
argue that the restoration of the temple, Judaea, and Jerusalem, were reason
enough to have Noah bless Japheth's descendants with co-rule.  I know of no
other possible scenario that makes any sense.

All the best,

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
Walldorf by Heidelberg
Baden-Wurttemburg
Germany