Analysis of a text from the time of Noah

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

22 July 2010

When Noah left the ark in 2521 BCE, he did not know he will live another few centuries to reach 2169 BCE. This is in the wake of the start of the Ur III period in 2114 BCE with Urnammu. The Kish dynasty of Mesilim may have been until 2450 BCE. He was followed by Ur-Nansha of Lagash (a semite) who was followed by Akurgal and then followed by Eannatum. Ush of Umma rejected Mesilim's decision and ripped out a stele. Ur-Nansha of Lagash became the king of Lagash. In the time of his grandson Eannatum, it became a no-man's land. The Lagash dynasty operated presumably between 2422-2392 BCE since the earth was divided in the year 2395 BCE. It was probably during these days prior to 2395 BCE, that En-khe-gal was king of Lagash. A document from his time survived and it seems to be a real estate holding document to explain how much belonged to the king and all the metals that were also the king's.

The text was published by George Burton in 1915, Sumerian Business and Administrative Documents from the Earliest Times to the Dynasty of Agade (The University Museum Publications of the Babylonian Section Vol. IX no. 1 [University of Pennsylvania, 1915] text no. 2 with a plate at the back). Access to the text is at www.etana.org and then click on core texts, then on electronic texts by author, go to page 12 and look for George Burton.

A number of conclusions can be made about the text.

Organized and neat scribe

The straight lines of the boxes in which the sentences were placed, is evidence of neat work with a ruler. Every sentence was parked in a box just big enough to accomodate the sentence. The scribe probably wrote it first on velum and then transfered the information on the tablet.

Maths were highly developed in those days (2450 BCE)

If one looks at the numerical systems, they were using dots and half dots (shaped like a D) for counting. The numerical system is done with numbers that are archaic Sumerian. At a few places in the text, at Column 4 sentence 6, Column 6 sentences 3 and 4, there is a sudden reverting to Neo-Sumerian nail cuneiform counting system, that actually came later during the Ur III period starting in 2114 BCE. A bit of bilingualism crept in here, an archaic and new system used, side by side. It is possible that we are dealing with two generations here, older and younger. The scribe may have been a young scribe.

Listing of gifts or property for the king(s)

The scribe is listing metals and land that is given to the king. Also grain, plants, and various kinds of land is given to the king. The scribe also listed the royal land that was captured from Umma, the nearby city. It bordered on the old palm trees of Gu-edin, the cherished land. A large enclosure belonging to Badgishgi, the brother of Ibkurun is given to Ganaush, a princely leader the brother of Shidmal'(?)ru who was also a king.

Joining the receipts into one balance sheet statement

What the scribe seemingly did, is to take small receipts and list all the data on his new text in the columns, and then 21.5% of the sentences he devoted to glorifying the king. We have allocated the glorifying sentences in colors.

Land for Enkhegal,

[glorifying sentences]

the king

improver of the land's irrigation

uniter of the land

the exalted king

chief counsellor

the subduer

princely leader

great lord

What is interesting, is that some of these glorifying sentences are given again later but with the name of another king. They reappear.

Land for Ganaush

. . . . .

princely leader

great lord

. . . . . .

the shepherd

the exalted king

chief counsellor

the subduer

Imagine a treasurer who is asked to give a year balance sheet of all income. He completed it carefully but 21.5% of the text is filled with: the CEO, wonderful leader, excellent chairman, good advisor, brilliant planner, the best boss.

The psychology behind this putative treasurer's financial statement is open for queries.

Political leaders are mentioned but also religious leaders

The temple economy are also involved. The last two columns on the reverse of the tablet says that Anguzi purchased land for Lugalkigalla, the priest of Ningirsu.

Theme of the tablet

The last line of the tablet says what kind of text it was: Real estate holdings.

Confiscation [land grab] of property by state and religion

The religion of those days purchased a land as we can see in Reverse columns 1 and 2. The state of Lagash with king En-he-gal as leader, "captured from Umma" (Column 6 sentence 6) a neighboring city, royal land that bordered a cherished land. We have here evidence of normal business practices by religion and land grab by the state.

The text is a composite work

The text is not only one continuous production by the scribe. In fact, the scribe used 12 different texts to compose his overview of properties in holdings. We have allocated the 12 different texts in the following way. There is the data of the land or property or gifts of metal. It is followed by the name of the one receiving it and where he is from (although optional). When the person is important, a king or high leader, a list of honorific sentences followed that glorifies the person. The next document is seamed in just after the end of this list of glorifying sentences.

Twelve documents that served as sources could be established: A-J.

A Column 1 sentences 1-5

B Column 1 sentences 6-7 and Column 2 sentences 1-10

C Column 3 sentences 1-9

D Column 3 sentences 10-11 and Column 4 sentences 1-10

E Column 4 sentences 11-12 and Column 5 sentences 1-4

F Column 5 sentences 6-12

G Column 6 sentences 1-6

H Column 6 sentences 7-9

I Column 7 sentences 1-5

J Column 7 sentences 6-8 Reverse Column 8 sentence 1

K Reverse Column 8 sentences 2-3

L Reverse Column 8 sentences 4-6 and Column 9 sentences 1-2

The last sentence is the label for the work or the title of the whole combination of these texts.

Implication for Bible historiography

This method of writing an overview of events or actions and combine it from many sources into one text is very important for understanding the way Moses used his sources from the Book of Adam, Book or Noah and so forth (Genesis 5:1). The Book of Noah would have originated the same time as this text. When one reads the early parts of the book of Genesis, one can also see how Moses accurately and with high precision copy what was delivered to him in the Book of Adam without changing the material. The composition is made by combination of the sources and there is no intention to change the information and add to what is already in front of him. The only choice Moses had, is to choose what to select and what not. This was in 1460 BCE while he was writing in Midian the book of Genesis and Job.

Seventh Day Adventists do not operate with the philosophy of source criticism but with the method of source analysis. It removes the element of suspicion and doubt and study the text with faith and care. It analyse the sources but do not take away the authorship of the writer or the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding the person to the pockets of truth available in the sources of ancient times.

The scribe who combined the information of the above text did not want to change the numbers in Neo-Sumerian into Archaic Sumerian and that is why the numbers of Text D at Column 4 sentence 6 and Text G at Column 6 sentences 3-4 is left as it was on the original text. Accuracy is a high premium in their modus operandi and that is how Noah was and Adam and later also Moses. There is an accurate transmission of data as it was received. The modern concepts of myth shaping for propaganda purposes establishing themselves and rationalizing their actions away, adding, omitting, falsifying the data, has no room in Ancient Historiography as we see here. Sometimes the Ancient sources were falsified, as we see in the texts of Sennacherib dealing with his Third Campaign (689 BCE) or Ramesses II dealing with his famous battle of Qadesh on the Orontes (see Breasted's Volumes online on this). But, this cannot be said of all Ancient texts especially if scribes had to do their Administrative duties in everyday life.

Language of Noah

There is one thing we are 100% sure. This text dates to the time of Noah. What we are only 90% sure, is that Noah knew this language. But, whether Noah spoke this language and Akkadian of the Ebla kind, especially early Eblaitic, is as subject that we need to look into. Noahic linguistics also include this text since it is dating long before the death of Noah in 2169 BCE. We have three areas to consider for Noahic Linguistics: Archaic Sumerian, Pre-sargonic Eblaitic and Pre-Sargonic "neo-" Sumerian of the type that cropped up also in this text.

TRANSLITERATION TRANSLATION

X[XX]III [BUR] GAN

33 (burs) of land

[X]XII URUDU MANA

22 manas of bronze

XX ŠE SIG

22 (gurs) of winnowed grain

X ZIZ SIG

10 (gurs) of cleansed (ziz) plant

GAN [EN-ḪE-GAL]-ŠU

land of Enḫegal

[LU]GAL PUR-SIR-LA

King of Lagash

VII [BUR] GAN

7 (burs) of land

XI1 URUDU MA-NA

12 manas of bronze

XX UR-ŠAM

20 (gurs) of Ur-plant

II ŠE SIG

2 (gurs) of winnowed grain

DU-SIG-LUGAL

of the royal standard of purity

GAN-XI-RU

rain prepared field

XI [BUR] GAN-KI

11 (burs) of unprepared field

V URUDU MA-NA

5 manas of bronze

X1 MAŠ ŠE SlG

11 and a half (gurs) of winnowed grain

GAN ŠAM-ŠUKUM-ME

land of the šukum-me plants

EN-ḪE-GAL-ŠU

of Enḫegal

LUGAL PUR-SIR-LA

King of Lagash

DU-SIG-LUGAL

of the royal standard of purity

VI11 [BUR] GAN

8 (burs) of land

II BAL

2 (burs) of ploughed field

XI GAB-ŠE SIG

11 (gurs) of winnowed gab-grain

X MAŠ ŠE SIG

10 and a half (gurs) of winnowed grain

EN-ḪE-GAL-ŠU LUGAL

of king Enḫegal

KAS E-KI

improver of the land's irrigation

LAL-Kl

uniter of the land

LUGAL NIM GIN SAG LAL

the exalted king, chief counsellor, the subduer

MAŠ NUN BAR NIG GU

princely leader, great lord

XXX LAL II BUR GAN

28 (burs) of land

XII URUDU MA-NA

12 manas of bronze

XL ŠE SIG

40 (gurs) of winnowed grain

XX LAL I BUR GAN

19 (burs) of land

IVCXX URUDU NA-MA

420 manas of bronze

X MAŠ ŠE SIG

10 and a half (gurs) of winnowed grain

IV BUR LUGAL-KI

4 (burs) of royal land

III BUR LUGAL-KI

3 (burs) of royal land

KUR GIŠ-RU

captured from Umma

BAR SIL GIŠ GIŠIM-MAR

bordering on the old palm trees

GU-GAN ZUR-KI

of Gu-edin, the cherished land

EN-ḪE-GAL-ŠU

of Enḫegal

LUGAL BUR-ŠIR-LA

king of Lagash

XIV BUR GAN

14 (burs) of land

VICII URUDU MA-NA

602 manas of bronze

II ŠE SIG

2 (gurs) of winnowed grain

BAD-GIŠ-GI

of Badgišgi

ŠIŠ IB-KURUN

brother of Ibkurun

GIRIN GAL

A large enclosure

X BUR GAN

10 (burs) of land

IIC URUDU MA-NA

200 manas of bronze

II ŠE SIG

2 (gurs) of winnowed grain

GAN-A-UŠ

(for) Ganaush

MAŠ NUN BAR NIG-GU

princely leader, great lord

ŠIŠ ŠID-MAL(?)-RU APIN

brother of Shidmal(?)ru

the shepherd

LUGAL NIM GIN SAG LAL

the exalted king, chief counsellor,

the subduer

KAT . . . . [LU]GAL

VIII BUR GAN

8 (burs) of land

CLXXX ŠE SIG

180 (gurs) of winnowed grain

GAN PARA-GAB-EŠ

a field of Paragabeš

CLX SIG ŠE APIN

160 (gurs) of winnowed grain,

the shepherd

MAŠ NUN BAR NIG-GU

princely leader, great lord

DU-SIG-LUGAL

of the royal standard of purity

XXI BUR GAN NIG UD-DU

21 (burs) of land, belonging to Uddu

GUD GAN

an ox-irrigated field

[C]XL URUDU [MA-NA]

140 manas of bronze

X BUR GAN

10 (burs) of land

A-Š[A]

a field

VICXXXVI URUDU NA-MA

636 manas of bronze

MAŠ APIN

(for) the leader, the shepherd

III BUR URU-MUS

(3 burs) Urumush

ICXX URUDU MA-NA

120 manas of bronze

MAŠ APIN

(for) the leader, the shepherd

GAN BUR-[ŠIR-LA]

of the field of Lagash

AN-GU-ZI

Anguzi

VICXC BUR GAN

690 (burs) of land

XXXVIIICX URUDU MA-NA

3810 manas of bronze

XXI MAŠ ŠE SIG

21 and a half (gurs) of winnowed grain

II BUR BAL

2 (burs) of ploughed land

GAN-SAM

land purchased

LUGAL-KI-GAL-LA

(for) Lugalkigalla

ISIB ^dNIN-GIR-SU

priest of Ningirsu

GAN-NIG

real estate holdings