THE LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL
Reading edition
TRANSLATED BY W. ST. CHAD BOSCAWEN
This legend is found on a tablet marked K, 3,657, in the British Museum. The story which the tablet contains appears to be the building of some great temple tower, apparently by command of a king. The gods are angry at the work, and so to put an end to it they confuse the speech of the builders. The tablet is in a very broken condition, only a few lines being in any way complete.
The late Mr. George Smith has given a translation of the legend in his work on Chaldean Genesis, and I have published the text and translation in the fifth volume of "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology."
LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL
COLUMN I
1 …[1] them the father. 2 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil 3 …[1] the father of all the gods[2] he turned from. 4 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil[3] 5 …[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 6 small and great mingled on the mound.[4] 7 …[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 8 small and great mingled on the mound.
[Footnote 1: Lacunæ.]
[Footnote 2: A title of Anu.]
[Footnote 3: Refers to the king who caused the people to sin.]
[Footnote 4: The verb used here is the same as in Gen. xi. 7, [Hebrew: bll].]
COLUMN II
1 The King of the holy mound[1] …[2] 2 In front and Anu lifted up …[2] 3 to the good god his father..,[2] 4 Then his heart also …[2] 5 which carried a command …[2] 6 At that time also …[2] 7 he lifted it up …[3] 8 Davkina. 9 Their (work) all day they founded 10 to their stronghold[4] in the night 11 entirely an end he made. 12 In his anger also the secret counsel he poured out 13 to scatter (abroad) his face he set 14 he gave a command to make strange their speech[5] 15 …[6] their progress he impeded 16 …[6]the altar
(Column III is so broken only a few words remain, so I have omitted it.)
[Footnote 1: A title of Anu.]
[Footnote 2: Lacunæ.]
[Footnote 3: All these broken lines relate to council of gods?]
[Footnote 4: The tower.]
[Footnote 5: "Uttaccira—melic-su-nu," "make hostile their council."]
[Footnote 6: Lacunæ.]
COLUMN IV [Footnote: Relates to the destruction of the tower by a storm.]
1 In (that day) 2 he blew and …[1] 3 For future time the mountain …[1] 4 Nu-nam-nir[2] went …[1] 5 Like heaven and earth he spake …[1] 6 His ways they went …[1] 7 Violently they fronted against him [3] 8 He saw them and to the earth (descended) 9 When a stop he did not make 10 of the gods …[1] 11 Against the gods they revolted 12 …[1] violence …[1] 13 Violently they wept for Babylon[4] 14 very much they wept. 15 And in the midst
(The rest is wanting.)
[Footnote 1: Lacunæ.]
[Footnote 2: The god of "no rule," or lawlessness.]
[Footnote 3: The builders continued to build.]
[Footnote 4: Lamentations of the gods for the Babylonians.]