[771] So Bel is called in contrast to Anu. See p. 53.

[772] One is reminded of the Biblical injunction with regard to the Laws of Yahwe, Deut. vi. 7: "Thou shall teach them to thy sons and speak constantly of them."

[773] I.e., to the kings who are frequently called 'shepherds' in the historical texts.

[774] Or, according to the earlier view, to an atmospheric god.

[775] "The Gilgamesh Epic."

[776] First published by Pinches, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1891, pp. 393-408.

[777] Clay, it will be recalled, was the building material in Babylonia.

[778] The word in the text is generally applied to "a mass" of animals, but also to human productions. See Delitzsch, Assyr. Handwörterbuch, p. 467.

[779] Bel's temple at Nippur.

[780] Temple of Ishtar at Erech or Uruk.