Babylonian and Assyrian Literature

by Unknown

[Footnote 59: Literally, shepherd. Thus, Isa. xliv. 28, "Cyrus is my shepherd.">[

[Footnote 60: Cf. Ps. xxix. 10, "The Lord (Jhvh) sitteth upon the flood; yea the Lord sitteth King forever.">[

[Footnote 61: This reads like an annexation of a portion of Babylonian territory.]

[Footnote 62: Or upholder, proclaimer of Sin, the moon; of. I. 127.]

[Footnote 63: Assyr. "Nalad." Cf. the Heb. yâlad "born of.">[

[Footnote 64: Precisely thus were the Israelites carried away to Babylon.]

ASSYRIAN SACRED POETRY

TRANSLATED BY H.F. TALBOT, F.R.S.

The following translations are some of those which I published in the "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology" in order to show that the Assyrians had a firm belief in the immortality of the soul: a fact which was previously unknown.

I have added specimens of their penitential psalms, and some notices of their numerous superstitions, such as the exorcism of evil spirits, the use of magic knots and talismans, the belief in inherited or imputed sins, and in the great degree of holiness which they attributed to the number Seven. In some of these respects we may evidently see how great an influence was exercised on the mind and belief of the Jews by their long residence at Babylon.