38 THE author's reply. 



much the creator of terrestrial things, as of the gods* (see p. 14). 

 The earth and mankind were created by Merodach, aided by the 

 goddess Aruru (see p. 5). If, therefore, Moses transformed a form 

 of the name of tlie god £a into Yahve (or Yahwah), he was 

 ignorant of its being the name of " the creator of the gods," for 

 this wonkl have been much too distinctly polytheistic. At present 

 we cannot bring documentary philological data such as will bridge 

 over the gap between Ea and la (Ya, Jah). 



Prof. Hommel's derivations of Iltammes from Samas and Uteri 

 fi'om Isteri are very interesting. With regai^d to the form.er, 

 however, the spelling »->^ 4^ ][ <« (Strassmaier, Nabonidus 654',4), 

 where >->f- (ilu) " god," seeiris to replace ^t^fj^, il, as well as the 

 name y i^ ) ^ ,^ij >W^T *^ > Tammes-natauu, K. 961, 15, which 

 is apparently the same name (though not the same person) as 

 y ^^1^ ij ) ^ _^ >ff^I *5^ ) Il^ammes-natamt (Strassm, ISTabon., 

 497, 4), seem to militate against the derivation from Samas. For 

 this and for Uteri our cry must be " More light ! " 



I tender to Prof. Hommel my thanks for his kindly and learned 

 criticisms, and I am glad to see that, upon the main points, we are 

 altogether of one mind, 



T. G. PINCHES. 



August, 1895. 



* He was, however, also god of reproduction (see i^p. 3 and 14). 



