120- (90) CHALDEAN CREATION-ACCOTJin:. 



that point in God's existence when the universe began 

 to be ; the latter says it was at that point in the exist- 

 ence of the universe when the gods began to be. The 

 Hebrew account is monotheistic, the Chaldean is poly- 

 theistic. Instead of similarity there is the most pro- 

 found difference. 



The second, third, and fourth tablets have not been 

 found. Possibly the following may belong here : 



1. At that time the foundation of the caverns, of rock 

 (thou didst form). 



2. the foundation of the caverns thou didst call. 



3. The heavens was named. * * * * 



4. to the face of the heaven * * * 



5. thou didst give. * * * 



6. a man. * * * 



This is absolutely all as yet from this tablet. 



It is said to correspond to the third period in Gen- 

 esis, but there is no resemblance. That tells us three 

 things. 



First, That the land had been under water and then 

 appeared. 



Second, That the waters were gathered into one place. 



Third, That the earth then produced grasses, herbs 

 and fruit trees. Certainly neither of these has a counter- 

 part in the myth. 



The next tablet is as follows : I give only Prof. 

 Sayce's version. It is less absurd than Mr. Smith's. 



1. Ann made suitable the mansions of the great gods. 



2. He placed the stars in them, he fixed the lumasi, 



(the name of a constellation.) 



3. He arranged the year according to the bounds that 



he defined. 



4. For each of the twelve months three stars he fixed 



5. from the day when the year issues forth to its 



close. 



6. He established the mansion of the god Mbiri, that 



they might know their laws (or bounds.) 



7. That they might not err or deflect at all. 



8. The mansion of Bel and Hea he established along 



with himself. 



9. He opened also the great gates in the sides of the 



world. 

 JO. The bolts he strengthened on the left hand and on 



