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belonging to tbe library of Assur-bani-pal, king of Assyria, 
commonly known as Sardanapalus, there was found a tablet 
recording the history of the Deluge, which, though differing 
somewhat from that given in Genesis, tallies wonderfully 
with the inspired account. Unfortunately, this record was 
very much injured, and a large part of it is required to make 
the Assyrian history of the Flood complete. The hero of the 
Deluge, Noah, who is named in the cuneiform text Sisit, or 
Khasis-adra (known to the ancient Grecian historians by the 
name of Xisuthrus) was warned by the gods to prepare himself 
an ark, as all living creatures were doomed to be destroyed 
for their wickedness. The ship was to be of a certain length, 
width, and depth by the cubit measure, and it was to be 
launched into the deep. The Divine command was obeyed ; 
and after the ark was built, it was covered over, in and out, 
with bitumen, to make it water-tight. According to the late 
George Smith's reading of the text, the words Khasis-adra, 
or Noah, are rendered thus : I caused to go up into the ship 
all my male and female servants,* the beasts, the animals of 
the field Shamas spake, I will cause it to rain from 
heaven heavily Enter the ship, shut thy door. ... I en- 
tered, shut my door. ... To guide the ship to Buzursadiribi 
the pilot I gave. The bright earth to a waste was turned. 
The flood destroyed all life from the face of the earth 
Ishtar, the great goddess, said, the world to sin has turned ; 
six days and nights the storm overwhelmed ; on the seventh 
the storm was calmed ; I opened the windows, I sent forth a 
dove ... it searched a rest, which it did not find, and re- 
turned. I sent forth a swallow, and it returned. I sent forth 
a raven, and it did not return," &c. 
Since the publication of the above translation, however, 
much progress has been made, and Mr. Pinches now renders 
this part of the Deluge text as follows : — 
“ I sent up to the ship the seed of life of every kind ; all my 
family and my slaves, the animals of the field, the beasts of the 
field (and) the sons of the people all of them I sent up. Samas 
fixed the time, and there spake a voice (?) : 4 In the night I 
will cause it to rain a heavy downpour. Go down to the 
midst of the ship, and shut thy door. The time is come, 
said (?) the voice (?).' In the night he caused it to rain a 
* I do not believe that this word “ servant ” has been properly translated. 
It must either mean followers or suit. Indeed I am still somewhat sceptic 
as regards the altogether correct rendering of some words of the cuneiform 
inscription, especially the Deluge record which I quote. 
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