Nectaris

Hi Diana,

My basic source is Tim Callahan’s, Secret Origins of the Bible . Which is probably not postable per se. I could give you references, page numbers and the like tomorrow or the next day.

However, since I don’t have that handy at work, I’ll just go through some of my reasoning, and if you have any objections to specific statements or need an appropriate reference, let me know. If anything needs corrections, please let me know.

One easy answer, that doesn’t even get to Judaism, is that the Canaanite pantheon of Elohim did create the world in seven generations, according to Canaanite mythology. However I was trying to give the impression that there was a connection between the Canaanite gods Elohim and the Hebrew god Elohim.

The land of Israel was, during a period of time when the Hebrews were more or less homesteading, occupied by Canaanites, who worshipped a father god by the name of EL (hence IsraEL = land of EL). The entire pantheon of the Canaanites was called the Elohim. Both EL and Elohim are often used in the OT to name god, along with El-Shaddai (El-almighty) and YHWH.

The Canaanite creation myth was based on the Sumerian creation myth of deities also referred to as Elohim or, more often, Enuma Elish. The Sumerian and Canaanite myths both stated that the world was created by seven generations of deities, starting with AN or EL and leading through six more generations of deities, who created the universe in more or less the same order as described in Genesis 1:1 through 2:3. The seventh generation, having the easiest job.

The fact that the Hebrew word used to describe the creation day in Genesis could also mean generation, is another factor, but not too much of one. I do not think it would be too far of a stretch to look at the similarities and commonness of names to suggest that the Hebrews borrowed heavily from the creation myths of earlier and contemporaneous religions.

Just a quick Strong’s Concordance from bible.crosswalk.com:

The word used in Genesis for day is YOWN, and I don’t think I can accurately depict the Hebrew symbol, but according to Strong’s the word has the following meanings (notice d).

1. day, time, year
a. day (as opposed to night)
b. day (24 hour period)
1. as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
2. as a division of time 1b
c. a working day, a day's journey
d. days, lifetime (pl.)
e. time, period (general)
f. year
g. temporal references
1. today
2. yesterday
3. tomorrow

Callahan proposes that at the time Genesis was written that the bible did not use the word to mean “lifetime” but actually meant day, however the original creation story upon which Genesis was based did use the concept of generational gods in a creation process. This is from memory, so I’ll have to go back and read the pertinent parts.

Does this mean that the followers of the Abrahamic religions today believe in a polytheistic generational creation story, no. At one point did they, maybe. At one time was there a doctrinal shift, you got me.

There are also some hints in the bible such as the quote from Genesis 1:26, and also another from Genesis 2:4

(Capitalization my own)

Here it’s interesting to note that is a different word used for generations according to Strong's.

I don’t know if I provided you with enough stuff. I will admit I don’t have the source material to give to you but I will try to provide that for you in the next day or so.

They’re letting me off work early, and most of today/tomorrow will be filled with festivities of one form or another. I will provide further documentation, at least to some quotes from Callahan’s book or other materials of some kind. . .

Dave

diana

Thanks, Dave.

I started a thread in BC&A on this subject so the pedants over there can have a feeding frenzy (if it warrants ):

The origin of Elohim.

d

Darth Dane

Well, if there is a God, which I believe there is, my God is Love. That which is all-encompassing. It means also that God will always love us not matter what happens, if you want God´s forgiveness "ask and you shall be given", God will give it to you. God Loves You




DD - Loving Spliff

hinduwoman

Unfortunately this is the problem that pagans have with your God, Helen --- forgiveness and salvation only through Christ.