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theology of Egypt and Assyria. Above the sun-god is the human
warrior, the lord of hosts, the god of battles, the divine leader of
the armies of Assur. There was no room in the practical Assyrian
mind for a formless divinity, with its infinite transformations
and elusive shape. The Assyrian needed a soldier's god, at once
human and clearly defined.
Nevertheless this human god was recognised as one with the
sun-god. Or rather, perhaps, the sun was regarded as his visible
manifestation, the mark or symbol under which he displayed
himself. Assur was thus essentially a Semitic Baal, but a warlike
Baal, who was the god of a nation and not of a particular place.
Where the nation and its army were, accordingly, their god was
as well. And when Assyria claimed to rule the whole civilised
world, the power and authority of its god became world-wide.
It was in his name that the Assyrian troops went forth to fight,
and it was“through trust in”him that they gained their victories.
Those who resisted them were his enemies, those who submitted
were incorporated into his empire, and became his subjects and
worshippers. All other gods had to yield to him; he was not only
paramount over them, but to worship them instead of him was an
act of impiety. The sacrifice might continue to be made to them
and the prayer offered, but it was on condition that the first-fruits
of both sacrifice and prayer were given to Assur.
This, however, was not all. Assur was not only jealous of other
gods, there was no goddess who could share with him his power.
In the eyes of the Assyrian people he was wifeless, like Yahveh
of Israel or Chemosh of Moab. It is true that some Assyriologists,
with more zeal than knowledge, have found for him a wife, but [371]
they are not agreed as to who she was. Sometimes we have
been told it was Serua, sometimes Istar, sometimes Belit. The
very fact that such a difference of opinion exists is sufficient to
condemn the whole supposition. It is based on the pedantry of
certain of the Assyrian scribes, who, educated in the literature
and religion of Babylonia, were naturally anxious to fit their