Mayi] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCH/EOLOGY. [1894.ISRAEL AND BABYLON.By the Rev. Charles JamesBall.Fascinating in itself and for its own sake to all that rapidly
increasingclassof students whichis seeking to dispel the mists of
antiquity fromthe origins of religion, the old Babylonian system
of faith and ritualis perhaps mainly interesting to the English-
speakingworldbecauseof its undeniable relationto the beliefs and
practicesof ancient Israelwhichwe find recordedor glanced at in
the venerable pagesof the Old Testament. Oftenindeedwherean
allucionis only too brief for the enlightened curiosityof the scientific
investigatorof Hebrew antiquity,a welcome lightis thrown upon
the matter the moment we refer to the fragmentary documents
which enshrine the remains of the far more ancientworships of
Babylonia. Noris this to be wondered at, when we remember that
Hebrewtraditionitself—evenin the imperfect statein which it has
descendedto our times —has preserved unquestionablereminiscences
of the Babylonian origin of the fathers of Israel (Gen. xi, 28 ;
xii, 1 sqq. ; Jos. xxiv. 2). The difference of sources —the two
former passagesbelong to the so-calledJahvist,the latter to the
Elohist—only emphasizes the general harmonyof statement. If
the Hebrews were really emigrants from Ur Casdim, they must
originally,as a matter of course, haveadoredthe Supreme underthe
sameaspectand with the same rites as their kindred in Ur, the
sanctuary of the Moon-god. And we can fortunatelypoint to
severalinstancesof what mayperhaps be called undesignedcoin
cidencewiththisdirecttestimonyto the aboriginal heathenismof
the Hebrew race. The ideaof particular tribalgods,or of tutelar
deitiesof races and families,certainly seemsto be present to the
mindof the Elohist,* whenhe makes Laban,in his conference with
Jacob, invoke " Abraham's godandNahor'sgod,"addingsignifi
cantly," But Jacob sworeby the worship (i.e.,the god) of his father
Isaac." Arameans and Hebrews naturally confirm their solemn
leagueand covenant by appeal to their severalnationaldeities,just
* Cp. Judg. xi, 24; I Sam. xxvi, 19 ; Deut. xxxii,8, 9. —Sept.
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