- There appear to be intermediate links bridging the gap between the poems of the non-Israelites and their myths alluded to in the Bible. [UC 9]
- The Old Testament contains evidence of pre-biblical poetic epics. For example, the story of Rahab, prince of the sea who rose up in revolt against God, who subdued and slew him [UC 8]. Rahab, referred to in biblical and rabbinic literature, infers there were earlier ancient poetic stories about him. The Old Testament refers to Rahab as if the reader were already aware of him. Rahab, was the lord of the sea who opposed the will of God, and would not confine his waters within given limits until God subdued and slew him and fixed a boundary for the waters of the sea that they should never be able to pass.
9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?
22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him (or "beneath Him bowed the helpers of Rahab")
10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.
12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
- See also here
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Hagiga 12a. Resh Lakish said: When the Holy One, blessed by He, created the sea it continued to expand until the Holy One, blessed by He, rebuked it and caused it to dry up.
Baba Bathra 74b: R. Judah said in the name of Rab: When the Holy One, blessed by He, desired to create the world, He said to the lord of the sea: "Open thy mouth and swallow up all the waters of the world." The latter answered: "Sovereign of the universe, I have enough with my own!" Thereupon God instantly trod him down and slew him as it is said: By this power He stamped down the sea; by His understanding He smote Rahab. R. Isaac said: From this you may infer that the lord of the sea is called Rahab.
Pirke Rabbi Eliezer, V: 'Thereupon the waters immediately became turbulent and rose up to cover the earth as in the beginning, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked them and subdued them, placing them under the soles of his feet; and He measured them with His palm so as not to augment or diminish them, and He made the sand the boundary of the sea, like a man who makes a fence for his vineyard; and when they [the waters] rise up and see the sand before them, they turn back, as it is said: Do you not fear Me? says the Lord; do you not tremble before Me? I placed the sand as the bounds for the sea, (Jer. v22)
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