Primordial State:
- Sumer: Primordial sea Nammu (mother of all) produces An and Ki
- Babylon: Apsu (Male, fresh water) and Tiamat (female, salt water -chaos)
- Canaan: Stationary creations exist in the egg Mot
- Egypt*: Nu & Naunet (snake) are the primal waters, (dark, mysterious and never-ending. The call of Amon broke the stillness of the primeval waters, causing the Ogdoad and ennead to form.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): The Waters are not created by God. His breath blows over the waters. Obscure reference to Tiamat ("the deep" - Tehom) may exist. Stationary creations are created first, followed by moving creations
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): No details given, however water is a topic in 5 of the 1st 10 verses.
- Hebrew (Poetic*):The great deep ruled over by the dragon Rahab and his helpers.
- Sumer: An (a hard, metallic disk) holds back the waters, filled with Lil (air)
- Babylon: Ribcage of Tiamat forms the heavens
- Canaan: Sky is formed, after which the waters are separated by the sky. Twin mountains hold up the firmament above the earth-circling ocean. Mt. Lel is the source of the two oceans and rivers -- and where the firmament meets the oceans.
- Egypt: Shu and Tefnut represent the emergence of an empty space amid the waters. The sky goddess is Nut. Amon (as the Sun) sails through the sky in his boat each day.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): A firmament ("heaven") is created to separate the waters
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J):
- Hebrew (Poetic):Heaven is like a curtain/ tent. Pillars hold up heaven.
- Sumer: Ki
- Babylon: Earth is the carcass of Tiamat - head is the mountains, clouds and rain from spittle
- Canaan:
- Egypt: Shu and Tefnut (air) produce the earth god Geb. A pyramid mount or city rises up from the waters.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Dry land appears when the waters under the firmament are gathered together.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Earth is originally dry, then watered by the fountains of the deep
- Hebrew (Poetic):Has a foundation with corner stones and strengthened fountains of the deep.
- Sumer: An and Ki produce Enlil, God of the air.
- Babylon: Apsu & Tiamat produce the gods who are noisy, and Apsu cannot sleep. Apsu suggests killing the gods, but they kill him.
- Canaan: Stationary creations are in the egg Mot, which gain motion when the egg is opened
- Egypt: Geb and Nut (earth and sky) produce four children, representing the forces of life: fertility and regeneration; motherhood; male & female sexuality.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P):
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): *Offspring of God implied when the Sons of God mate with the daughters of man (Gen 6)
- Hebrew (Poetic):*Offspring of God implied with multiple references to the Sons of God (Job)
Actions of chief offspring or God.
- Sumer: Enlil lifts An off Ki, creating a space of atmosphere ("lil") & creates life
- Babylon: Marduk god of light kills Tiamat
- Canaan: Baal (air/storm), Yam (sea) & Mot (death), part of the Elohim (gods) fight for kingship & favor from the supreme god El.
- Egypt:
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): God (Elohim) creates light, firmament, earth, plants, sun, moon & stars, birds, animals & man). The first three are stationary creations, the 2nd three moving. He does not create the Waters, which already existed. Multiple gods are implied.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Causes it to rain, creates man, plants garden, creates animals, creates eve.
- Hebrew (Poetic):God cut Rahab and broke him into pieces. He measures the heavens and stretches them out like a tent / curtain. He laid a foundation with corner stones for the earth, dried the waters of the deep, strengthened the fountains of the deep & created a boundary preventing the deep from crossing onto the land.
- Sumer: Enlil is god of the air (lil), where life is created
- Babylon:
- Canaan: Baal is the god of Air (rider of the clouds)
- Egypt: Shu & Tefnut represent the empty space between the waters.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): The Ruah (wind / breath) of God blows / hovers over the primordial waters
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Yahweh blows the breath of life into man.
- Hebrew (Poetic):Yahweh is the rider of the clouds
- Sumer: Sun, moon and stars are bright parts of lil
- Babylon: Day created before the Sun, which acts as a marker for day.
- Canaan:
- Egypt: The sun is primary in Egyptian religion. The sun god Atum came from the primal waters by an act of will, independent of the other gods.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Day & Light are created before sun and stars. The sun is to rule the day and give light to the earth.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J):
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Enki, son of Enlil creates man in the image of the gods from clay (or blood mingled with clay from a slain god) .
- Babylon: Marduk slays Quingu while battling Tiamat, uses Quingu's blood mixed with clay to form man.
- Canaan:
- Egypt: Man is created from the tears of the sun-god Atum.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Male and female created by God(s) ("us") in His ("our") image.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Yahweh creates man from the ground, who is lonely, so God creates animals, but they do not help him, so He creates Eve as a helper. The serpent tells them how to gain knowledge.
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Replace the igigi (lesser gods) as servants of the gods.
- Babylon: Man serves the gods.
- Canaan:
- Egypt:
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Given domain over the earth
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Serves Yahweh by tending the garden
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Tigris and Euphrates come from the Abyss via Enki, the god of the abyss
- Babylon: Tigris and Euphrates flow form slain Tiamat's (the abyss) eyes
- Canaan: Rivers flow from Mt. Lil, home of the gods.
- Egypt: The Nile is central to Egyptian religion
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P):
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): One river comes from Eden, splitting into four main rivers including the Euphrates
- Hebrew (Poetic):
* The Hebrew Poetic category is taken from Job, Psalms, Isaiah & Jeremiah -- and I'm sure could be expanded. The Egyptian elements are selections from various Egyptian cities. This timeline may help put these beliefs in chronological context.
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