Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

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COMPARATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
There are many constructions in the Prayer to Any God that have semantic
or lexical analogues to BH. The phrase in line 1, nuggat libbīšu, “anger of his
heart,” is semantically similar to several expressions in BH; however, instead of
using a bound phrase, Hebrew normally uses verbs with ב ֵל to indicate anger. 1
For example, Prov 19:3: “a man’s folly subverts his path and his heart rages
against Yahweh ( וֹבּ ִל ף ַעזִי ְ הוֹהְי ָ ־ל ַע)”;
Ezek 32:9: “I will provoke the heart (יתִּ סְ ַע ְכהִ ו ְ
בל) ֵ of many peoples when I bring (news) of your defeat among the nations”; and
Deut 19:6: “lest the redeemer lynch the killer when his heart burns (וֹב ָב ְל םחֵי).” ַ
There are also a few lexical analogues. A BH analogue to the word sukkuku,
“deaf, mentally handicapped” (line 51), appears once albeit in a verbal form in
Deut 27:9: ל אֵ רָ שִׂי ְ ע ַמ ְשׁוּ ת ֵכּסְ הַ
, “Silence! Listen, Israel!” 2
This prayer contains many sentiments that are similar to those found in biblical
prayers. For example, when Job brings his case against Yahweh he commands,
“take your hand and forearm far away from me—stop terrorizing me!”
(13:21). Although Job is more forceful and blunt than the petitioner of our Akkadian
prayer, both prayers share the view that the offended deity is bringing
trouble upon the supplicants. Job also asks Yahweh, “why are you hiding your
face from me and regarding me as your enemy?” (13:24). This question parallels
lines 35–39 of this prayer in which the petitioner says that they kept seeking
help but no one came to their aid. However, there are differences between Job
and Prayer to Any God. In contrast to Prayer to Any God, Job does not admit
guilt. In fact, Job maintains his innocence and challenges Yahweh to make his
offenses known (13:23).
Psalm 51 contains a humble confession of sin that is similar to the tone of
our prayer; however, the psalmist knows his offense (עדָ א ֵ ינִ א ֲ י ַע ָשׁ פ) ְ and he is
continually aware of his sin ( די ִמ ת ָ ידִּ גְ ֶנ יתא ִ טָּ הַ וְ
; v. 5), whereas our petitioner
committed their offense in ignorance and they do not know what they did that
offended the deity (lines 19–20). The psalmist also implores God, “wash away
my vice and cleanse me from my sin” (ינִ רֵ הֲ ט ַ יתא ִ טָּ חַ ֵמוּ ינוֹ ִ ֲע ֵמ ינִ סֵ בְּ ַכּ; v. 4), which
parallels lines 57–58 of Prayer to Any God. Lastly, Psalm 40:3 recounts a time
when God pulled the psalmist out of a pit of destruction (ןוֹא ָשׁ רוֹבּ) and the miry
mud (ןוָיּ ֵ ה ַ טיט), ִ which is similar to the imagery in line 55 where the supplicant is
stranded in swamp water (mê rušumti).
Finally, the anguish seen in Lamentations 1:16, 20–21 parallels that in
Prayer to Any God. In Lamentations 1:20 the lamenter describes his grief in
terms of distress (ר ַצ), a burning belly (וּרמָ רְ ַמ ח ֳ י ַע ֵמ; this is similar to the imagery
1 Tawil (ALCBH, 182, §37) translates the bound phrase זגָּ ר ַ בל ֵ in Deut 28:65 as “a raging heart”
under the gloss “furious, raging.” He links this with the Akkadian phrase libbu aggu/ezzu. However,
זגָּ ר ַ merely means “agitated quivering” and the context indicates that the phrase should be
rendered “fluttering heart,” referring to fear or anxiety instead of anger.
2 See Chaim Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena in the Light of Akkadian and Ugaritic (Missoula:
Scholars Press, 1978), 111:12.