Creation Accounts in the Ancient Near East and in the Bible

This work offers a comparative analysis of creation narratives from the ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible. It begins by identifying four key distinctions between ancient and modern conceptions of creation: the nature of the creative process, the intended outcome, the narrative style, and the criteria for truth. The study then examines creation accounts from various ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, and Ugaritic (often labeled "Canaanite"), providing English translations of these texts. Subsequently, it explores biblical creation narratives found in Genesis 1–11, select Psalms, Isaiah 40–55, and Wisdom literature, analyzing their themes and theological implications. The work concludes by synthesizing the findings and offering insights into interpreting the biblical creation accounts in light of their ancient Near Eastern contexts.