Texts in Conversation
Zechariah and Psalm 72 share distinct language describing a ruler whose dominion extends “from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth.” Both draw on a common ancient Near Eastern view of cosmology that describes the Earth as a flat land surrounded by cosmic waters.
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Zechariah 9:10
Hebrew Bible
8 Then I will surround my temple to protect it like a guard from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it. 9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: He is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey—on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey. 10 I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. 11 Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. 12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Psalm 72:8
Hebrew Bible
6 He will descend like rain on the mown grass, like showers that drench the earth. 7 During his days the godly will flourish; peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. 9 Before him the coastlands will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The ancient Israelites conceived of the earth as a flat disk floating on the cosmic, inferior sea (Isaiah 40:22; Psalm 136:6) and thought that the same cosmic sea surrounds the earth all around (Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 72:8) ... The Hebrew phrase for the “ends of the earth,” אפסי־ארץ, suggests that earth was conceived as being surrounded by the sea. The Hebrew word אפס is a loanword from Mesopotamia and is related to the Akkadian noun apsu, the subterranean sea and the realm of Enki/Ea ..."
Cho, Paul K. K.
Myth, History, and Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible
(pp. 105-106) Cambridge University Press, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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