Texts in Conversation
Habakkuk 3 presents the deities “Resheph” and “Deber” marching with God, following ancient Near Eastern traditions where warrior gods are flanked by divine assistants. This echoes Enuma Elish, where the god Marduk has divine agents who prepare the way for battle.
Share:
Enuma Elish IV
The Seven Tablets of Creation
Ancient Near East
Four steeds he yoked to it and harnessed them to it, The Destroyer, The Merciless, The Trampler, The Fleet. Their lips were parted, their teeth bore venom, They were strangers to weariness, trained to sweep forward. At his right hand he stationed raging battle and strife, On the left, conflict that overwhelms a united battle array. He was clad in a tunic, a fearful coat of mail, And on has head he wore an aura of terror.
Date: 1800 - 1750 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Habakkuk 3:5
Hebrew Bible
4 His brightness will be as lightning; a two-pronged lightning bolt flashing from his hand. This is the outward display of his power. 5 Plague will go before him; pestilence will march right behind him. 6 He took his battle position and shook the earth; with a mere look he frightened the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrated; the primeval hills were flattened. His are ancient roads.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Search:
Notes and References
"... Although it is possible that the text alludes in some way to the plagues of the Exodus, it seems more likely in light of the ANE background that verse 5 gives a description of God’s semi-divine military attendants. Perhaps these are members of the heavenly council, or perhaps this is a polemic against well-known deities. It is clear that Resheph was a very prominent god in the ancient Near East, and it is possible that Deber should also be considered an ANE deity. At any rate, in this text these attendants are in complete submission to the Divine Warrior, ready to do the commander’s bidding. Deber acts as the forerunner of the march and Resheph brings up the rear. Similarly, Marduk also deploys attendants to prepare the way for battle (Enuma Elish IV.42-43). Erra has seven deities march at his side (Context of Scripture 1:113: I.1-110), and the storm god Adad is accompanied by his two heralds, Shullat and Hanish (Gilgamesh 11:96-100). Even Baal does not fight alone—he has Kothar-wa-Ḫasis prepare two weapons for him, both of whose names describe their function (ygrš, “Driver,” and ’ymr, “Expeller”). ..."
Patty, Tyler J.
Ancient Near Eastern Literature and the Psalm of Habakkuk 3
(pp. 1-24) Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2015
* 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.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.