Texts in Conversation
Psalm 114 gives Sea and River, Baal's enemies in the Baal Cycle, local roles in Israel's journey, making the Red Sea and Jordan retreat before the people's divine leader.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
KTU 1.2 IV:25
Cuneiform Texts from Ugarit
Ancient Near East
You, your name is 'All-Driver' All-Driver, drive Yamm away, drive Yamm from his throne, Nahar from the siege of his dominion! You must leap from the hand of Baal, like a falcon from his fingers. Strike the skull of Prince Yamm (Ocean), the brow of Ruler Nahar (River)! Let Yamm collapse in a heap, and let him fall to the ground!' Then the mace leapt from the hand of Baal, like a falcon from his fingers. It struck the skull of Prince Yamm, the brow of Ruler Nahar. Yamm collapsed in a heap; he fell to the ground. His joints trembled, and his visage was discomposed. Baal gathered Up and drank Prince Yamm to the dregs, he exterminated Ruler Nahar. By name Athtart chided him Dry him Up, O Valiant Baal! Dry him up, O Charioteer of the Clouds! For our captive is Prince [Yamm], [for]
Psalm 114:3
Hebrew Bible
1 When Israel left Egypt, when the family of Jacob left a foreign nation behind, 2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his kingdom. 3 The sea looked and fled; the Jordan River turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 Why do you flee, O sea? Why do you turn back, O Jordan River? 6 Why do you skip like rams, O mountains, like lambs, O hills? 7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord—before the God of Jacob, 8 who turned a rock into a pool of water, a hard rock into springs of water.
Search:
Notes and References
“... Secondary application of the motif, that is, instances in which the con
flict motif is claimed or assumed to have import for humans, occur in
many biblical texts. Examples of the combined conflict and exodus motifs
(Ps 77:14–21; Ps 106:7–12; Ps 114; Isa 51:9–11; and possibly Jer 51:36) are par
ticularly relevant here. This combination of motifs constitutes a significant
development within biblical historiography. Yahweh’s divine combat was
inserted within the foundational story of Israel and Judah, specifically into
the “paradigmatic story” of Yahweh intervening within a human socio-
political circumstance on behalf of the people. ...”
Ballentine, Debra Scoggins
The Conflict Myth and the Biblical Tradition
(p. 124) Oxford University Press, 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.
User Comments
,