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Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince

SAA 3 32

Prince Kummâ's dream vision of the netherworld (reverse, lines 1-15)

Kummâ lay down to sleep and saw a night vision. In his dream: I was a captive in ..., the house [of ...]. I beheld his terrifying splendour [......]. I saw Namtar, the vizier of the underworld, who fashions the visceral omens; a man stood before him, while he held the hair of his head in his left hand, and wielded a dagger in his right [...]. Namtartu, his wife, had the head of a cherub, (her) hands and feet being human. Death had the head of a dragon, his hands were human, his feet [...]. The Evil Genie had a human head and hands, was crowned with a tiara and had the feet of an eagle.⁠ With his left foot he was trampling on a crocodile. Alluhappu had a lion's head, his four hands and feet were (like) those of human beings. The Upholder of Evil had the head of a bird, his wings were spread out and he flew here and there; (his) hands and feet were human. Humut-tabal, the ferryman of the underworld, had an Anzû head, his four hands and feet [...]. The Ghost had an ox's head, his four hands and feet were (like) those of human beings. The Evil Spirit had a lion's head, (his) hands and feet were those of Anzû. Šulak was a lion, standing constantly on his hind legs. The Oath had a goat's head, (his) hands and feet were human. Nedu, the porter of the underworld, had a lion's head, and human hands, his feet were those of a bird. Total Evil had two heads, one was the head of a lion, the second was the head of [...]. [Muh]ra had three feet, the two front ones those of a bird, the rear one was that of a bull. He had fearsomeness and luminous splendour. Of two gods I did not know the names — one had the head, hands, and feet of Anzû, in his left hand [......]. The other had a man's head, he was crowned with a tiara, carried in his right hand a mace, in his left hand, before him, ....... In all, fifteen gods were present. I saw them and saluted [them] in prayer. There was a man, his body black as pitch, his face resembling that of Anzû; he was clad in red armour. In his left hand he carried a bow, in his right hand he wielded a dagger, while he trampled on a snake with his left foot. When I raised my eyes, (I saw) the valiant Nergal seated on a regal throne, apparelled with the royal tiara; with both hands he grasped two grim maces, each with two ... heads. [......] were heaped [upon] them. Lightning was flashing in ... his arms, the Anunnaki, the great gods, knelt to his right and left [...]. The nether world was full of terror; a mighty silence lay before the crown prince [...]. He took me by my forelock and pulled me in front of him. I looked at him and my bones shivered! His grimly luminescent splendour overwhelmed me, I kissed the feet of his great divinity and knelt down. Then I stood up, while he looked at me, shaking his head. He raised his voice, crying out like a howling storm in fury against me and drawing toward me the sceptre, which is so fitting to his godhead, and which is as dreadful as a viper, to kill me.

Texts in conversation

Compare Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince and Daniel 7:4

Ancient Near East, Assyrian · Hebrew Bible

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Summary

The Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince describes gods with mixed animal and human forms, including a lion that stands upright. Daniel draws on these ancient Near Eastern traditions of hybrid creatures for the four beasts that rise from the sea.

Passages

Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince

Ancient Near East, Assyrian · SAA 3 32
The Evil Genie had a human head and hands, was crowned with a tiara and had the feet of an eagle. With his left foot he was trampling on a crocodile. Alluhappu had a lion's head, his four hands and feet were (like) those of human beings. The Upholder of Evil had the head of a bird, his wings were spread out and he flew here and there; (his) hands and feet were human. Humut-tabal, the ferryman of the underworld, had an Anzû head, his four hands and feet [...]. The Ghost had an ox's head, his four hands and feet were (like) those of human beings. The Evil Spirit had a lion's head, (his) hands and feet were those of Anzû. Šulak was a lion, standing constantly on his hind legs. The Oath had a goat's head, (his) hands and feet were human. Nedu, the porter of the underworld, had a lion's head, and human hands, his feet were those of a bird. Total Evil had two heads, one was the head of a lion, the second was the head of [...].

Daniel 7:4

Hebrew Bible
3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another. 4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it. 5 “Then a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’ 6 “After these things, as I was watching, another beast like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. This beast had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it. 7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions a fourth beast appeared—one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. It had two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had 10 horns.
200–101 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Daniel

References

“... Daniel describes four beasts. Whether the fifteen gods of the Vision are really analogous is questionable. The point of comparison is that both are hybrid in form, and some of the same constituent parts occur in both but not in the same combination. What this suggests is that the conception of the beasts in Daniel is influenced in a general way by the hybrid forms that are typical not only of this text but of Mesopotamian mythology and art in general. ...”
John J. Collins, Daniel: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), 285.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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