Texts in Conversation
Psalm 107 gives Israel's God the healing role held by El in Kirta's story, treating recovery from deadly illness as divine rescue that calls for public thanks.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
KTU 1.16 V:27
Cuneiform Texts from Ugarit
Ancient Near East
None among the gods a[nswers him]. He says a fifth time: "[Who among the gods] can remove the illness, dr[iving out the malady]?" None among the gods an[swers him]. He says a sixth, a seventh time: "[Who] among the gods can remove the illness, driving out the malady?" None among the gods answers him. Then spoke the Kindly One, El Benignant: "Remain seated, my sons, upon your seat[s], upon yo[ur] thrones of princeship. I will apply sorcery and will surely compass the removal of the illness, driving out the malady. With clay [his hand] he fills, with goodly clay [ ]. He moulds . . . . . . . [ ] . . . .
Psalm 107:20
Hebrew Bible
17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways and suffered because of their sins. 18 They lost their appetite for all food, and they drew near the gates of death. 19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. 20 He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. 21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love and for the amazing things he has done for people. 22 Let them present thank offerings, and loudly proclaim what he has done. 23 Some traveled on the sea in ships and carried cargo over the vast waters. 24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord, his amazing feats on the deep water. 25 He gave the order for a windstorm, and it stirred up the waves of the sea.
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Notes and References
“... Both El and Yahweh appear to humans in dream-visions and
function as their divine patron. Like El (CAT 1.16 V–VI), Yahweh is a healing
god (Genesis 20:17; Numbers 12:13; 2 Kings 20:5, 8; Psalm 107:20; cf. the personal
name, reˇpa¯’e¯l, in 1 Chronicles 26:7). ...”
Smith, Mark S.
The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel’s Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts
(p. 142) Oxford University Press, 2001
* 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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