Ancient

Near Eastern Thought

and the

Old Testament

Introducing

the Conceptual World

of the Hebrew Bible

Second Edition

John H. Walton

a division of Baker Publishing Group

Grand Rapids, Michigan

© 2006, 2018 by John H. Walton

Published by Baker Academic

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakeracademic.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Walton, John H., 1952– author.

Title: Ancient Near Eastern thought and the Old Testament : introducing the conceptual world of the Hebrew Bible / John H. Walton.

Description: 2 [edition]. | Grand Rapids : Baker Publishing Group, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017053728 | ISBN 9781540960214 (pbk. : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Middle Eastern literature—Relation to the Old Testament. | Bible. Old Testament—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Bible. Old Testament—Comparative studies. | Bible. Old Testament—Extra-canonical parallels.

Classification: LCC BS1171.3 .W35 2018 | DDC 221.6/7—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017053728

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Photos 6.5, 6.7, 10.1, and 11.1 appear courtesy of the Israel Museum. Collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority, exhibited at the Israel Museum.

Contents

Special Material

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Part 1 Comparative Studies

1. History and Methods

2. Comparative Studies, Scholarship, and Theology

Part 2 Literature of the Ancient Near East

3. Summary of the Literature of the Ancient Near East

Part 3 Religion

4. The Gods

5. Temples and Rituals

6. State and Family Religion

Part 4 Cosmos

7. Cosmic Geography

8. Cosmology and Cosmogony

Part 5 People

9. Understanding the Past: Human Origins and Role

10. Understanding the Past: Historiography

11. Encountering the Present: Guidance for Life—Divination and Omens

12. Encountering the Present: Context of Life—Cities and Kingship

13. Encountering the Present: Guidelines for Life—Law and Wisdom

14. Pondering the Future on Earth and after Death

Concluding Remarks

Appendix: Individual Gods

Bibliography

Scripture Index

Foreign Words Index

Modern Author Index

Ancient Literature Index

Subject Index