Biblical Seminar 53

Religious Texts from Ugarit

N. Wyatt

Sheffield Academic Press

A Continuum imprint

1st edition published 1998

2nd revised edition

Copyright © 2002 Sheffield Academic Press

A continuum imprint

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photobopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

ISBN 0-8264-6048-8

In loving memory of my wife Betty,

without whose constant support

I should never have published anything.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Abbreviations

Part I

KTU 1.1–1.6

The Baal Cycle of Myths

KTU 1.1–1.2 Baal and Yam

KTU 1.3–1.4 Baal’s Palace

KTU 1.5–1.6 Baal and Mot

Part II

KTU 1.7–1.13

Fragments and Shorter Myths Concerning Baal and Anat

KTU 1.7 Excerpts from KTU 1.3 concerning Anat

KTU 1.8 Excerpts from KTU 1.4

KTU 1.9 A Fragment of a Myth concerning Baal or his Son

KTU 1.10 Baal, the Heifer, and Anat

KTU 1.11 A Fragment concerning Baal and Anat

KTU 1.12 The Devourers

KTU 1.13 A Hymn to Anat

Part III

KTU 1.14–1.16

The Story of King Keret

Part IV

KTU 1.17–1.19

The Story of Aqhat

Part V

Selections from Texts KTU 1.20–1.169

Miscellaneous Texts

KTU 1.20–1.22 The RPUM Texts

KTU 1.23 The Gracious Gods: A Sacred Marriage Liturgy

KTU 1.24 The Wedding of Nikkal and Ib

KTU 1.40 A Liturgy for a Rite of Atonement for the People of Ugarit

KTU 1.41 Instructions for the Ritual Calendar of the Month of Vintage

KTU 1.87 Duplicate of KTU 1.41: The Variant Ending

KTU 1.43 Sacrifices and Votive Gifts in Palace Rituals

KTU 1.47, 1.118

and RS 20.24 Pantheon Lists

KTU 1.65 A Prayer for the Security of Ugarit

KTU 1.78 An Astronomical Text

KTU 1.83 A Goddess Confronts a Dragon

KTU 1.92 The Myth of Athtart the Huntress

KTU 1.96 A Spell against the Evil Eye

KTU 1.100 The Myth of Shapsh and the Mare: A Spell against Snakebite

KTU 1.101 A Hymn to Baal Enthroned

KTU 1.107 A Cautionary Tale: Širuǵazuz Learns the Risks of Snake-Charming

KTU 1.108 An Intercessory Prayer to Rapiu and other Deities

KTU 1.113 A Royal Liturgy, and the Ugaritic King-List

KTU 1.114 The Myth of El’s Banquet: A Medical Text

KTU 1.117 The Plea for a House for Baal

KTU 1.119 The Ritual Calendar for the Month of Ibaalat and Another Month and a Prayer for Ugarit Under Siege

KTU 1.124 A Medical Text based on an Oracle Tradition

KTU 1.133 A Mythological Fragment concerning Mot

KTU 1.148 A Compendium of Ritual Lists

KTU 1.161 A Royal Funeral Liturgy

KTU 1.169 An Incantation for the Exorcism of a Possessed Adolescent

Bibliography

Index of References

Index of Authors

Preface

The present work offers translations with commentary of fifty tablets1 from Ugarit. I had hoped that before it was complete I would have access to the new texts currently (1997) in press, in particular wishing to include the new Ilimilku text (RS 1992.2016) and other recent discoveries. Unfortunately, though Pierre Bordreuil kindly arranged for ...