I will just quote a bunch from
Indian AbrahamThe hints in the Old Testament become a detailed tale in the Khedorlaomer Texts, which make clear that the war was intended to prevent the return of Marduk and thwart the efforts of Nabu to gain access to Sinai.
These texts not only name the very same kings who are mentioned in the Bible but even repeat the biblical detail of the switch of allegiance “in the thirteenth year”!
As we return to the Kedorlaomer Texts to obtain the details for the biblical frame, we should bear in mind that they were written by a Babylonian historian who favored Marduk’s desire to make Babylon “the heavenward navel in the four regions.” It was to thwart this that the gods opposing Marduk ordered Khedorlaomer to seize and defile Babylon.
The despoiling of Babylon was only the beginning. After the “bad deeds” were done there, Utu/Shamash (son of Nannar-Sin and twin of Inanna/Ishtar) sought action against Nabu (son of Marduk).... the gods assembled.... Ishtar decreed an oracle, and the army put together by the kings of the East arrived in Transjordan....
When the invaders....” thereafter, Dur-Mah-Ilani was to be captured and the Canaanite cities (including Gaza and Beer-Sheba in the Negev) were to be punished. But at Dur-Mah-Ilani, according to the Babylonian text, “the son of the priest, whom the gods in their true counsel had anointed,” stood in the invader’s way and “the despoiling prevented.”
Though not specifically mentioned by name, the Babylonian text did indeed refer to Abraham, the son of Terah the priest, and spelled out his role in turning back the invaders.
This is strengthened by the fact that the Mesopotamian and biblical texts relate the same event in the same locality with the same outcome.
Further strengthening this position is the date formulas for the reign of Amar-Sin called his seventh year. The crucial year being 2041 BC, the year of the military expedition - also MU NE IB.RU.UM BA.HUL meaning – “Year the Shepherding-abode of IB.RU.UM was attacked.”
Can this reference, in the exact crucial year, be other than to Abraham and his shepherding abode?
Having carried out his mission, Abraham returned to his base near Hebron. Encouraged by his feat, the Canaanite kings marched his forces to intercept the retreating army from the East. But the invaders beat them and seized all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as one prize hostage: They took with them Lot, the nephew of Abraham, who was residing at Sodom.
On hearing the news, Abraham called up his best cavalrymen and pursued the retreating invaders. Catching up with them near Damascus, he succeeded in releasing Lot and retrieving all the booty. Upon his return he was greeted as a victor in the Valley of Shalem (Jerusalem):
”And Malkizedek, the king of Shalem, brought forth bread and wine,
for he was priest unto the God Most High”.
And he blessed him, saying:
“Blessed be Abram unto the God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and Earth;
And blessed be the God Most High who hath delivered thy foes unto thine hand.”
Soon the Canaanite kings also arrived to thank Abraham, and offered him all the seized possessions as a reward. But Abraham, saying that his local allies could share in that, refused to take “even a shoelace” for himself or his warriors.
The invasion of the Sinai was thwarted, but the danger to it was not removed; and the efforts of Marduk to gain the supremacy intensified ever more.
Fifteen years later Sodom and Gomorrah went up in flames when Ninurta and Nergal unleashed the weapons of awesome brilliance.
Topic: Cowboy Cosmology (Read 530473 times)