Divine Mediation and the Rise of Civilization in Mesopotamian Literature and in Genesis 1–11 | Zendy

David P. Melvin | Zendy

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Divine Mediation and the Rise of Civilization in Mesopotamian Literature and in Genesis 1–11

Author(s) -

David P. Melvin

Publication year - 2011

Publication title -

journal of hebrew scriptures

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

ISSN - 1203-1542

DOI - 10.5508/jhs.2010.v10.a17

Subject(s) - civilization , humanity , mediation , philosophy , literature , ancient history , history , art , theology , sociology , archaeology , social science

An analysis of the portrayal of the origins of human civilization in Mesopotamian literature, in comparison with that of Genesis 1–11, reveals discontinuity with regard to the divine mediation of civilization. In Mesopotamian texts, civilization is of divine origin and is mediated to humans from the divine sphere, whereas in Genesis 1–11 civilization is of human origin and is associated with the downward spiral of humanity, resulting from the human acquisition of illicit divine “knowledge” in Genesis 3.

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