Marduk of Babylon

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The Patron God of Babylon, Marduk rose to become the Ruler of the Gods of Mesopotamia. He is the third God to head this pantheon. Apsu, the Deep and Tiamat, the Primordial Mother, who together created the world, ruled at the beginning according to the Enuma Elish (The Story of Creation). Then One of the Younger Gods, Enlil who Holds of the Tablets of Destiny, overthrew the Divine Couple by using magic. When Tiamat wanted vengeance for the murder of Her Mate, the Great Gods (Note 1) met and conferred on Marduk their powers to destroy Her. After their battle, He recreated the Cosmos with the body of the slain Tiamat.

 

Marduk is the God who shaped the Cosmos. Making the Heavens and the Earth from the body of Tiamat, He demonstrates the transformative power of creating order from chaos. By restoring order to the Cosmos, Marduk allows it to flourish. Besides kings ruling justly in his name, judges call upon the blessings of Marduk in legal proceedings.

 

Originally a God of Agriculture, Marduk became the Mediator between the Gods and Hammurabi, the king (1792-1750 BCE). Later kings of Babylonia received the commands of the Gods through Him. By the time of Nebuchadnezzar I (1121-1100 BCE) (Note 2), Marduk was the Supreme King of the Gods, Lord of the Lands (which was formally Enlil’s title). For the kings of Neo-Babylonian times, He was the source of their authority.

 

For Babylonians, their empire brought peace, ending the many wars between the cities. Misery abounded and cities burned until Babylon rules the region. Babylon, as Marduk, established order and justice in the land.

 

Selected Notes About Marduk

 

Marduk’s Consort is Sarpantu, whose attributes are unknown. She is the Queen of the Gods because of Markuk. However, Sarpantu can be called upon to assist with pregnancy and childbirth.

 

Marduk’s symbols are the hoe, the thunderbolt, and the bow with arrows. The hoe is for fertility and agriculture since this God brings the rains. Often depicted riding his battle chariot, Marduk wields a thunderbolt. This connotates the destruction and renewal that comes afterwards. His bow and arrows are for the war He wages against chaos. (Meanwhile, the Mushhushshu, a type of dragon who is associated with Him, represents the chaos.)

 

Esaglia, the temple tower of Marduk, was recreated as the “Tower of Babel” in the Old Testament. Mentioned in the “Enuma Elish,” Esaglia was built by the Gods, making it the highest tower in the region. The shooting of the arrow from “Babel” is from the Sixth Tablet of “Enuma Elish.” (Note 3)

 

Some of Marduk’s epithets:

God of Fifty Names and Powers

King of Heaven

Guardian of the Four Quarters

Overseer Who is Good

Shepherd of the Gods

Light of His Father

Young Steer of the Day

Bull-Calf of the Storm

Glorious Word of Power

Citadel of Prayer

Shepherd of the Stars

Lord of Life

Master of Magic

Restorer of Joy to Humankind

Patron of Babylon

 

Notes:

Note 1. The Great Gods did not include Marduk until the time of the Assyrian Kings, who “raised” Him and Assur, their Patron God.

 

Note 2. Not to be confused with Nebuchadnezzar II of the Old Testament. Nebuchadnezzar I was a devotee of Marduk.

 

Note 3. Scholars have thought that Etemenanki, which is the temple complex that contains Esaglia, was the “Tower of Babel” of the Old Testament. (Meanwhile, Marduk is called “Merodach” in the Old Testament.)