ELLIL AND THE LABBU

3 years | 2 minutes | Mesopotamian Text

This text is published by Delitzsch and translated by LW King

A curious variation of the creation myth is afforded by a small text which gives a story of a contest between Ellil and a great sea monster, whose name may be read Labbu, that is, Lion. The name might also be read Kalbu (dog), or even Ribbu; if this latter reading be authenticated, it would form a most interesting parallel to the Old Testament (Job 9.13, 26.12) as well as the Baal Cycle with Lotan (Leviathan).

In this fragment the monster is represented as of great size, for his length is fifty biru. The biru is the distance that may be covered in tow hours travel, about six or seven miles, and this would make the dragon three hundred or three hundred and fifty miles long, and the height which is reared the head out of the water six or seven miles (So King.) The blood of the dragon flowed for three years when slain, which seems consistent with this estimate of its size

The cities sighed, men [. . .]
Men uttered lamentation, [they . . .]
To their lament . . . not [. . .]
To their grief …. not [. . .]
o Who had [borne (?)] the dragon […?]
The sea had [borne(?) . . .]
Ellil in heaven hath formed [. . .]
Fifty biru in his length, one biru [his height?]
Six cubits is his mouth, twelve cubits [his . . . ]
Twelve cubits is the circuit of his [ears . . .]
For the space of sixty cubits he [. . .] birds
In water nine cubits deep he drags [. . .]
He raises his tail on high [. . .]
All the gods of heaven [. . .]
In heaven the gods bowed themselves down before [. . .]
The border of Sin’s robe they hasti[ly grasped]:
“Who will go and [slay] the Labbu (?)
And deliver the broad land [from . . .]
And become king [over . . .] ?”
Go, Tishpak, [slay] the Labbu (?)
And deliver the broad land [from . . .]
And exercise kingship [over . . .]
Thou hast sent me, Lord, of the offspring of the river to [. . .]
But I do not understand the [. . .] of the Labbu