Yam (god)

The destruction of Leviathan by God, thought by some scholars to parallel the defeat of Yam by Baal

Yamm or Yam, from the Canaanite word meaning "Sea," is the name of the Ugaritic god of rivers and the sea. Yam was the deity of the primordial chaos and represented the power of the sea untamed and raging. He is also seen as ruling floods and tempests and the disasters they wreak.

In Canaanite mythology, the younger deity Baal (Hadad) defeated Yam and cast him down from the heavenly mountain Sappan (modern Jebel Aqra. The seven-headed dragon Lotan is associated closely with Yam and the serpent is frequently used to symbolize him.

The myth of Yam's defeat by Baal parallels the Mesopotamia legend of the storm god Marduk defeated the primordial sea goddess Tiamat. A similar myth was also known to the Egyptians, in which the tyrannical Yam becomes the husband of Astarte.

Some historians of religion believe the ancient Greeks identified El with their god Kronos and Baal with Zeus, Yam with Poseidon, and Mot with Hades. Yam wished to become the Lord god in his place. In turns the two beings kill each other, yet Hadad is resurrected and Yam also returns. Some authors have suggested that these tales reflect the experience of seasonal cycles in the Levant.

In the Epic of Ba'al

A primary source for our knowledge concern Yam is the Epic of Baal, also known as the Baal Cycle, which describes the storm god Baal's ascendancy in the Canaanite pantheon.

In the beginning, the kindly but distant El, the father of the gods, bequeaths the divine kingship to Yam. The sea deity, however, soon turns tyrant and oppresses the other gods. Asherah, the mother goddess, attempts to reason with Yam, but he adamantly refuses to relent. In desperation for the welfare of her children, Asherah finally consents to give Yam her own body.

Baal is outraged at this idea, and Yam brazenly demands that Baal be handed over to him for punishment, sending emissaries to the Divine Council who show no respect even to El. Baal proceeds to defeat Yam in a mighty battle, rescuing Asherah from her fate and liberating the other gods from Yam's oppression.

However, Baal in turn proceeds to be defeated by Mot, the desert god of death and infertility, only to be himself rescued by his sister Anat so that he may rise again and reign supreme in an apparent re-enactment of the annual cycles of rain and drought.

Similarities in other mythological traditions

Yam (sea) and his secondary title Nahar (river) bears definite similarities with the older Mesopotamian deities Tiamat and Apsu, the primordial gods of salt water and fresh water, respectively. In the Babylonian epic Enuma Elish, Tiamat and her tyrannical henchman Kingu are defeated and slain by the storm god Marduk, who then becomes the supreme ruler and king of the gods, much as Baal defeats Yam to became the primary Canaanite deity. In the case of Yam, however, there is no indication that he was slain, as it appears from the texts that he was put to sleep through the intervention of Baal's sister and wife, Anath.

The battle between Yam and Baal also resembles the conflict in Hurrian and Hittite mythology between the sky God Teshub (or Tarhunt) with the serpent Illuyanka.

In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm (74:14) preserves a tradition which, according to critical scholars, may reflect the Hebrew deity Yahweh's acting much as Baal did by defeating the sea monster Leviathan and also hints at Baal's struggle with the desert god Mot: "It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert." The Book of Job 3:8 seems to refer to a day when the tyrant of the sea will wake from his sleep, speaking of "those who are ready to rouse Leviathan." Isaiah 27:1, meanwhile refers to God's victory over Leviathan in the future: "In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea."

In some Christian interpretations of (Genesis 3:15), the serpent of Eden is seen as equivalent to Leviathan, who the Messiah (or the Archangel Michael) will one day vanquish: "He will crush your (the serpent's) head, and you will strike his heel." A relevant passage in the book of Revelation reads: "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9).

In the apocryphal Apocalypse of Abraham, the enemy of Yahweh is called Azazel and is described as a dragon with "hands and feet like a man's, on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." (23:7)

Norse mythology also speaks of a world-serpent and deity of the sea named Jörmungandr. Like Yam, he is the archenemy of the storm god, in this case Thor, son of Odin.

There are also many similarities with the Egyptian chaos serpent, Apep and his animosity with the sun god Ra. They are described as eternally slaying each other.

In addition, the serpent-Titan Typhon battled the god Zeus over Olympus and was cast into the pits of the Earth.

Yam shares many characteristics with Greco-Roman Ophion, the serpentine Titan of the sea whom Kronos cast out of the heavenly Mt. Olympus.

The story is also analogus to the war between the serpent Vritra and the god Indra, son of the 'Sky Father' Dyaus Pita.

Connections between Yam and YHWH

According to some, Yam was also called Ya'a or Yaw. Damaged text in KTU 1.2 iv has been interpreted by Mark S. Smith as describing a renaming of Yam from an original name Yaw. The resemblance of the latter to the Tetragrammaton YHWH led to speculation over a possible connection between Yam and God of the Hebrew Bible. However, even if the reading is correct many scholars argue the names have different roots and reject the idea that they are related.

Another suggested reading of the name is Ya'a and it has also been suggested as an early form of the divine name Yah, Yahu. Earlier archaeologists like Theophilus G. Pinches quoted the research of Hommel, Professor of Semitic languages at Munich, who suggested "that this god Ya is another form of the name Ea...." By this theory Ya'a thus appears to have been a God of the waters, both salt (Yam) and fresh (Nahar), in some ways similar to the Mesopotamian God Ea. This view has been supported in more recent times by archaeologists like Jean Bottero and others, although this is disputed by other scholars.

=miscellany

Yamm was a Tyrannical god of the sea found who we know of from a fragmentary papyrus (Astarte Papyrus) which seems to hint that his exorbitant demands for tribute from the other deities were eventually thwarted by the goddess Astarte. http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/yamm.htm

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According to legend, Yamm was awarded the divine rule over the world by El. Baal, initially destined to become Yamm's servant, refused and challenged Yamm for battle. Baal came out victorious and won the divine kingship.Yamm was mentioned in the old Egyptian Astarte papyrus and might be identical with the old semitic god Lothan.

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In the Egyptian “Astarte Papyrus”… that goddess offers herself to the draconic “Sir Sea” (Yam) in order to end his depredations; and this seems also to underlie certain incidents in the Ugaritic Poem of Baal. Indeed, in one passage of the latter… the god Baal forbids the architects of his new palace to cut windows in it lest Yam crawl through them and abduct his brides! Similarly, in a Hittite myth, the goddess (“Ishtar”) pretends to offer herself to the sea-dragon Hedammu in order to arrest his assaults upon the earth… In Egypt, images of the goddess of the Nile (called rpat, “princess”) were thrown into the river. They are mentioned at the end of the Papyrus Harris, dating from the reign of Ramses II (c. 1170 B.C.E.). A. Moret… thinks they symbolized a “sacred marriage” designed to promote fertility through the river. Thevenot… says he saw a male and female wooden effigy thrown ceremonially into the Nile on August 18, 1657. on August 15, a conical figurine made of mould and called aruseh, “bride,” is still thrown into the Nile off the isle of Rodah, near Cairo, at the annual ceremony of “opening the dyke”…

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This story, composed in the Eighteenth Dynasty (1539–1292 B.C.E. ), may be a direct translation of a Canaanite story. One papyrus in New York preserves it. The story describes how the goddess Astarte defeated a sea-monster called Yam with the help of the god Seth. The story demonstrates that the Egyptians were familiar with foreign literature during this period.

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ancient West Semitic deity who ruled the oceans, rivers, lakes, and underground springs. He also played an important role in the Baal myths recorded on tablets uncovered at Ugarit, which say that at the beginning of time Yamm was awarded the divine kingship by El, the chief god of the pantheon. One day, Yamm’s messengers requested that the gods surrender Baal to be a bond servant to Yamm. El finally agreed, but Baal refused to go and instead engaged Yamm in battle. After a furious fight, in which the craftsman Kothar supplied Baal with two special weapons, Yamm was finally slain and the kingship given to Baal. According to some scholars, Yamm was the same deity as Lotan (Hebrew: Leviathan), who was represented as a hydralike dragon or serpent.

excerpts

Kindly El... gave the kingship to Prince Yam.

He gave the power to Judge Nahar.

Fearsome Yam came to rule the gods with an iron fist.

He caused them to labor and toil under his reign.

They cried unto their mother, Asherah, Lady of the Sea.

They convinced Her to confront Yam, to intercede in Their behalf.

Asherah went into the presence of Prince Yam. She came before Judge Nahar. :She begged that he release his grip upon the gods her sons.

But Mighty Yam declined her request.

She offered favors to the tyrant.

But Powerful Nahar softened not His heart.

Finally, kindly Asherah, who loves Her children, offered herself to the God of the Sea.

She offered Her own body to the Lord of Rivers.

Yam-Nahar agreed to this, and Asherah returned to the Source of the Two Rivers.

She went home to the court of El.

She came before the Divine Council, and spoke of her plan to the Gods her children.

Baal was infuriated by Her speech.

He was angered at the Gods who would allow such a plot.

He would not consent to surrendering Great Asherah to the Tyrant Yam-Nahar. :He swore to the Gods that He would destroy Prince Yam.

He would lay to rest the tyranny of Judge Nahar...

"From your throne of kingship you shall be driven,

from the seat of your dominion cast out!"...

And the weapon springs from the hand of the Lord,

Like a raptor from between his fingers.

It strikes the skull of Prince Yam,

between the eyes of Judge Nahar.

Yam collapses, he falls to the earth;

His joints quiver, and his spine shakes.

Thereupon the Lord drags out Yam and would rend him to pieces;

he would make an end of Judge Nahar.

However, Athtart pleads for Yam, who acknowledges the Lord as king of heaven:

Then up speaks Yam: "Lo, I am as good as dead! Surely, the Lord now reigns as king!"

Hadad holds a great feast, but not long afterwards he battles Mot (death) and through his mouth he descends to his realm below the earth. Yet like Yam, Death too is defeated and in h. I AB iii the Lord arises from the dead:

See also

• Ebla
• Ugaritic religion
• Devil
• Satan
• Demiurge
• YHWH
• Iaoue

Notes

1. ^ Lilinah biti-´Anat, The Myth of Baal, "Baal Battles Yahm" (1997). (Accessed 2006.2.15). This site has an unusually complete online text based on several scholarly versions cited.
2. ^ The Septuagint, written in Greek, does not contain the Tetragrammaton. Since the original Hebrew texts from which it was translated have long since disappeared, it is not known in which passages YHWH may have been written.
3. ^ Johannes C. De Moor, The Rise of Yahwism: The Roots of Israelite Monotheism, (Peeters Publishers, 2001).
4. ^ Gerald A. Larue, Old Testament Life and Literature (1968). (Accessed 2005.12.4)
5. ^ Mike Magee, "The Truth about the Jewish Scriptures I". (Accessed 2005.12.26)
6. ^ Michael S. Heiser, Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God. (Accessed 2005.12.4)
7. ^ Mark S. Smith, The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts. (Accessed 2005.12.4)
8. ^ "Sons of El" is from the Qumran text, LXX has "angels of God."
9. ^ Joel Kalvemaski, The Septuagint Online, (October 15, 2005). (Accessed 2006.2.15)
10. ^ Bryan T. Huie, The Heavenly Divine Council, (September 28, 2002). (Accessed 2005.12.4)
11. ^ Smith.
12. ^ Richard Freund, interviewed by Gary Hochman and Matthew Collins, NOVA. "Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land". (Accessed 2005.12.26)
13. ^ Alan Fuller, "Re: A question about the introducing beasts", Fri, 25 October 2002 16:02:20 -0000 (Accessed 2005.12.26), and Jean Philippe Fontanille, Menorah Coin Project "H426", (bottom of page). (Accessed 2005.12.26)

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Cassuto, U., trans. by Israel Abrahams. The Goddess Anath, (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1951).
• Coogan, Michael D., trans. & ed., Stories from Ancient Canaan, (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978), 86-89.
• De Moor, Johannes, The Seasonal Pattern in the Myth of Ba' lu according to the version of Ilimilku, (1971).
• Driver, G.R., trans., J. C. L. Gibson, ed., Canaanite Myths and Legends, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark Ltd., 1977).
• _____, The Rise of Yahwism: The Roots of Israelite Monotheism, (Peeters Publishers, 2001).
• Gaster, Theodor, trans., Thespis: Ritual, Myth & Drama in the Ancient Near East (New York: Harper & Row, 1966), 114-244.
• Ginsberg, H. L., trans., in The Ancient Near East, An Anthology of Tests and Pictures, James B. Pritchard, Ed., (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1958), 92-118.
• Smith, Mark S., The Ugaritic Ba'al Cycle; Vol. I: Introduction with Text, Translation & Commentary of KTU 1.1-1.2, (New York: E. J. Brill, 1994).
• Thompson, Thomas L., The Mythic Past; Biblical Archaeology and the Myth of Israel, (New York: Basic Books, 1999).

External links

• The Epic of Ba'al - online text
• The Historical Evolution of the Hebrew God
• "Putting God on Trial: The Biblical Book of Job" - a Biblical reworking of the combat motif between Yaw and Baal
• "Baalism in Canaanite Religion and Its Relation to Selected Old Testament Texts" - an overview of primary sources with a list of secondary sources
• Yam in the Bible: Habakkuk 3:8, Psalms 74:13, Job 7:12

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