Divine Wrath in the Ancient Near East: A Shared Theme
Divine Wrath in the Ancient Near East: A Shared Theme The notion of divine wrath is a common motif across Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literatures. From Mesopotamia to Egypt, Ugarit, and the Hittite lands, deities were often portrayed as expressing anger in response to human actions or cosmic disorder. While each culture framed this theme in its unique theological context, the underlying idea—a god’s rage resulting in judgment or catastrophe—resonates across the region. Epic of Gilgamesh – Tablet XI: The Great Flood In this Mesopotamian epic, the gods decide to send a flood to destroy humanity due to their noise disturbing the gods' peace. The storm god, Adad, and other deities unleash a catastrophic deluge: "The gods were frightened by the flood, and retreated, ascending to the Anu-heaven. They crouched against the walls, cowering like dogs lying by the outer wall." — Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI This scene depicts divine anger manifesting as natural catastrophe, a moti...